Chops assumed

I like plucked solos on nylon string guitars. They are fast, flashy, exciting, with that dull thud with edge. Classical guitars use nylon strings and they claim a range of tones with fingerpicking. But this is different, not classical. It's a thrilling sound, with its references to Spain and flamenco. This was like that. Richly embroidered with rhythms form three guitars, often fingerpicking with ring and pinkies, along with picks and strums. I also like it when several people play the same instrument together. Their approaches and concepts are easy to hear. This was Mike Price, Greg Stott and Stuart King playing as Hermoso Sonido and they were obviously different in tone and soloistic styles.

I also like it when chops are assumed and the tunes take centre stage. I don't notice it too often and it's not always too obvious. I noticed it during a rich pop tune from Elvis Costello, Favourite hour. The solos were great, the interplay was wonderful with three similar instruments never stepping on each other, each taking a part, perhaps unconsciously, passing solos or supporting as a duo. This was so easy and the tune was paramount. Favourite hour was through composed, with great lyrics (but nobody offered to sing) and with unusual changes. They also played a rough transcription from Jan Lorenz, who Mike had seen in Barcelona, and a few originals from Greg and Kenny Wheeler's Kind folk, which I've heard before from Mike. I only heard the second set, having come from the Australian Haydn Ensemble, but they'd played some Chick Corea, one of which was the lively Open your eyes you can fly from the first, from the first incarnation of Return To Forever with Airto and Flora Purim and Joe Farrell and Stan Clarke. I got two things from this gig. Firstly, how well they played together. This was a lesson in three similar instruments not getting in each others' way. I realised when Mike was soloing, Stuart was strumming and Greg was filling with notes from chords. Very neat. And how three very good players on the same instruments can display such markedly different approaches.

This was a wonderfully involving concert with a settled quietness about it all. Thrilling in solos and skills and communicative in chatter and presence. Not loud, not forced, but driving and unified. Clearly three local masters at their craft. Hermoso Sonido are Mike Price, Greg Stott and Stuart King (nylon strung guitars).

That glorious acoustic twang

Megan and I dropped into the National Press Club for Friday evening jazz and a pre-dinner drink. Mike Price was playing, but this was more delicate than usual: a guitar trio of Mike with Greg Stott and Stuart King. Megan asked me at one stage if it was jazz. Who knows? There’s so much crossover these days. The guitars were nylon strung so the sound was crisp and earthy and acoustic: classical guitars… or John McLaughlin. Greg was miked and the others were using pickups into their amps. They played a few lively standards, but also several tunes that were more harmonically complex and balladic. It’s interesting to hear the different approaches to solos and comping and the different tones of each player, as well as admire the obvious reading skills. Luckily it wasn’t a busy night at the NPC because, even with a small audience, this detailed and intimate music was getting lost. It was a bit jazz-raw, as you’d expect, improvised and with a fairly undecided playlist. This would be a problem in a concert hall with classical players, but they were playing a bar and these are jazz trained, so playing somewhat off-the-cuff is second nature and part of the thrill. And these are capable players. So, one drink and one set was all we caught, but it was delightfully acoustic sounding and capably loose. Perhaps a stretch for the venue, but none-the-less it was worthy music well played.

Mike Price, Stuart King and Greg Stott (guitars) played as a trio at the National Press Club.

Little luxuries

My Mum likes to visit to the Hyatt Tea Room and it was felicitous that we could also catch Lucinda Peters who was playing there for Friday evening pre-dinner drinks. This is a very civilised outing and the music was perfectly suitable for the location. No intrusive drums. Just the smooth tones of bass, the sharp but sweet sound of acoustic guitar (Stuart changed to semi-acoustic later in a later set) and Lucinda singing smooth jazz and latin and some tamed bop. I was talking rather than listening for this gig, but I noticed fluent solos from both these isntrumentalists, even if my favourites were from the twangy acoustic. I also enjoyed Lucinda’s eminently professional presence and a nicely subdued jazz freedom that made for interesting tunes but with a relaxed presence. The first tune we heard was Round midnight, so this was particularly subdued, but then the set moved nicely though various styles: How deep the ocean how high the sky, Girl from Ipanema, Yardbird suite and that classic memory of a little black dress, Moon River. Lovely and perfect accompaniment for sparking wines or an amber ale. Lucinda also plays bass and I’ve yet to hear her in this role. Looking forward to that.

Friendly rivalry

Funnily enough, last night’s jam session at Hippo’s was called by the Rivals. It’s just a name, but so apt in this context. After all, there’s always a bit of brashness and rivalry at a jam session, even if it’s perfectly friendly as this one was. A large part of jazz is the individualist art of improvisation and a bit of amiable competition is par for the course. This is playing for your peers and, especially in a form like jazz, your peers are your most aware critics. It reminds me of the admonition: Miss practice for one day and you notice; miss practice for three days and the band notices; miss practice for a week and everyone notices.

I arrived while the Rivals were playing an introductory set. I was stunned by how good was the music as I was walking up the Hippo steps. It was wonderfully informed and stylish music with tuneful melody and complex underlying harmony in a style I truly love. The Rivals are normally a trio: Luke Sweeting, Stuart King and Hugh Deacon but for this gig they were joined by Reuben Lewis and Matt Handel. Stuart told me he’d spent hours writing lines for the horns over the weekend. These were not always balladic in form, but they were harmonically complex as ballads are. Nice solos and good reading by the horns, too, but the writing was the main attraction for me. This is seriously satisfying music and will be worthy of the recording when they get to it.

Then followed a series of outfits thrown together for a blow. They were all playing standards with that singular urgency that you hear at jam sessions. It’s particularly interesting to hear players next to each other and observe their various styles and approaches. It’s impossible to deny skills or listeners’ preferences or just plain talent, so we will always have preferences, but these are all trained players and they all have something valid to say. I was especially interested in several newer players who I hadn’t heard: early year jazz students and even a classical bassist who’s making a crossover into jazz (most impressive!). No doubt they will appear on CJ over time. I got to sit in, too. The tune was Have you met Miss Jones, the classic standard that’s famous as an early example of Coltrane changes, and it was an impressive band: Andy Butler, Aidan Lowe, Reuben Lewis, Matt Handel, Tom Fell and Max Williams. Also interesting to me was the chance to try out Phill Jenkins’ bass. It’s got wonderful presence and decay but I struggled with the fat, heavy, rolling gut strings. Despite that, it was much enjoyed. Thanks to the band and Phill and to the Rivals.

The Rivals are Luke Sweeting (organ), Stuart King (guitar) and Hugh Deacon (drums) but for this gig they were joined by Reuben Lewis (trumpet) and Matt Handel (alto sax).

Guitars in the cold

I feel for guitarists in the cold. It wasn’t too extreme, but Dave had heavy ski gloves ready to don at the end of the set. Comfy! Dave was playing with Stuart King. I enjoyed the playing of each of them, although they present very different styles. Dave is more the calm, fatter-sounding, more melodically-concerned player; Stuart is more crisp, fast and fluid. I just heard part of Wes Montgomery’s Four on six and the ballad Sonny while waiting for my cappuccino, but then they stopped for breakfast. Nice playing from both guitarists, a richer interplay and presumably a more chatty and entertaining gig for Dave who otherwise plays solo. Dave Rodriguez (guitar) played a duo set with Stuart King (guitar).