Listen with your eyes (Moruya 2010)

Gurus out of goss (Moruya 2010)

I enjoyed Moruya as the first outing for one of my bands. It’s primarily formed as a cabaret-jazz outfit, but the singer was not available so it was modernish-mainstream, slightly latin, sometimes smooth jazz that we played, mainly originals, but also a few standards. The others all have some tertiary music education behind them: two with time at the Sydney Con, and one with a single study at Adelaide’s Elder con. I’m the unformed one who’s largely self-taught. Mike wrote most of the music, and I provided a few, including one that got some compositional repairs from Mike. The first set was decent but less comfortable and the second was sitting better, with some good soloing all round and more time to relax. It was good to be out. The non-originals were Out of nowhere, which is just plain beautiful, Joe Henderson’s Inner urge and All the things you are. I heard Things… done several times at Moruya, mostly in 4/4; Mike Price did it in 3/4; we did it with descending time signatures 7/4-6/4-5/4-4/4 and it was a counting challenge. It inevitably reminded the band of the joke about the musician counting in a very square waltz: “1-2-3-and”. The originals were varied: Mike’s were a gently funky film theme called Blue funk, a mysterious Arabic-sounding piece called Al Hallij=Across the gulf, a bebop called Be-Bopped, a latin with a devilish unison line called Tortillas in Heaven, a Chopin flourish as intro (Fantaisie Impromptu) that resolves into Night in Tunisia and then uses a Chopin line as melody called Fred meets Bud. Mine were a Wanderlust-inspired samba called Sambala and my creepy piece with vertical melody, Snakes alive. I did say varied. The Gurus appear in their Cabaret incarnation as The Gossips over the next month or so.

The Gurus of Groove are Richard Manderson (tenor, alto, soprano saxes), Mike Dooley (piano), Eric Pozza (bass) and Brenton Holmes (drums).

On the Llewellyn stage

Maybe my only time on the Llewellyn stage will be to listen to Paul Grabowski give an oration. Strangely, the location was the timbered stage of Llewellyn Hall, and how big it is! Big enough for an orchestra and choir, of course, which is big. The oration was associated with his grant as an HC Coombs scholar (all praise due to Nugget Coombs) along with the Australian Art Orchestra. Paul is an insightful man, and I enjoyed listening to him, especially as he talked of his relationships with Nookah aborigines that led to the Roper River relationships that I reported here only weeks ago. I have a connection with this place around Kakadu: one of my sons did a school tour to Nookah, so it has some resonance for me. But obviously Paul’s is far more significant.

Paul introduced the talk by asking whether computers and turntables are musical. It was a point of contention in Australia during the culture wars, and the then WA premier cited his own daughter’s violin lessons as proof of the majesty of (straight) music. Paul went on to a very quick tour of European musical history, highlighting that our conception of the orchestra and classical music only arises with the tempered keyboard and the possible harmonies allowed, sometime in the C18th. Not long back. Against this, he noted that electronics have a history dating back to 1920, so ~90 years. But this was background. The essence of the talk was that music is rich and complex and speaks with complexity and with power, of the meaning of life, to all of us, and that music is key to life and must be supported, and students must be trained in understanding of this. It’s an essential.

Along the way, was a sideline on the nature of jazz, as “an utterly romantic form” and “the great night music”. It speaks to the essence of dance and procreation, and thus essentially to life, as well as being the “marrying of the intellect and passion” (this rings true to me), involved as it is with the talk of “feel” and a pulse that ignores the barline. Paul noted that you don’t talk of Chopin with words like “feel”. He didn’t go too far down this path, but he did argue for improvisation (apparently, amongst classical students, only organists still study improv) and new awarenesses in classical music such as for intonation.

But by the end, he was making great claims for music (or often, between the lines, for jazz) as power, beauty, expressing the inexpressible, and such. I can feel his passion, but this is not an uncommon argument for any number or arts and even other pursuits that are more worldly. “Music never lies” was one such claim. It’s got me thinking, but it’s a big claim. Certainly, music, both jazz and more sedate, is a thing of beauty, emotion, and even love and procreation, and thus, perhaps of power, but my guess is that it’s just one such thing. Clearly it’s nobler and more life enhancing than the baser pursuits such as for riches or footy. But there must be other enobling interests, like literature or sculpture, or further afield, like astrophysics, or even chess when played with conviction. So I can agree to some degree even if I question the extent of the claim, and I certainly value his observations of gamelan intonation and aboriginal song cycles and the like.

There’s a lot here that I haven’t recounted: passing mentions of John Cage and Stockhausen’s bakelite knobs and harmolodics and his discovery of his own voice and the importance of the gramophone in recording improvisation and the like. It was an interesting and thoughtful talk and a very different way to experience a renowned jazz musician. I hope for more such talks. Paul Grabowsky presented an ANU public lecture with the title, The Complete Musician.

