Capable dlivr-y

It was a different Hippo gig that was dlivr-ed last night. This was a fairly gentle pop-funk night from a young Sydney outfit called “dlivr”. It was not unexpected, of course, given their promo as “urban groove fusion”, and a “synthesis of styles including funk, contemporary groove, afro-cuban and jazz”. And it wasn’t out of place, either. In some ways, I felt it suited Hippo’s cocktail-sipping crowd very well.

Dlivr started with a leisurely opening and shades of a favourite of mine, Meshell N’degeocello. Then during the night, they sequed into tunes by the likes of Jamiroquai and Roy Ayers’ Ubiquity, along with originals in related styles. So this was bluesy melodies, lots of repeated 4-bar passages for solos, rock drums and funky bass. Certainly not the place for swing, although solos were somewhat jazz influenced and there was some limited dissonance. The band’s obvious feature was a front line of two very capable female singers. I enjoyed listening variously to harmonies and unison lines, and especially to interesting, bluesy counterpoint. And the voices seemed to meld really well. I liked the wailing, sliding vocals, although I sometimes tired of frequent and deep vibrato. The rest of the band was capable, and, from their MySpace site, appear to be surprisingly experienced, having performed the gamut from local stars (eg, the famed Guy Sebastian) and TV commercials, to performing with some major internationals (even Mariah Carey!) I could only stay for the first set. They started fairly tamely, but by the time I left, they were playing much hotter and more smoothly; generally more confidently. I went out satisfied after a feature piece where the keyboardist switched to djembe, an African drum. He actually played it with considerable fluency, and it pleasantly raised the general level of rhythmic complexity.

I would have liked to have heard the band with a decent PA mix, to improve balance but especially to provide breathing space for the vocals. The midrange was a very busy place with lots of parts competing for prominence, and the vocals got a little lost. But it was a capable performance for this style of modern, club music, and it was well received by the audience. But the hats? They seemed too young for them, but Thelonious did it (so it can’t all be bad) and your CJ editor is no fashionplate (so he can’t talk).

Dlivr are normally Yvette Siladyi (vocals), Rosie Henshaw (vocals), Byron Mark (keys/percussion), David Reaston (guitar), Byron Luiters (gass), Nick Mark (trumpet/percussion), Shane Barrett (drums). Nick Mark didn't make it to Hippo's on the night.

Dlivr's MySpace site

Ben's boys back

Ben Winkelman returned to Hippo last night with new sidemen, a new CD and new tunes, many with a new Spanish twist. The energetic piano trio style was still there. So were some devilishly difficult rhythms. I compared notes with someone from the jazz school in the break. We were trying to count the time signature and identify the bar breaks, but he was having as much difficulty as me. The counts were unusual, continually changing, and there were unexpected hits by various band members at odd times. The range of styles was also there, with stride and marches and tangos and Euro film music and swing and more merging throughout the night. I wasn’t surprised to hear Michel Camilo, Chick Corea, even Jelly Roll Morton in the music, but I was taken aback by Arthur Lyman and Tchaikovsky. The soloing variously matched the tune, or provided modern rewrites for the mainstream or traditional styles. There was a restrained explosiveness at times, and solos which held, searchingly, behind the beat. There was a new Spanish element – not a surprise given the new CD is called Spanish tinge. So it was Corea I was hearing in there, but a more dissonant version and not so exorbitantly fluent. That’s not to say this wasn’t fluent - it sure was! Ben seems to drop into styles at a whim. Big chordal solos, playing out, trad arpeggios, orchestral complexity, warped timing, it was all there. Given that I also heard that Tchaikovsky at the end of one tune, I assume there’s classical training in there too.

But this was a team, and the rhythm players also excelled. They shared solos on pretty much every tune, held challenging rhythms and often enough departed hugely from the rhythm yet it all held together. Sam held these complex rhythms with continual improvisation, played some very interesting contrasting melodic work (these were interesting compositions) and soloed with panache and lots of high register thumb positions. Andrew was blissful with a constantly rich interplay over the tunes, and blaringly intense soloing despite a deceptive lightness of touch.

I was interested but not surprised by the popularity of these diverse styles. There was a constant hubbub at Hippo’s, not just hardcore listeners. But I noticed when two chatting women in front of me suddenly started gyrating when Ben started up in a Jelly Roll style. And as any entertainer knows, once they start moving, you’re on a winner, so Michel Camilo and even that Arthur Lyman with class went down a treat. So it was a wonderfully intelligent and interesting night.

Ben Winkelman Trio were Ben Winkelman (piano), Sam Anning (bass) and Andrew Gander (drums).

Ben Winkelman's website

LBQ@WE

The Leigh Barker Quintet is still in town. They performed last night at the White Eagle. Other commitments meant I missed most of it, including the trio outfit Leigh runs called “The Shieks”. But the last set I heard was impressive, and the performance I’ve most enjoyed from them. It could be the venue, but I think it’s the White Eagle audience. Here musos are performing for their peers, so they are on their mettle, and able to be, and perhaps called to be, more daring or creative or challenging. There’s an atmosphere of goodwill and there’s no hype, but there’s some residual competitiveness, too.

