SoundOut 2025-3

 

Then the internationals again, this time for a sax quartet of Richard, Bertrand, Rhys and Jean-Luc playing steady, slowly shifting tones with perhaps some circular breathing in the mix.  All this to visual projected accompaniment from Nicci Hayes who had appeared in the previous year.   And to finish off, some younger local performers, Alex, Gabriella, Jamie and Stuart, as a new generation, from Canberra and Sydney, comprising drums, tenor sax, guitar and invented instruments.

The saxophone quartet comprised Jean-Luc Guionnet (alto, France), Richard Johnson (tenor), Bertrand Denzier (tenor, France) and Rhys Butler (alto) with Nicci Hayes (visual projections).  The final session was performed by Alex Tucker (drums), Gabriella Hill (tenor), Jamie Lambert (guitar) and Stuart Orchard (guitar, invented instruments).

SoundOut 2025-1

There are 4 SoundOut sessions and 3 workshops, but it's a busy weekend so I can just get to one session.  Unfortunate, as it's a big year with a slew of internationals, even a whole band from France, as well as our locals and others.  My session was no.3, Saturday evening.  I walked in to hear a rising clamour from tenor, alto, soprano saxes, guitar and drums while visual artist Locust Jones made black on white painting against a wall, sometimes with his nose.   Several of these musicians were from Hubbub, that French group, along with an Italian soprano saxist and SoundOut director Richard Johnson.  LJ also had a series of large-scaled politically-themed painting in the main gallery and they were fascinating.  Then Great Waitress+ with clarinet, piano and accordion. I felt this was strongly led by Magda Mayes, Berlin pianist, with apt harmonies from Laura Altman on clarinet and a light wash of colour and presence from Monica Brooks on accordion.

Locust Jones (visual artist) performed visual arts with musical accopaniment from Jean-Luc Guionnet (alto, France), Gianni Mimmo (soprano, Italy), Jean-Sebastien Mariage (?, guitar, France), Edward Perraud (drums, France) and Richard John son (tenor).  Great Waitress+ comprised Laura Altman (clarinet), Monica Brooks (accordion) and Magda Mayas (piano, Berlin). 

Birthday

This was Geoff's Jazz at Smiths and it was a special celebration, of the wonder of the long-standing band Wanderlust, and also the long-standing trumpeter who brought it together around 35 years ago in Sydney, Miroslav Bukovsky.  Anyone who knows Miro loves him so this was a special event.  And Wanderlust is such a perfect name for the music they play.  The tunes virtually were all by Wanderlust, often by Miro himself, and they were expansive, with only 9 tunes over two sets totalling about 2 hours.   So there was time to explore, another aspect of good travel.  But most obvious were the tunes themselves that spoke of a wide world, one samba in 3, one mambo, one from Burundi, one speaking to South Africa and Nelson Mandela, a final one just called Peace please, which speaks to all time and very much to now.  There was one cover, astonishingly called Wanderlust by Duke Ellington, a far more relaxed, luxuriant tune with nothing like the exploratory quest of this band, but still superbly lovely, as Ellington just is.  The band was superb, of course, understated, easily spoken, intriguing in harmony and melody, and settling into the most immersive grooves.  Which reminds me of a discovery I made listening to Miro's compositions, that trumpeters play melody so beautifully and thus write lovely melodies.  I guess it's related to the harmonic series that's the nature of technique on brass.  If not recorded already (surely it must be!) I reckon there's a PhD in that.  So this was all good nature, a party surrounded by admirers and friends and wonderful good will.  It's a memory for the ages from a band lasting ages.  Dry wit and so much joy.  Happy birthday for Miro's 80th and long may Wanderlust and the wanderlust remain.

Wanderlust performed at Smiths for Geoff's Jazz and Miro's 90th birthday.  Wanderlust are Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn), John Mackey (tenor), Alister Spence (piano, keyboards), Jeremy Sawkins (guitar), Fabian Hevia (percussion) and Lachlan Coventry (bass, guitar) with guest Tom Fell (baritone, soprano saxes).  They were joined by Alex Raupach (trumpet) and Richard Johnson (bass clarinet) for some final tunes.

