Fight for the floor

Somewhere between Monteverdi and Miles is jazz of the '20s and '30s, variously styled as ragtime or Dixieland or New Orleans or trad, often played with banjos and sousaphones and plenty of brass (common instruments left over from the civil war) and with cut times and group improv and the like. Then into Satchmo solos and swing and big bands and off to bebop and the modern styles. But that early jazz, and later jazz played in a vintage style, remains immensely popular, not least with dancers, and Zackerbilks is a great local exponent. We caught them today at the Canberra Jazz Club's monthly event at Southern Cross Club, Jamison. It was packed. The dance floor didn't last 10 seconds before the swing dancers were up. Namesake Zach was in fine form, blowing a call of introduction (less sedate than his roles in CSO) then into song and dance. The dresses were full and bouncy, the guys wore waistcoats and the colour was on cheeks and lips but also in the lively, flouncy music. This is entertaining, fun, warmly welcomed. Not the steadfast seriousness of the jazz I normally attend, although still played with demanding skills. And was not just 2-feels. There was swing, too, but all pretty early in style, all bustling. Great fun from a great band. Much enjoyed by very many.


Zackerbilks played at Canberra Southern Cross Club, Jamison, for the Canberra Jazz Club. Zackerbilks are Zach Raffan (trumpet, vocals), Miriam Miley-Read (vocals, uke), Robbie Mann (piano), Christopher Harris-Scott (banjo), Thomas Manley (or Thomas Azoury , clarinet), Rob Lee (or Matt Ricketts, trombone), Scott Temby (bass), Simeon Staker (or Jamal Salem, drums).

Clubbing trumpets ... what could possibly go wrong

The High Court was a hit during the C100 festivities with its acoustics, modernist magnificence and its Sunday afternoon concerts. All manner of performers performed there - plenty of choirs and smaller classical and world music ensembles. They will continue with fortnightly concerts in 2014 and Trumpet Club presented the first of this series. Trumpet Club are just that: trumpets (although a timpani and some occasional percussion sneaked into this concert). They play classical and jazz.
This was mostly classical, from Verdi fanfares through concerti and Lauridsen's O Magnum Magisteria to a few modern pieces, by Marlat and Lopresti. Then just a touch of jazz in one of two encores. The numbers varied for different pieces, but at most there were about a dozen trumpets, including one bass trumpet. They played form balconies high above the audience and I heard full, echoed sound of mediaeval halls. They on steps above, clear, and best right in front of the audience for the brazen blasts that are the nature of trumpets. It was a first concert after the Christmas break and Zach talked of embouchures needing a run-in. This is a factor of brass playing that others don't appreciate. But a satisfying concert that ranged from royal splendour to mystical and threatening and plain groovy with that jazz piece. I can't help but like this band. What could go wrong?

Trumpet Club varies in members, but on the day they were: Louisa Batts, Cameron Smith, Kate Walker, Matt Nichols, Brooke Zotti, Corey Booth, Kate Thompson, Alex Ross, Kevin Knapp, Zach Raffan, Farzana Choudhury, (trumpets), Michael Bailey (bass trumpet), Christina Hopgood (timpani)

Not just nobility

The Trumpet Club had me thinking of fanfares. Everyone loves a fanfare. I can’t help but think of Errol Flynn and Robin Hood and jousts when I think of massed brass. It’s such a wonderfully majestic and noble sound: big and brassy and celebratory and with such pure tonality. When I process recordings of brass, I notice a clear, simple image of the sound which must indicate a relatively simple sine curve and uncomplicated harmonic structure. Remember the long, straight trumpets of the mediaeval sagas?

The Trumpet Club are just that - trumpets - although they use modern, bent, piston models. They’ve got sick of waiting and counting at rehearsals and performances, so they’ve formed a trumpet-only group to play classical, jazz, blues, originals, whatever. Members are from the CSO and jazz school and local teachers and experienced students. These are capable players and they speak with billowy low notes and clear high notes and sharp harmonies. Trumpets can be luscious with good chops behind them, and especially with a good acoustic. They were. TC started at the top of the High Court ramp, as have several other performers, with the most fanfarish piece of the repertoire, by American Eric Ewazen, but then arranged themselves downstairs to play a lively Telemann and a heart-on-sleve Percy Grainger Bonnie Doone. Then two modern pieces. Firstly, Mike D’Ambrosio’s Ice Town, all spikey and dissonant, telling the story of a town caught in a severe ice storm. Then Suite for six trumpets by Dennis Horton. This is a work in three movements with a nicely modern vibrancy: firstly news themish, then soft and golden with rich harmonies forming from moving lines, then film action or thriller. These two pieces were my favourites. The music was mostly scored, but Cam did solo on the following piece, Bourbon Street breakdown, with bass-like ostinato and chordal accompaniment from the others. Then, to finish, a bit of chop-challenging corn, Rakes of mallow, all cute melody and unrelenting accellerando. I’m not sure why, but it always seems to me that brass players have a good sense of humour, although maybe more in the classical scene. There’s a certain desperation in counting bars.