Bitten by the blues

I’ve known DeeJay Gosper for ages, from the Blues Club and other locations. She keeps popping up, not least for her connections which are widespread and her business-like approach to announcing gigs. I managed to hear her current band playing at the Bite to Eat café last Sunday. It’s a gently entertaining band playing popular, blues-influenced, sometimes soft jazz material, with DeeJay’s great, emotive voice out front. I hadn’t realised just how effective was her singing, but this was a wonderfully emotive performance as she felt every word, changing volume but also vocal tone to fit the songs. Blues people do this, and I felt DeeJay’s performance was particularly effective with just an occasional use of growl and power. I was impressed: this is an authentic blues voice. She plays blues harp, too, as well as having a friendly interaction with her audience.

Her band included husband Michael on drums. Michael provided the sound at JU2009, so is a particular friend of CJ. Also Mike Dooley, playing left hand bass along with accompaniment and solo piano roles, and Tom Mansfield, a new member on guitar. Mike’s another good friend. I’m playing with him in one outfit (check out Gurus of Groove at Moruya this weekend). The repertoire was classic blues/pop/light jazz: very sellable but also very suitable for Sunday afternoon bars, and well received by the milling audience in Bite to Eat: Perhaps perhaps perhaps, Sway, a few blues, Route 66 with a fun twist of rhyming Routes (63/free, 65/alive, 69/fine and the like) and a few gently swinging originals. Very nice for a lazy Sunday afternoon and well received by a good-natured audience. Well done, DJ.

DeeJay Gosper (vocals, blues harp) led the band with Mike Dooley (piano), Tom Mansfield (guitar) and Michael Stratford (drums) at the Bite to Eat café.

Floriade finale

Flowers and Floriade go well with the ANU School of Music. I caught the final concert of the Rhythm & Blooms series yesterday and it was varied and grand, with Vince Jones and band as the feature and amix of classical and jazz. The School has been presenting concerts all week at lunchtimes. It's good performance practice for the students, on a big stage with a big PA, but not something a worker can get to, so no reports. But back to Vince and co.

This was an intriguing concert, given the mix. Firstly, the head of the School, Adrian Walter, is a (classical) guitarist, and he played an andante and rondo by Carulli in a duet with Bill Grose. Interestingly, this was on guitars of the period, smaller, thinner, with different pegs and quite a different, lighter tone, which I could hear near the stage, but was lost through the PA. Then Luke Sweeting performed a solo piece, and two songs with Liam Budge. Luke, of course, was his stride and substitution best; always a treat. Liam was obviously the student of his teacher, who we were to hear later, doing heartfelt You don’t know what love is, and one other standard. Then something more unexpected: The Classical School’s Contemporary Music Ensemble. Classical improvisation is a very different beast, although perhaps not so far from free jazz. There was some tail wagging here (and the ironic laughter of the players confirmed this) but also some seriously involving music. I may be too unadventurous, but my favourite was the last, with hints and echoes of a pop/folk tune that moved between the players at different pitches and tempos and confirmed the wonderful skills of the players. Other tunes were played to a poster photo of a room (!) and various abstract charts, so this was not the dots that classical players otherwise live with. Neither were the titles, such as Deconstructing decadence, Fantastical acoustical circus, Will the mosquito survive the onslaught. Enjoyable if you’re prepared for the aural challenge. Or, for that matter, was the conducting. An interesting outfit. They perform occasionally at the School. Keep a watch on the Concert program at the ANUSM website.

The second set was a long one by Vince Jones and his band with some local friends joining later. Vince was his thoughtful, concerned self, singing his songs that speak of alternative, but not new age, political themes. They are usually slow, solicitous tunes claiming social justice and questioning how injustice is allowed to be, eg, the presumably post-GST theme “Who will arrest the banksters, we’ve put up with them for too many years”. I still have the immersing, emotive rise and fall tag of The nature of power in my head. The band played with appropriate restraint while the tension sat ready to explode, but never did. Vince is like that. Vince only picked up a flugelhorn for one tune, otherwise just sang with the band of Matt McMahon, Ben Waples and Simon Barker. The outfit sat like a glove for the music. For the last few tunes, local friends, John Mackey and Miro Bukovsky joined in for some admirable solos and Miro’s superb Peace please to end. Vince’s music talks with darkness and intuition, despite the purposeful words, so to achieve such success on a sometimes-sunny spring day amongst the tulips just speaks of the authority of Vince and the band. Lovely and touching and worthy of purpose.