Thanks

Richard thanked me for coming to the latest SoundOut gathering and noted that it's not my music.  That's true to some degree but I've attended quite a few SoundOuts over the years and I deeply respect his work in this.  It got me musing on what I like and like less of this form of music.  SoundOut posters proclaim "free jazz and experimental music" and this is perhaps a large field.  I've heard some great jazz-trained players amongst some people lesser trained in the formal arts.  That's not to put them down, but it is a different approach.  I heard that again this time.  To some degree it may be familiarity but I loved Miro's expressive and repeated or developed lines over the partner sounds less formal, often created with non-traditional techniques on traditional instruments or other.  They can be interesting and varied but they can be like pots that you play for a while then switch to another pot, sounding of change but not development.  But then, you could say something the same for sections of formal music, that you lurk in one, then switch.  I do find some comfort and invention in rhythm and harmony and melody that are functions of our formal systems, and again they can go missing.  Much of formal non-European music  ignores harmony.  Miro's lines over the top provided and defined the structures through those techniques.  And Miro was not alone.  There were several players who displayed those techniques even if not always using them in this context.  And also players who displayed good chops without indulging in the traditional forms.  Charles Martin was there with computer and he's well trained although I didn't notice obvious links to traditions this time.  Richard himself has some great chops on tenor and preferred tonguing and alternative techniques.  Karim Camprovin did some wonderful vocal work defining all manner of harmonies and even scalar plays against Miro and also played with alternatives.  Percussion came in too with Karim and Miro.  I think it was Bruce Spink on a classical guitar who displayed classical chops then all manner of dissonances, but that's standard technique these days.  Jamie Lambert, playing with him, avoided standard technique on e-guitar but coaxed some intriguing tones, especially with a small metal strip (?) and a more traditional little bow.  Paul Wong was also on a guitar and Yichen Wang on OP1 (?) with a VR headset and projection and tones varied with hand movements (did I get this one?).  That was strange.  More guitar/keys and invented electronic instruments from Stuart Orchard and Brian McNamara.  Various combinations of commercial effects and noise generators like this are common at SoundOut and can be fascinating and inviting.  Then the all playing as a large ensemble to finish.  And all the while, Nicci Hayes provided a varying projection of drawings, colours and washes.  And the backdrop was NZ mountain paintings by Euan Macleod.  So, is this "my music"?  Yes, I like the formalities and enjoy the experimentation.  I guess I prefer the free jazz to the experimental .  But I also remember a response from a NZ female pianist at a SoundOut years back.  I complimented her on her excellent set then asked what key she was playing.  She answered that she didn't know.  Best to retain some humility in our preferences and opinions.  And thanks to Richard for his ongoing work that is SoundOut.

Richard Johnson (tenor) assembled the latest SoundOut Explorations session at the Drill Hall Gallery.  Miro Bukovsky (trumpet),  Karim Camprovin (vocals) and others performed.

In the meantime, this YT video is relevant > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzodB0Sp6ZI

SoundOut 2024 / 1

Richard Johnson's SoundOut festival is back for its 15th incarnation.  It's presumably well known in these pages as an experimental and free jazz festival featuring Canberrans, Australians and a spattering of internationals.  And for that matter, sadly, just a spattering of audience.  This is not the most popular musical style: eclectic and authentic, yes, but popularity limited.  I won't get too all, but I do expect to get to one workshop and two or three concert sessions.  First up was Session 1 Friday evening.  I came in as Biomorph were performing.  This is the veritable core group of Richard Johnson and Rhys Butler playing tenor and alto saxes.  I heard flickering, moody, floating, whale calls, tonguing and horn staccatos and a closeness that comes with time playing together.  Then French internationals Animal Duo comprising Diemo Schwartz (electronics) and Guylaine Cosseron (vocals).  Sounds of cymbals, explosives, unexpected dynamics and more from synth and vocals that sounded of wind, grunts, animal noises and gutted with taped vocal chords.  Variously swelling, settling, floating, menacing.  Third up was a favourite for me, especially given I play bass.  Panghalina comprises an odd combination of bass plus two drummers, each playing another instrument, vocals or synth.   It comprised Helen Svoboda (bass, vocals), Bonnie Stewart (drums, vocals) and Maria Moles (drums, synth).  This sounded more ordered to my ears, but still mightily improvised.  They told me later of SoundOut being an opportunity return to improv roots given they are otherwise touring an album and playing those tunes which were originally productions of improv and remain improvisatory but with some structure.  I noted how "this has structure, thus some expectations amongst improv with huge intensity and high wordless vocals".  They later talked of parameters, being standard modes of expression (short note, long notes, staccato, etc) also a pictorial sense, as in long notes as landscape and short notes for Jackson Pollock.  Tech also took a role: Maria's synth but also TC Helicon over Helen's voice and a Boss RC505II to sample and loop Bonnie's voice, but more importantly, their voices found natural, improvised notes and merged through gentleness and harmonies.  Some structure over improv: how I like it.