The core intent of the band was unchanged: a melange of modern improvisation and more traditional underpinnings, presented through mostly original compositions (Leigh prefers to just call it improvised music). But whatever the labels, this seemed a more authentic and lively performance then the others I’ve heard. They played a beautiful, as yet untitled ballad with reference to Charlie Haden. It featured some tasty and convincing soloing from piano, sax and trumpet. There was also a hard-bop original called Guts of steel by Al Mcgrath-Kerr with hints of McCoy Tyer in some passages in fourths by the piano. So, a broader range of materials from an increasingly interesting band.

To the Harbour, Darling?

So it was, Megan and I set off for a night in Sydney and a few hours at the Darling Harbour Jazz & Blues Festival. It’s now a Jazz & Blues festival, but it was mostly jazz I heard on Sunday. In this current incarnation, it’s a big, commercial event, so there was a good sprinkling of pop, funk and the like for the punters. Not the intensity and mix of a local festival (like Merimbula which was on over the same weekend), but worthy none-the-less. It’s not Canberra jazz, although there was a Canberra contingent present. Here’s a quick summary of what I heard.

The Con (Sydney Conservatorium) Jazz Orchestra was the first event I attended. It was on the Tumbalong Park stage. This was the biggest and most impressive stage – glorious lighting, fabulous line arrays and masses of power for a crystal clear, punchy, full range, processed and polished sound. Sadly, it was a hindrance to other, smaller stages at times due to the sheer power and spread of the sound, but nice while you’re experiencing it.

The Con band was really impressive. A proudly sharp, tight performance on challenging charts. Tunes included A child is born, Nica’s dream and lesser known big band charts. It was hard to determine who was soloing at times, as the players didn’t stand for solos. The solos weren’t all blow-outs, but the ensemble playing was superb: excellent intonation and articulation. Great show. Loved it. Probably my favourite from what I saw.

I just caught a few minutes of Catherine Hunter with the Bobby Gebert Trio. Catherine Hunter (vocals), Bobby Gebert (piano), Brendan Clarke (bass) and James Hauptman (drums). Not enough to really comment, and only a few bars of Catherine, but these are capable players. Of course, these are part of the Sydney ex-Canberra contingent: all but BG studied in Canberra.

I just passed another stage with the Elizabeth Curthew Quartet, but again no comments. She was singing Without love… as I passed by. Gary Holgate was on bass.

I’d seen Eon Beats Project several years before at another DHJF, and was blown out. EBP was then sax, piano, drums, turntable (?), as I remember. No bass. Fabulous, heavy grooves with a distinctive modern sound. This time, they played a set of pretty standard but capable funk/reggae, and with a more common lineup: Rick Robertson (tenor sax), Phil Slater (trumpet), Jonathon Pease (guitar), Gerard Masters (keyboards), Alex Hamilton (electric bass), Ian Mussington (drums) and Evelyn Duprai (vocals). It was a popular set and showed jazz influences from the excellent players. I loved Gerard Masters on piano, organ and clavinet sounds. Phil Slater and Rick Robertson both played great solos, and Alex Hamilton laid down a solid, great sounding and ever-present bass line on a Fender Jazz, with some lovely slight chordal fills. Evelyn Duprai had a great, black, bluesy voice, which suited perfectly and I loved it. The vocals will give you an idea of the style: “You don’t know what you’re gonna do / you don’t know what you gonna say / you’re wondering how you’ll make it through / I’ve got some questions here today“. Hmm … but then jazz isn’t too highly regarded for its poetry, either. Quality funk with some reggae; original tunes; nice playing; eminently sellable.

I caught two tunes by the Bernie McGann Quartet. Bernie McGann (alto sax), Warwick Alder (trumpet), Ben Waples (bass), James Waples (drums). This was typical, quality BM. I heard them play Spirit song and Dexter Gordon’s Fried bananas. Bernie played his typical little impassioned, falling lines. Warwick Alder dissected the tune with post-bop improvisations and some tortured trumpet notes. This is true commitment to the form: tasty, tuneful and without hype.

I heard even less of the Jackie Orszaczky Band with Tina Harrod, and thinking back, I regret it. Again, this is not a jazz band in the standard tradition, but it is informed by the style. It’s more a pop-funk band of considerable style, but also with a unique twist: two basses. JO (bass and leader) sits and plays a front line role, somewhat like a guitar, and actually with a tone also somewhat like a guitar: trebly, crisp, chordal, soloistic and essentially cool and relaxed. In back was Alex Hamilton (bass) who had previously played with Eon Beats Project, doing a similar, fat, funky style. Interesting stuff. The rest of the band was Tina Harrod (vocals) and two other female singers, trombone, tenor sax, keyboards and drums.

I was intrigued by the concept of the next act, so I left JO early. Perhaps I should have stayed. They were Back on the Block, a Quincy Jones tribute. This was a big and superbly professional set of players on the big Tumbalong stage, with sound to match the reputation of Quincy Jones. But it was essentially a superior pop set and I left after a few tunes. Not to put them down – they were very, very good and proved it with an excellent, driven, distorted rock guitar solo as I was leaving – but not what I was there for, so I departed.