The Floriade Finale concert was performed by Adrian Walter and Bill Grose (classical guitars), Luke Sweeting (piano) with Liam Budge (vocals), the ANU School of Music contemporary ensemble led by Leanne Baire (violin) and the Vince Jones band comprising Vince Jones (vocals), Matt McMahon (piano), Ben Waples (bass), Simon Barker (drums) and friends John Mackey (tenor) and Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet). BTW, Luke Sweeting has some pics on Facebook. The link’s below.

Luke S's pics of the Floriade Finale concert

More guitar, great

More guitar from Mike, and very much enjoyed. Megan and I caught up with Mike Price playing with the old trio that we knew so well from seven or more years of playing at the Kurrajong: the trio with Eric Ajaye and Col Hoorweg. It’s a lovely outfit playing the standards. Mike does it so well: smooth, detailed, richly improvised, busy but relaxed, accompanied by numerous lyrical solos from Eric and regular swapped fours with Col. It all sounds very staid - playing the standards, guitar trio and the like - but this has depth of knowledge and richness and chordal bravura. Such a lovely outing. These tunes are standards because they are memorable and they are great to improvise against. That’s the reason for the standards, and this is a band that confirms it. I thought I recognised Just friends, and I definitely heard Crazy after all those years and a few blues in various styles and All of me. It sounds obvious and not particularly inspiring, but when played at this level, it’s anything but. I’m late to visit the National Press Club for their Friday sessions, but don’t miss it. Four different bands made up from the ANU jazz faculty, rotating through the month. It’s a chatty and busy environment on a Friday evening, salubrious but with a gritty edge, and despite that, it’s a place of considerable musical satisfaction. Get there. Great stuff. Mike Price (guitar) played with Eric Ajaye (bass) and Col Hoorweg (drums).

Crazy guitarists (proof!)

Mike Price promised us no long sax solos, but then guitarists aren’t innocent creatures. Instead, we got lots of guitar solos and volume, but it was some wonderful and informative playing from a front line of three guitars (jazz Doobies?): Mike with two ex-students, Carl Dewhurst and Carl Morgan. They were supported by Eric Ajaye and Mark Sutton who took some lovely solos at the end, but this was a guitar night and it was educational. Mike and the two Carls took us on a tour of guitar styles from Charlie Christian to current. The names are all quite well known, and even the styles, but hearing them together always clarifies the mind. It was the same with the playing. Hearing these three guitarists together was an ear-opener, making evident the different styles and habits and approaches of each player. So this was a fascinating and satisfying night out.

Firstly, the history. Charlie Christian: born 1916; played with Benny Goodman; died aged 25; first major amplified guitarist, allowing him to switch from rhythm guitar to soloist; played a Gibson 125 (no cutaway) with a single coil pickup; mate of T-Bone Walker, the revolutionary blues guitarist. The Crazies played 7 come 11, a 32-bar tune with cut time A section and swinging bridge. Wes Montgomery: started playing guitar at 19; died aged 46; fluent style using flesh of thumb (no plectrum), block chords and octaves. [I’ll add that he had an early electric bass-playing brother, Monk Montgomery]. The Crazies played a common Wes standard, Full house. George Benson: Wes M protégé who later moved into pop; again octaves, chords, thumb styles; first guitarist to play with Miles; influenced by an early career in R&B and soul. The Crazies played Thunderwalk, a hard-swinging blues with that moves up a semitone on bar 5. Antonio Carlos Jobim: the great bossa composer. The Crazies played the languid Triste. Pat Martino: born 1944 in Philadelphia; influenced by Coltrane; played with chromatics, lots of notes and passion, lower register playing, chord hits; suffered a brain aneurism in 1936, was operated on and lost all memory including how to play the guitar then re-learnt from his old recordings; still playing. The Crazies played 3 bass hit.

History set 2. Steve Swallow: bassist. The Crazies played Falling grace, a complex tune that was apparently his second composition. Not sure how this got in, given Steve S is a bassist, but he does play electric. Kurt Rosenwinkel: god of a new generation of guitarists; born Philadelphia; left studies to tour with drummer Paul Motion. The Crazies played Zhivago in 3/4. Pat Metheny: born 1954 in Kansas; plays with effects, chorus, reverb; melodic playing influenced more by pop than blues; creator of “New Americana” with Bill Frisell. The Crazies played a lovely waltz from the classic album that he recorded at age 21, Bright Side Life. John Scofield: born 1952; blues-funk player who’s passed through several stages; renowned soloist who’s played widely. The Crazies played a gentle, lyrical tune with multiple guitars and no bass or drums, The Beatles, which Mike noted had “certainly nothing to do with the Beatles”. Jim Hall: born 1930; one of the all round great jazz guitarists; a melodic chord player. The Crazies played a driving groove tune with great bass which was originally recorded with Bill Frisell on the album, Dialogs.