Biomorph comprised Richard Johnson (tenor) and Rhys Butler (alto).  Animal Duo comprised Diemo Schwartz (electronics) and Guylaine Cosseron (vocals).  Panghalina comprised Helen Svoboda (bass, vocals), Bonnie Stewart (drums, vocals) and Maria Moles (drums, synth).

Sound and light out

I just caught a snippet of the long set, but it was intriguing.  This was a SoundOut gig located in the middle of Civic in an ex-hair salon (sounds the part!).  Bright lights and colour outside through the glass; colour projections inside from a series of film projectors of 8mm variety.  Authentic analogue, Interestingly complete with authentic analogue film loops.  Two projectors mostly, sometimes superimposed, otherwise side-by-side.  Seven musicians responding to this, in lines seated at the opposite walls.  The whole was noise, repetition, squeaks and sparks, drone noises and the like.  Two guitarists, trumpet, three winds of various persuasions.  There was an intriguing home-built synth, too, with pitch and modulations controlled by hand movements and a chip to respond to it all; small and mounted on a rough timber stand.  Unique.  This is the nature of SoundOut, that experimentation and noise that makes music with closed eyes for inquisitive audiences.  Sadly, not too many of them.

SoundOut presented Louise Canham (experimental film projection) with the Noise Floor Ensemble comprising George Kay, Jamie Lambert (guitars), Rhys Butler (alto), Richard Johnson (wind instruments), Rory Villegas (trumpet), Tom Fell (saxes) and Brian McNamara (invented electronic instruments) at Antics Hair in Civic.

Safe house

Well, the Drill Hall Gallery is not likely to be an unsafe space so the reference fits.  But the reference is not just to the space, but to Richard Johnson's soundscape that he prepared to accompany an exhibition at the Drill Hall.  I caught it on Sunday.  It's a soundscape, so a mix of various sounds and noises and clips, ie, recordings (we'd probably say samples, now).  Richard had gone out to collect sounds.  Llewellyn Hall provided some noise (not music this time), aircon or the like.  He used voice clips from the film Safe, thus that reference.  (Richard's more complete list: "a montage of field recordings, textural drones and sounds from the real world ... sources include industrial machinery, welding, work sites, singing air conditioning systems, crowds, walking, doors, stone rubbing, sounds for the opening night of the exhibition and excerpts from the film Safe (1995)").  Miro was there, too, and it interested me when he said that the brain finds order from these collections of otherwise unrelated sounds.  That's something the composer does in the first instance as s/he collects and mixes, but also what we do when we listen to it.  I sat with eyes closed for a while, taking it in, and was intrigued and entertained.  Now, I'm a rational type and I didn't easily  see relationships with the art, despite also enjoying that, but I was intrigued and pleased with the sounds.  And there was art, too, this being an exhibition.  Some doors with locks; some prints of house and office spaces; some photos of oldish furniture used outdoors; some colour surfaces on glass; some intriguing 3D reformations of red dirt country (interestingly, borrowed from the collection of the NGA); some splotches and neon and curtains and glass and more.  Nice outing, this one.

Richard Johnson (sound artist) created a soundscape to accompany the Out of Place exhibition at the Drill Hall Gallery.

