Amongst the artz

Visitors out of town and quiet amongst the institutions. Megan and I took an afternoon for a short visit. Not Tom Roberts or the celestial empire, although they look great and are planned. Just to see the new thematic layout in the National Gallery and the switch of Australian downstairs and International upstairs. I liked it. I especially liked the occasional walls of profusions of artworks. These galleries have lots of painting; I'm not sure why they don't show them off to the max. They do at the AGSO and Palazzo Pitti and the like. They are touching on it here, and those busy spaces are the most inviting judged by the numbers perusing. Maybe the sex and beach theme helped in one gallery. I liked the lower ceilings for Blue poles and Hockney's Grand Canyon was hugely better hung where it now is. Perhaps a busier wall would have helped but it worked. Our local Ex de Medici gets a seriously prominent spot, as does another local, Patricia Piccinini, and there's more poignant humour with a Refugee astronaut. Not everything is moved: Asian, Indian, Aboriginal and such galleries are in place, but this change deserves a few visits. On the way, we dropped in to the National Portrait Gallery to find Dirk, Lachlan and Stewart playing and modelling in the foyer. An amusing concept. Jazz musicians play; amateur artists draw. Nice.

We visited the National Gallery of Australia. Dirk Zeylmans (tenor), Lachlan Coventry (bass, guitar) and Stewart King (guitar) were playing for live (not life) drawing in the foyer of the NPG.

Temptation

Bella Groove have been playing around Canberra frequently of late. I finally got a gig to find the band is a string of mates from the jazz scene, fronted by singer Elise. Elise, at least, was new to me. Bella Groove play the jazz standards and more with a funky, rocky, electric twist. Take standards and some favourite rock and pop tunes, add electric bass and choppy guitar, drums and tenor, and a voice over with flute for a softer colour. It's a good night out and these are nice players. John sounded all fat and punchy, very satisfying, improvising and walking and taking plenty of solos. Stew cut through all choppy and clear and edgy with sharp comping chords and blues-tinged solos. Noddy was just plain effective, soloing at will; not needing to read this stuff, although they tell me he can read fly specks on the wall when he needs to. Joe on tenor was the most adventurous, but that's a sax trait: starting his solos with melodic interpretations but soon vearing out in harmony and rhythm; his solos were also the longest. And Elise, firm voiced singer and comfortable leader, stood the front line when not taking flute melodies or solos. I'd missed Beatrice, but I heard Tom Waits' Temptation, CC Rider, Dindi, Old devil moon and Stolen moments. I was sorry to have to leave early. I was bopping. A comfy band playing great tunes making for a night out and a few drinks.

Bella Groove are Elise Walsh (vocals, flute) with Joseph Taylor (tenor), Stewart King (guitar), John Burgess (bass) and Noddy Brassington (drums) and they were playing at Hippo.