Secondly, the guitarists. It’s instructive that you can have a teacher with students but three such different styles. To me, they sound this way: Mike is bluesy, sometimes scalar but relatively arpeggiated. Carl M is flowing, scalar, sweeter and consistently faster than the other two. Carl D is hard, angular, unexpected with diverse intervals and lines searching for resolution, not always fast but sometimes blistering. A fascinating experience to hear them together. What a great night! Education and entertainment and enlightenment. I certainly learnt about the jazz guitar. I’d known of all the historical guitarists, but one just as a name, and even then hadn’t put them together, especially the earlier ones. At one stage Carl D excused the three of them for their guitar passions, but I say give us more. Much enjoyed.

Mike Price (guitar) led the Crazy Guitar Ensemble at the Gods with Carl Dewhurst (guitar), Carl Morgan (guitar), Eric Ajaye (bass) and Mark Sutton (drums).

Cu-ba

Cuban music is such joy, with the clacking clavé and the bass that’s anywhere but on the one, and the various sounds of richly polyrhythmic percussion.

We've just caught Vocal Sampling at Floriade and it’s just that: six voices that are the band. One friend assumed the bass was recorded, and the drums. I knew what to expect but still found the distorted guitar solos a bit hard to believe. But this was all vocal and authentic sounding to boot. They played a few popular rock songs, the Police’s Every step you take and the Eagles’ Hotel California with the recorded solos and arrangements and harmonies and pretty good rendition of the voices. They even played the duelling guitars at the end of Hotel California. That was the pop-shock value and went down a treat. But the beauty was in the langorous latin tunes, the high voices that sang so sweetly, the claves and rich rhythms that got deep into your bones and had you dancing (for the more extrovert) or jostling in your seat (for the rest of us).

Ah, latin, I wish I understood it better, but we all feel it, so easy and pleasant and infectious. I mentioned the guitar solo that had me bursting in joyful laughter. There were a few bass solos, too. Well formed improvs, with deep rounded tone, and even a pleasant high end. The rock PA burst out in resonance at times on some of the very low notes, but the singing was wonderful. Similarly the drum-man (I can’t bring myself to say drummer). I wondered if he had something in his hands for the hard clack sound which defined several claves (not sure), but his kit was beatbox effective. So, a hot rhythm, section (!) The voices as voices were high and clear and accented when singing English. The horns were plentiful: trumpets mostly, given the mime actions. Again, harmonised as a horn section or out front soloing or playing melody. This was an authentic band with all the instrumental voices, but vocal sampled. I questioned the band’s name when I first heard it, but it’s honest. That’s what this is. Vocal sampling, of pop and better of Cuban music. Fabulous Cuban music. I loved it, but not only that, I also enjoyed it.

Vocal Sampling is a Cuban a capella sextet. They performed at Stage 88 for Floriade.

A revisit from CSPR

Jim Fuller is a name from the local past. He’s a guitarist who studied in Canberra, played as a student in the early ‘90s with the likes of Craig Schneider, and recorded with the forerunner of ArtSound, Canberra Stereo Public Radio. He renewed his acquaintances last night with a Friday Night Live broadcast from brash, youthful ArtSound, playing in a trio with Lachlan Coventry and Mark Sutton.

The trio was strong, with drive and energy to spare, playing a range of modern standards, and also several tunes from what must have been Jim’s formative era: from the Benders, an ‘80s Sydney outfit featuring Dale Barlow, Chris Abrahams, Lloyd Swanton and Andrew Gander. Apparently this led to the Necks, but there’s no obvious path from Benders to Necks, at least how Jim played it. Jim’s a wonderfully thoughtful player. My take was that he took melodies and reharmonised and rebuilt them, mostly spontaneously, I expect. Lachlan would hold the chordal structure, although he enjoyed dropping into pedals, and Jim’s tunes would form and reform, through chordal fills or themes that he’d develop in response but in avid contrast to the tune. Perhaps this is just modern technique, bending and reforming and reinventing the most well known tunes, but this band did it with energy and proficiency. Mark was delightful to hear: always strong, in touch, inventive and polyrhythmic in solos, and with the most sturdy of tones on kick and snare. And Lachlan was lithe and mellifluous in his plectrum soloing, finding lovely melodic lines and bursting into flurries of guitar-like speed. The Benders were a unique feature alongside more common Shorter and Monk and Montgomery. Always with verve and a harmonic sleight of hand, and that power applied to slightly unsettling modern interpretations.

Great outing. Jim Fuller (guitar) led a trio with Lachlan Coventry (electric bass) and Mark Sutton (drums) at ArtSound.