Apoplexia (NJWC1)

The first of CJ's three reviews for the National Jazz Writing Competition

CD review
Trio Apoplectic (CD title and band name)
Dave Jackson (alto sax), Abel Cross (bass), Alex Masso (drums)
JazzGroove, JGR036, (mastered) November 2006
600 words

Macquarie defines apoplexy as a “marked loss of bodily function due to cerebral haemorrhage”. A band that lays claim to such a title is obviously saying something to us. I’ve seen TA several times live, and I can confirm that the title fits. But their selftitled album is a much clearer and more understandable statement of this claim. Why a loss of bodily function? For me, it’s the indefinite nature of tonality and harmony that’s inherent in this stream of modern jazz. Trio Apoplectic are not the only ones doing this. Similar sounds come from people like Steve Coleman and Greg Osby and the history of this style dates at least from free and avantguard forms of the 60s. To hear it live is ecstatic and disorienting and an intellectual challenge. To hear it in a studio incarnation is clearer, more defined and usually more restrained. But also more comprehensible.

Trio Apoplectic are Dave Jackson (alto sax), Abel Cross (bass) and Alex Masso (drums). The chordless trio is a key component of their style. It opens the harmonic structure, frees to the counterpoint of bass and sax, allows ambiguity in chordal movements. So the experience is not of an underlying chordal structure with superimposed melody and improvisations. This is far more malleable. Every note defines a relationship to each other note, and, with only two pitched parts, is open to multiple implied harmonies. It also frees each player for a front line role. There’s no longer a defined leader, or a clear player of heads, or someone who at any one time is soloing or supporting. Everyone takes the role, and pretty much all the time. If this is sounding like bodily malfunction to you, we’re on a common path. But in the style of the post-modern, in this malfunction hides beauty.

The tunes are mostly original and confirm this appeal to our most investigative senses. They’re penned by Abel and Alex (bass and drums) but the compositions are varied and valid; not all riff or rhythm based as you may expect. “Dynamite” sets the scene for the album. It’s is a hard bop from the top, with sax lines stretching over bar lines, intriguing bass lines laying down harmony, but none too obviously, and capable and very pleasant sounding drums interpreting. This band can swing hard, always rhythmically obvious, but never chordally too evident. “Details of how to get APOPLECTIC on your licence plate” moves into the freer sphere: unison lines in the head, short hard swing segments and drum/sax and bass/percussion solos. “Windy” is more a bassist’s composition, with starter bass solo and a riff basis. “Firewaltz” is a Mal Waldron post-bop. “Skyblocks” is air and space and soundscape. “Boo Boo’s birthday” is a lesser-played Monk tune. It’s a basis for drum and bass solos, but otherwise relatively standard in these surroundings. “Cann River” is authentic free. Finishing, “Sunday arvo” is melancholic and sounds true to quiet, thoughtful times.

Dave’s sax is mobile in extent and tuneful in expression. Overt, but never obvious. Abel’s bass is gloriously rich and searching in spelling the chords; again never predictable but always satisfying. Alex’s drumming as an object lesson in communicating with other players. And the openness of the chordless trio format allows beautiful, ringing sounds from all instruments. The recording is particularly satisfying for the sensuous clarity which highlights the serious purpose of the music.

So, apoplectic? Loss of bodily functions? Yeah, at first sight it’s unclear, undefined, challenging. But listen with an open mind, and there’s a world of intent and a deeply thoughtful interplay: wonderful, modern, beauteous sounds.

Tour no.5 to the Gods

Trio Apoplectic are on their 5th tour. Recent outings were to White Eagle, but this one was to the Gods for Geoff Page’s annual series. Trio Apoplectic are Dave Jackson (alto sax), Abel Cross (bass) and Alex Masso (drums). I know them as a demanding but satisfying outfit, with the open, minimal, chordless sound of a sax trio. The chordless trio format allows considerable leeway for all players and flexibility in statements of harmonies and counterpoint. Their music is modern and often difficult, and their statements of harmonies are not always too obvious, so I was surprised when they opened with a favourite standard, There will never be another you, played with a fairly mainsteam approach. But it segued into free playing, strummed bass and the like, and we were in familiar territory. There were some original tunes I recognised: Dynamite, Saturday arvo, Details of how to get APOPLECTIC on your number plate. They seem to like Monk (they also play Boo Boo’s Birthday on their album and live) so Rhythmaning was no surprise. There was also a tune dedicated to Bernie McGann: The last postman, by Tony Gorman. The audience was small and subdued and the band was only at the start of its tour. But we always expect an interesting and challenging night with this modern outfit, and it was. Click on the labels below for earlier TA reports.

Ivory and apoplexy

White Eagle offered another double bill last night. This is obviously developing as the nature of the event, with audio provided and recorded by ArtSound, and a local band and a local or visiting band as a main act. Tonight’s show featured Ivory Hunter, Daniel Hunter’s band, and the return of Sydney’s Trio Apoplectic.