This was their first concert and they were building their chops (no sitting back here). It was wonderfully well received and surprisingly more quiet than I’d expected. There were some noble sounds, but also just plain vibrant. I think the Club can be bigger, but on the day Trumpet Club were Zach Raffan, Cameron Smith, Corey Booth, Kevin Knapp, Louisa Batts, Kate Walker and Greg Stenning (trumpets)

Strobe no warning

Live dangerously. Strobe light. No warning. So we joked in the car as we drove home. Megan and I had just seen two short plays, God and Pool (no water) performed by the Everyman Theatre Company. This is local theatre, performed in a small space, the Courtyard Theatre, for a small audience, and thank God/s that this theatre exists. It’s a place for experimentation, challenge, humour, even if it does have its rough edges. The two plays were quite different, but the commitment and thought was evident.

God is an early Woody Allen play. It starts with playwrite Hepatitis and slave/actor Diabetes planning how to win a drama competition. Then through interactions with audience from Gunghalin and a quest to the King and the arrival of Zeus as the veritable deus ex machina to the accidental murder of the doll-God. It’s obviously corny and jokey but also sited in its relationship to Ancient Greece and it even deals with some meaty issues of courage and protection and perhaps adulthood in metaphor. The cast did a great job with lots of energy, slapstick presence, audience proximity and mock involvement and some minor props. I wondered how the script had changed for the original (was a phone call to Woody Allen in the original? Northborne Avenue and Gunghalin certainly weren’t). Nice to see a fellow workmate on stage, too, but it’s not the first time. God was written by Woody Allen, directed by Duncan Driver and performed by Jarrad West (Diabetes), Duncan Ley (Hepatitis), Wayne Shephard (Trichinosis), Euan Bowen (King and a Fate), Amy Tinycray Dunham (another fate), Zach Drury (guard). Three others (who came from the audience) are not mentioned in the brochure, Steph Roberts (Diabetes’ girlfriend) and an unnamed other.

Pool (no water) is a weightier production dealing with jealously, success, schadenfreude and such. Four unsuccessful artists visit a fifth who had been part of the team years back, but in now rich and successful amd owns a pool. They party and, later in the night, go to recreate their skinny-dipping exploits, but, in the dark, the successful woman dives into an emptied pool and is seriously injured. The four photographically record her time in hospital and recovery over several months while enjoying the wealthy lifestyle, then destroy the photos after the successful one turns them into a sellable exhibition. The successful one derides the failures and they end happy in suburban life, presumably accepting their artistic failure. The characters and carry on are not likeable or attractive. You can understand the frustration and subsequent pleasure in misfortune but, of course, you don’t admire it. There’s an awareness of failure by these four. It’s not conscious, but spelt out in drugs and sex as they delude themselves. Drugs and sex thus strobes and Hendrix, and skinny-dipping thus (discrete) nudity. This was performed with lots of energy, with four actors playing fives parts, with considerable drama and evident innocence. I was satisfied with the plot finale of settling to family and suburbia although I was uncomfortable that it came so suddenly after the successful one’s climax speech. But the presentation was involving and the theme was challenging. Pool (no water) was written by Mark Ravenhill, directed by Duncan Levy and the cast was was Jarrad West, Steph Roberts, Amy Dunham and Zach Raffan.

Everyman Theatre Company performs the repertoire (Richard III was mentioned) as well as these lesser known works. This was quirky and intelligent and relevant theatre and that’s how I like it.

Amongst the bushes

Speaking in tongues is the theatrical show that became the film Lantana. Much to the disappointment of my wife, I’m not a great film-lover, but I was mightily impressed by Lantana when I saw it. For once, this was an Australian film with a decent script, set in modern Australia, with an intriguing and adult-oriented plot and that wasn’t merely visual.

A play has to be presented differently from a film. This was. It’s a complex plot, with scenes happening in various locations and ongoing unexpected crossings of path by the various couples making up the cast. The first part shows us two couples working through the outcome of one consummated and another unconsummated liaison. It’s cleverly portrayed with unison speeches that highlight predicaments in modern marriage. One couple works it out, the other’s less successful, and paths variously cross when couples negotiate and male and female partners meet in different bars and clubs. The second half sees three more couples: one broken relationship with a pining male and non-committing female; one pained with a wife damaged by a history of child abuse and who then goes missing; the husband of another relationship who is questioned for the murder of the woman who’s disappeared. It’s complex and convoluted and thematically rich. It plays with your expectations and presumptions and leaves topical matters undecided. It even leaves the ultimate resolution undecided, although by implication the plot resolution is clear. The core theme was trust in marriage but there’s more: how people love, how they communicate, rekindling passion, giving emotional support. It’s also noticable that all parties were essentially good-willed despite the affairs. And that they were muddling through, although often not a textbook fashion. It’s a plot of tortuous interactions that explores themes by action and dialogue rather than overt discussion, and I’m still mulling over that title. I also imagine it’s a play for mature audiences with years of marriage under their belts. That’s not to say younger audiences won’t understand it, but I doubt they would feel it quite the same way. A stimulating play and well pesented by Canberra Rep, our local amateur theatre society that is now in its 80th year! Congratulations and best wishes to our august theatre company.

