Two settings

I was on Llewellyn stage until the start time for Antipodes at Molly so I only caught the last tunes of the first set.  More on this excuse in the next report.  When I arrived, the band was playing music that was clearly scored, delicately written.  I wondered if they were touring an album.  No, but there was much new material.  Slow pensive melody played unison, exploding into short shared solo passages then back to controlled melody.  Room for solos, including the sit-ins, John Mackey and Miro Bukovsky, joining the core quintet of alto, guitar, piano, bass and drums, all taking their feature but combining to an effective theme.  Antipodes is an international grouping, formed out of a meeting of Luke (Aus) and Jake (NZ) in Berlin (Ger).  So antipodean, if international.  Then a relaxed break and a final set of a few blows on a blues and Stomping at the Savoy and I'll remember April.  Great, outgoing, joyous but intense jamming, but still relaxed and fun rather than the serious, scored first set.  All fabulous playing and inventive composition.  A pleasure.

Antipodes played at Molly with sit-ins John Mackey (tenor) and Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet).  Antipodes comprised Jake Baxendale (alto), Luke Sweeting (piano), Callum Allardice (guitar), Noel Mason (bass) and Tim Geldens (drums).

Tenor of our times

Murray Jackson plays alto but had time during Covid to explore the tenor sax and we saw the outcome the other night at a Geoff's jazz night at Smiths.  It was a very satisfying night of playing.  Mostly post-bop-sum-hard-bop field, so tunes by Murray and Aussies Bernie McGann and Dale Barlow, but also the internationals Jackie McLean, Donald Bird, Joe Henderson, Horace Silver and Stardust by Hoagy Carmichael as somewhat an outlier.  I was particularly taken by Nica's dream by Horace Silver with Murray playing Hank Mobley (or Junior Cook?) on harmony with the melody on piano (the original has trumpet playing the melody).  That was a particularly fascinating line and a pleasure to hear so clearly live.  Murray has studied well.  There's a clarity and purposefulness in all his playing, clearly from a good listener and plenty of transcriptions.  The whole band was pretty much that way, too, clear and expressive.  I enjoyed Wilbur Whitta's plain-talking lines and Tim Geldens spelling the rhythmic bass and especially Brendan Clarke's sometimes deliriously fluid solos, but then I'm a bassist and I admire Brendan's playing.  There was directness in this integrity and restraint, not to suggest it was easy to play because lots wasn't, but you didn't feel the richness and history and admiration that underlaid this presentation.  Murray mentioned the good sound of the room, too, both acoustics and Bevan's sound and that only helped this sense of clarity.  And it was Murray's first outing on tenor, I think.  One other thing to note: Wilbur Murray and Brendan are all products of our local jazz school, presumably from its early days at Manuka, so nice returns.  Very much enjoyed.

Murray Jackson (tenor) led a quartet with Wilbur Whitta (piano), Brendan Clarke (bass) and Tim Geldens (drums) at Smiths.

In one pocket

It was only a quick listen on the way to something else, but I was really glad that we caught up with Pocket Trio at the National Press Club. They are from Sydney. They'd played Smiths and BentSpoke earlier in the week in Canberra but I was busy. Just a little piano trio with a delightfully joyful take on standards: swinging, capable, light and vibrant. Their playing was a dream but their presence was low key, joyous. Nicely sharp but unobtrusive drums, clear piano spelling tunes, tons of lithe bass solos. Max was once a student at ANU so back home. It's interesting to see people as they grow into the art: he's playing now with great chops and finesse and intelligence. I've only caught Andrew on piano once before; Tim has visited often over the years. Hope to hear them again. Intellectually satisfying and just plain nice music.

Pocket Trio are Andrew Scott (piano) Maximilian Alduca (bass) and Tim Geldens (drums). They played at the National Press Club.

Distillate

There was just a time when Antipodes were playing away, clear and sharp and purposeful, that the word distillate came to me. The band has been together for some time, but I doubt they play together all the time. Nonetheless, this was beautifully correct while also being quick and complex at times and neat in passing of solos and the like. Restrained, inventive, sharp, intense. These are all words that fitted. To me, that means a nice band with artistic cred. I loved all the solos: frequently from altoist Jake, fairly commonly from pianist Luke and guitarist Callum and surprisingly frequently from bassist Max. And I really liked Max's playing. Not overtly showy but interestingly intervallic and wonderfully complex rhythmically. Smiths' budget doesn't quite come to a Steinway, but Luke's presence and solos were exploratory and always apt none-the-less. Callum's guitar was quite subdued, but could soar with speedy crisp lines or impart lovely modernist colour with various pedals. Not sure I remember a solo from drummer Tim, but his sharpness with gentility was inspirational. They could lift in volume, but they could also sit with the quietest of presence. The music was all original, interestingly from around the band and funnily enough the basis of some effective stage patter from Jake. A few songs for relatives (Tim's grandmother Joyce) or personal discoveries or cosmic themes (Phobos AND Deimos), but Sleep was the funniest. Ask Jake about that one. For a few later songs, trumpeter Alex Raupach sat in and the presence remained with neat sight-read harmonies that added nicely to the understated sophistication. Great night listening to some seriously impressive contemporary jazz. A huge pleasure.

Antipodes played at Smiths. Antipodes comprises Jake Baxendale (alto), Luke Sweeting (piano), Callum Allardice (guitar), Max Alduca (bass) and Tim Geldens (drums). Alex Raupach (trumpet) sat in for a few tunes.