SOSat arvo 1-1

This was SoundOut 2020, Saturday afternoon session. As always, there was a mix of performers local and Australian an foreign. We all expect the ringins from OS to be the exciting ones, and they often are, of course, being the stars invited and presumably supported by their embassies. I was particuarly looking forward to Achim, Frank and Wilbert who had massively impressed me with a short informal perfomance in the workshop, but that was for the evening. I arrived to hear a trio of sax, sax and vocals/electornics from Rhys, Richard and Tony Osborne. Nice, flowing, nuanced with tones and noises. Then Peter Hollo, cellist with electronics. I checked out his web page: he records postfolkrocktronica as Raven, has played classical with AYO and more and pop with Deborah Conway, the Whitlams and more, os he has chops. It showed in his playing with an awareness of melody and traditional techniques, nicely embellished with electronics and loops and the like. I heard yearning, distance, lovely acoustic cello tone, and later some tongue taps and what seemed quite like a constructed compostion. Nice. Then on to a feature trio, Dylan Van der Schyff, Elisabeth Harnick and our own local, Jess Green. A power trio: high energy from the opening; exciting and varied; quick insectoid flourishes form Jess; all manner of tones from dismantled kit and standard techniques from Dylan; scrapes and noises from within the piano into effusive keyboard with indeterminate harmony from Elisabeth. A huge pleasure.

Rhys Butler (alto), Richard Johnson (soprano) and Tony Osborne (vocals, electronics) played first. Peter Hollo (cello, electronics) played second. Dylan Van der Schyff (drums), Elisabeth Harnick (piano) and Jess Green (guitar) played third. SoundOut 2020 Saturday afternoon at the Drill Hall Gallery.

Out 2

It's SoundOut day 2 and I got to the evening session. Both days have been evening sessions for me. I arrived as Brigit, Millie, Pierre-Yves and Richard were about to play. The nature of this event is a mix of people who play together regularly and interactions with new others. It makes it interesting for all and is the essence of the collective nature of the event. Then into Superimpose featuring Berliners Christian and Mattias, drums and trombone. This is energy and noise with some tones and considerable chops. I was particularly impressed by Matthias with his rapid flap tonguing which served a real rhythmic purpose and Christian is clearly sharp on stick techniques. But it was my house-guests who opened new doors for me in this contemporary experimental music: Hannah on flute and Brodie on trombone. They played noise, slapped keys and dismantled instruments and smacking sounds at various times but they were virtuosic in tonal and atonal note play and it made up, perhaps, most of their performances: beautiful tones; unexpected intervals; suggestions of melody and rhythms; intriguing harmonies, implied or otherwise, tonal or otherwise. It's an area where I feel more comfortable. Hannah's appearance was firstly with piccolo playing a rapidly moving birdsong. Brodie took a busily firm control with virtuosic noteplay against Marlene's sympathetic and glorious bass clarinet tones before playing with noises and a CD mute and a return to tones. I mentioned this to Hannah and her comment: that's how we were trained. I guess others have similar training. Certainly Marlene who played bass clarinet with Brodie had a similar approach and perhaps Laura and Millie. There were times Jim played this way, too, and Pierre-Yves. I heard snippets from Clayton the day before. Tonality/atonality is powerful amongst the noise plays. It expands and beautifies, at least to my ears. I felt it in Lenny's drumming too: not tonality but relatively some standard rhythmic concepts. Then ongoing to Jim inviting Millie, Matthias and Birgit to his solo spot. I was amused to watch their discussions beforehand and the synchronising of watches. They were to pass back and forth, Jim to others, every 60sec. Then Brodie and Marlene leading into the final Collective improv. The final group improv is always a feature as this one was. Richard was particularly pleased. Then the pack ups and partying that is essential to such an event. SO2019 was another challenge for the ears but also a diversion into C20th atonality and the mix was great. It's not often we get such a gathering of experimentals in Canberra. Hopefully Richard will manage to revisit it as an 11th anniversary next year for this one was a great success.

SoundOut 2019 final day 2 was at the Drill Hall Gallery. Performers at the evening session were Superimpose featuring Christien Marien (drums) and Matthias Muller (trombone); Birgit Uhler (trumpet), Millie Watson (piano), Pierre-Yves Martel (viola da gamba), Richard Johnson (wind), Hannah Reardon-Smith (flute), Laura Altman (clarinet), Lenny Preston (drums), Rhys Butler (alto), Jim Denley (flute) with others, Brodie McAlister (trombone) and Marlene Radice (bass clarinet) and the SoundOut Collective.