Speaking is tongues was directed by Ross McGregor and featured Rob de Fries (Leon), Helen McFarlane (Sonja), Duncan Ley (Pete), Lainie Hart (Jane), Bridgette Black (Valerie), Eliza Bell (Sarah), Sam Hannan-Morrow (Nic), Raoul Craemer (Neil) and Zach Raffan (John).

Brassy

The opening of a new venue is a night of anticipation. Thus it was when Legends opened for the first night with our local New Orleans-inspired strolling brass band, Brass’ere. This venue looks like it will be catholic in its tastes, with Ax Long playing a more post-bop style next week and Latin on weekends. But Brass’ere’s influences and the fact they can be mobile shouldn’t suggest something from lost past. They played Michael Jackson and Honky Tonk Woman as well as St James Infirmary and even threw in a miked and distorted trombone for a guitar solo (through a genuine Zoom guitar pedal, no less). But of course, the essence of the loud and strident brass tone was always there from pairs of trumpets and trombones and a thumping, billowing sousaphone. Sousa’s a great big, round sound with no sustain and lovely to hear and it even works with funk. But there were a few ringins in this brass band. I could hear the drums easily enough, and Mi Tierra’s percussionist was sitting in for the night, but there was one reed: Nathan on baritone sax. I only thought of this later, too late to isolate the tone, and brass purists may not be happy. But the clear, bell-like tone was predominant, so all is well. Courtney appeared on a few songs, but there were plenty of instrumentals, including some light and friendly originals like The song that could. I’m looking forward to hearing the strolling band. Even drummer Nesci walks with a snare. That’s the final and definitive connection with New Orleans and jazz funerals and the rest. I assume they drop the rock tunes from the repertoire for a genuine funereal march. But I jest, which fits the good humour on stage on the night and the effervescent nature of a brass band.

Brass’ere played the opening Thursday night of Legends Jazz Bar, upstairs at Manuka. Cameron Smith (trumpet, vocals), Zach Raffan (trumpet), Michael Bailey (trombone), John Gosling (trombone), David Abkiewicz (tuba, sousaphone), Nathan Sciberras (baritone sax), Robert Nesci (drums), Courtney Stark (vocals) and Francisco Meza (percussion) sat in for the night.

Crossing the barricades

There’s been a schism in the jazz community from the days of be-bop and it lives on as schisms do. The Bebop revolution brought a new approach to jazz, with the “mouldy figs” and “reboppers” parting ways. I’ve taken one side of that barricade at times, but these days I have a renewed interest in the history of our music, so it was with anticipation that I finally got to catch Brass’ere. Brass’ere aren’t just a wonderfully amusing name. They are also brass ensemble in the style of the New Orleans street bands. They can busk; they can walk and play; they sound generous and rotund with a fat tuba bass and marching drums; and they sneek in a baritone sax as the one reed instrument. They play standards of the brass band and trad jazz repertoire. But there’s joy and fun in this band (as should be with a New Orleans brass outfit - they play swinging music at funerals, after all) so their repertoire extends to a good bit of funk and even some re-imagined pop tunes. So, this is amusing and entertaining and big and satisfying music, and it swings with fat brass harmonies and backing lines. Wonderfully involving.

Cameron Smith leads the band, on trumpet and occasional vocals, but there’s another trumpet (Zach Rafffan) and two trombones (Josh Gosling and Michael Bailey). This is the core of the fat, swinging lines, and they do it with great rhythmic feel and dynamics and nice pitch. Brass players get good training in ensemble work, and you can hear it here. The bottom end is supplied by that phat tuba sound (David Ackiewicz) and the dirtier, reedy bari sax (Nathan Sciberras). A good strong bottom end with reliable time and a decent share of the solos. I hadn’t expected drums (Robert Nesci), given it’s a marching band, but I see from pics of the busking band, that Nesci walks with a snare. Nice one. In the studio he played kit. Nesci’s role is quite sparse and often with even feels on the 1,3 (more common on that side of that barricade) and he does it well. And there’s some vocal, too, when Courtney Stark sits in for blues or whatever, sometimes with accompaniment from Cam.

So what did they play? There were some standards of the trad repertoire (St James Infirmary, Sweet Georgia Brown), some blues (Happy blues), a decent percentage of originals of funk and ballad styles, and even a Jackson 5 pop tune (I want you back) that featured an introductory bass line on tuba. And that mainstay of the experience of brass band players, a hymn (Irish blessing). But how cool it all was! Great sound, big brassy chords and deeply entertaining! Great stuff. Break down them barricades!

Brass’ere performed for ArtSound’s FNL. They comprise Cameron Smith (trumpet, vocals), Zach Raffan (trumpet), John Gosling (trombone), Michael Bailey (trombone), Nathan Sciberras (baritone sax), David Abkiewicz (tuba), Robert Nesci (drums), Courtney Stark (vocals).