Morning tea

It was about that time. It's an odd time for a jazz gig but this U3A Jazz Appreciation Society invites performers occasionally at this time. Irrespective of time, Brendan and mates were stunning. They had played the night before for Geoff Page. They were missing their sax so just performing as a piano trio, but regardless, this was breathtaking. partly because we were up close and there was chatter with the music. Partly because the room sounded so clear so inviting the quietest playing along with some letting go. Brendan said he might have played acoustic, but goes electric with any other amplified instrument and the piano was electric. It was relaxed although probably somewhat prepared from the gig the night before, but even so this was casual. One tune, Stardust, was requested and they played that without needing charts. Otherwise they were standards and jazz tunes - Straight no chaser, Invitation, Body & soul, Anthropology. One was a bass feature with Brendan playing melody, There's no you, in homage to NYC big toned gut bassist, Dennis Irwin, who Brendan used to hear weekly when in town. There was informed chatter about how they go about the art. One intro, indicative of the nature of this improvised art, had me amused. Brendan was introducing Invitation to be played with an AfroCuban rhythm but it was obviously left pretty open: "we'll probably swing in the bridge ... maybe". Brendan mentioned Aaron's prolific quoting. I caught a few before and after but I'm sure plenty slid by. He did a great job of using them as thematic ideas for development. Tim played quietly and just a few times loudish and was notably inventive with techniques. One was snapping at one stick laid over the snare with another but I'd heard that before. I hadn't heard the rolled brush over snare, perhaps brushed with the other hand, or the stick hit on the front kick skin. These are guys playing in friendly environment, early and relaxed. It showed, like in a mutter when Aaron didn't quite manage a tricky line. I like that they were pushing it. That's the best. This was a peak of playing. Immensely satisfying.

Brendan Clarke (bass) led a trio with Aaron Blakey (piano) and Tim Geldens (drums) for a morning gig for the U3A Jazz Appreciation Group.

Playing it tough

Maybe it's the age of the audience and maybe it's the jazz they started out with but several said how much they enjoyed this gig by the Matt Ottignon and his Tough Tenors. Just straight ahead, blues-infused, heavily swinging, uncomplicated and earthy (which does not translate into easy to play). Median tempos or up-tempo (even the one ballad, Body & soul, was pretty quick), burning tenor sax with two tenors up front. Tonal, bluesy lines, steady swing and walks, neat piano comping, unison or harmony heads and steady drums. Dirty big tones and satisfyingly twisted lines from hot and sweaty tenors. This may be as serious as your life, but you can feel the joy and even humour. The tunes were from several gatherings of two tenors - Eddie Lockjaw Davis with Johnny Griffin, Dexter Gordon with Wardell Grey, Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons - but also a few singles - Ellington, Diz, Clifford Jordan, Bennie Motin, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins. All formative players around the era of bebop and its offshoots. The band was pretty much a recent gathering but it didn't show: they were still blowing tight and together, obviously informed by the various traditions of this art as well as supported by their individual skills (these were some good players). Just a hard swinging night of hot playing with some humour amongst the pleasure. It's getting on to 60 or 70, even 80, years old by now, but how good to return to this formative era.

The Tough Tenors were Matt Ottignon and Chris O'Dea (tenors), Andrew Scott (piano), Tom Botting (bass) and Tim Geldens (drums) and they played at the Gods.

Perceptions evolving

It's strange how you see bands differently in different incarnations. Antipodes played again at Smiths and this time I was just mesmerised by the richness and development of the compositions. Not that the blowing isn't good. It always is. These are wonderful players and they leave space for improv, but I wondered at the complexity of lines, of interactions, of feels. One piece, by Callum, was called Five 3 ways, apparently written to cycle through 5/8, 5/4 and 15/8. A mate commented that is sounded "almost baroque" and it did, especially a counterpoint section where the band broke down to just guitar and alto. Jake's Luke's Hidden Falls had the most deliciously settled feel, sparse and zen-like which developed busyness and complexity then finally returned. Luke can present his tunes with light, daily life images for titles, about kids on bikes or pants, but they are richly structured: his Glasshouse starts meditative and relaxed, enlivening with a guitar solo and ending on anarchy. The membership of Antipodes has varied over their three visits: Luke and Jake for all three; Callum for two; Tom and Tim for this latest. So it is with touring bands but the core compositional duties sit with Luke, Jake and Callum. I was entranced by the rhythm section, Tom a favourite of mine, tight, very effectively syncopated and one solo, especially, a very pleasant surprise when he was brave enough to play so little and so deliciously simply. Tim was new to me and a great pleasure: always strong and driving, sharp and clear and some lovely divisions of the beat, rudimentary. Luke likes his Rhodes: this time that sound came from a lightweight Korg Krome. He likes the acoustic, too, of course, but Smith's upright, although undeniably authentic, was not quite so pleasing. Either way, he's an easy master, spelling harmonies and exploring chords with varied ease. Callum is nicely understated, clean, crisp but fast and well filled. Jake will play the distant and pensive, bent notes, slow connections, intervallic explorations, but enjoys the explosive, fast, loud, physical. So, I wrote before of a great blowing band, and they continue with plenty of nice improv, but it's composition that gets my admiration on this visit. A wonderfully lively and thoughtful band.

Antipodes comprised Jake Baxendale (alto), Callum Allardice (guitar), Luke Sweeting (piano), Tom Botting (bass) and Tim Geldens (drums). They played at Smiths.