Ivory Hunter is led by Dan Hunter (guitar), with Yen Nguyen (drums), Gareth Hill (bass) and Munro Melano (keyboards). I hadn’t heard of Ivory Hunter before but I assume the musos have been playing together for years at the Jazz School. I’ve reported on these players several times on CJ, but mostly they were playing the standards repertoire (very capably). However, Ivory Hunter is a platform for originals. The tunes were penned by various band members and covered a range of approaches. There was one bordering on hardbop, but mostly they were more melodic and tuneful. I particularly liked a couple of tunes from Gareth, a ballad and another tune with a very convulsive melody leading into a hard swing. Daniel’s Act of will was an interesting piece with a sustained quarter-note melody that had my mind drifting. And I have to mention Dan’s Scofeel. It’s an obvious take on Scofield, with indefinite timing, sleezy down-South solos, bluesy organ in the background, and Chambers-style drum patterns crossing the bar lines. So there was quite a range of styles here: floating and relaxed, bluesy, out. I had the feeling these guys were beyond simple exuberance, and were seeking more musical statements.

Daniel always plays in a restrained and careful way, and he did so this night. He plays occasional flourishes but lots of well-considered melodic lines. Gareth also led as melodist on several tunes and played some excellent solos. He’s a strong player, and his tone is also strong: good muscular fingers dragging the strings for a clear, woody tone. Munro played synths at times, along with piano and organ sounds. I particularly liked his comping, especially following his responses to Dan when he played outside. Yen held it all together and played several expressive solos, not least on his own compositions.

As for the band name, Hunter is an obvious reference, but is there some other message? Perhaps. The smooth surface and alabaster colouring of ivory seems to fit the music.

Trio Apoplectic were quite a change after the more relaxed Ivory. Right from the top, they played with intensity, energy and intelligent interaction. I’ve written about TA before; they played at the first White Eagle session. Their return was quite triumphant. This was modern jazz of a high order. Intellectual, emotionally demanding and satisfying, great playing with great, clear sounds, exploratory. I love this style and I was trying to place it. Perhaps Joe Henderson? I asked them about their influences. Interestingly, they offered Bernie (McGann) and when I further inquired, they suggested other players around Sydney.

TA are Dave Jackson (alto sax), Abel Cross (bass) and Alex Masso (drums). They play a mix of standards and originals. Originals come from the pens of Alex and Abel, especially Abel. They played Monk’s Boo Boo’s birthday. Originals included the oddly named Details of how to get apoplectic on your licence plate (apparently a renowned title at Sydney’s Birdland records). There were soundscapes and free styles, hard swing and balladic styles, bowed bass reminiscent of didjeridoo and sax harmonics. Several of these tunes are on the CD, and were played at TA’s last White Eagle concert. I feel they’ve explored the music much further, and this was the source of such a satisfying performance.

They all played with intense energy and commitment throughout the show. Noone played too obviously, or displayed the chords too evidently. The harmonies and counterpoint were fascinating. They were also all very balanced, each player providing an essential ingredient and contributing equally to the complexity and richness. This is just highlighted by the open sound a chordless trio. Dave plays alto, and it fit so well: smooth and sinuous, but also intriguing and exploratory. Abel played hot from the top, and played some excellent solos. The underlying chords were interpreted so subtly I wondered if the tunes were modal. A lovely modern style. Alex was mobile and varied on drums: brushes or sticks, cymbals or drums, sparse or dense.

Another great night at White Eagle, in expectation of White Eagle’s debut as an international venue next week, with the bassist Senator Eugene Wright.

Three apoplectic jazzers

Trio Apoplectic played last night for the inaugural monthly concert and jam organised by Jazz School students at the Polish White Eagle Club. TA are a young Sydney band, comprising Dave Jackson (alto sax), Abel Cross (acoustic bass) and Alex Masso (drums).

They played two sets of modern acoustic jazz comprising 50/50 interesting standards and originals. I heard it as post-bop, but perhaps other descriptions are apt. Non-originals included tunes by Mal Waldron, Tony Gorman, Thelonius Monk (BooBoo’s birthday), Ellington (Sonnet for Sister Kate/Coco) and the standard The Blue Room (Rogers & Hart?). The originals included “Details of how to get Apoplectic on your licence plate” (no other band is likely to use that title!) and the hard bop tune Dynamite which finished the night on a high.

This is a chordless trio, so there’s a open sound, which lets you hear each instrument clearly. It also demands that the harmonies are well defined by the bass and sax, and they were. I love this format, especially because I can so easily make out the bass lines which can be lost in more full orchestrations. I loved Abel’s excellent, lively and communicative bass playing. He was very comfortable when walking and in freer support roles, and he played great solos. He also had a satisfying woody sound, and a beautiful looking bass of a rich mahogany-coloured timber with strong grain patterns; lovely. Dave played thoughtful solos, with lots of clear and well-maintained pattern work and nice structure. He seemed deeply involved when he was playing, and showed a real relationship to the tune at hand. Alex supported, with close interaction with Abel, and increasingly frequent solos (mainly trading 8s, but one or two full solos later in the night).

I thoroughly enjoyed the playing, and the small crowd obviously did too. It’s great to see more Sydney players coming down, and the opportunity for Canberrans to get to know the products of the venerable jazz course at the Sydney Conservatorium.

Thanks to TA's press release for the mono pic above.