I dropped in on the Eamon Dilworth Ensemble. They were bravely playing away, against a massive barrage of sound which was spilling over from the Quincy Jones show. It must have been a challenge, but I guess it was OK when they actually got playing. EDQ was Eamon Dilworth (trumpet, flugelhorn), Jeremy Rose (alto sax), Rob Turner (drums) and Alex Boneham (bass). I particularly liked Jeremy Rose and his calm presence and investigative alto solos.

Next I caught a blast from the past: Crossfire. I remember Crossfire as a very popular touring fusion band in the late-70s. I didn’t remember that they had recorded with Michael Franks, and played with Lee Ritenour and other big names on the Californian scene in their prime. They are now grey haired, with glasses and the like, and have reformed to revisit former glory. And they were still very good. Sharp, interesting playing and original tunes. Worth catching if they visit or when they return to the Basement. The original band members, Jim Kelly (guitar), Tony Buchanan (saxes), Ian Bloxsom (percussion) and Greg Lyon (electric bass), are joined by new members Steve Russell (keyboards) and Scott Hills (drums).

The last gig I caught was the US Navy Seventh Fleet Big Band. I was hanging out to hear a quality American outfit after this Australian music. They were great, as I expected, but nothing to embarrass our locals. Their ensemble playing was sharp and accurate. Some very fast unison sax passages got away from them, but then they were ridiculously difficult, so no shame there, and there were some other unison lines with bass and all the players which came off wonderfully. The solos didn’t particularly knock me out, but they did a great range of styles, with and without singers, and went down really well. There were several modern instrumental big band charts, which were my favourites. But they also did Sinatra with a male singer, Basie/Shuur with a female singer, Glen Miller’s In the mood and the Beatle’s Norwegian Wood, so this was a stylistically diverse set. And they did two songs with the featured jazz singer, Barbara Morrison, who was to feature at the festival later that day: My one and only love, and the blues classic, Everyday I have the blues. BM performed more as a blues than jazz singer for these two tunes: fairly straight with little improvisation, except a nice chromatic line at the end of My one and only love, but she sang with a satisfying, raunchy voice and a great stage presence which was perfectly suitable for this performance.

As for the sound at the event, it was very professional, as you would expect from such a big, commercial gig. On the Tumbalong Stage, the mixing was generally right for the jazz style, although the bass was sometimes unnaturally deep on double bass, rock-loud and overbearing on electric. The horn mix was blissful, with tinkling pianos and guitars and drums coming through fittingly. There was something wrong for the solo horns on the US Navy band – a thin, tin-whistle alto sax tone, and similarly thin tenor – and I heard a buzz in one bass bin on the first day, but otherwise the sound was great. As for the other stages, they were similarly well provided. I was amused by a strong echo on Evelyn Duprai’s mic, but maybe that’s what the band wanted. As mentioned above, there were problems with sound carrying between stages, and John Shand complained about this in his SMH review (“Enough sizzling grooves to warm the brave” / John Shand, in Sydney Morning Herald, 11 June 2007, p. 13). I especially felt sorry for the Eamon Dilworth Ensemble who bravely played on despite a massive background spill from the Quincy Jones tribute band.

But the rain held off while I was there, and I had a good time, and caught up with some bands I’d been wanting to hear for some time. So despite the commercial cum popular bias of the event, it was well worth the trip.

More DH Jazz Fest pics from CJ's men in Sydney

Darling Harbour Jazz & Blues Festival website

Lazy afternoon of Discovery

The Carl Morgan Trio played live to air today for ArtSound’s Book & CD sale at CSIRO’s Discovery Centre. People milled around looking for a $2 gem. My find was a CD of the Canberra Musicians Jazz Orchestra from the 90s, featuring several names that I’ve mentioned in more recent years on CJ. But the live entertainment on the day was Carl and his crew.

I heard this as somewhat like a superior restaurant gig. The team obviously plays together – they are all current students at the Jazz school - but they still read plenty of the charts, and the tunes were the old standards: Beautiful love, C Jam blues, My romance, Someday my prince will come, and the like. But they had an intelligent, interested, relaxed audience, and they were broadcasting live to Canberra, so they could loosen up, play some more impassioned and altered versions of the charts, and generally be more creative.

The band was Carl Morgan (guitar), Phill Jenkins (bass) and Ben Foster (piano). Carl played with a more subdued tone than when last I saw him, but still lashed out with plenty of flying runs and dissonant changes. He’s a strong and serious player. Phill laid down reliable and responsive lines. He easily pushed solid walks and defined clear, reliable rhythms. So the groove did not suffer despite the absence of drums. Ben played some intuitively apt accompaniment and comping, some lovely solos and melodies. But what most impressed me was beautifully accurate sense of timing in several styles. I first noticed it on one luscious blues melody about mid-concert and it stayed with him for the following tunes.

ArtSound was broadcasting live from the venue, with a good strong signal given a short distance and direct view of Black Mountain Tower. These guys really are impressive and professional to boot. They would put plenty of commercial outfits to shame: not so much for the great equipment (although for a community station, they are very well supplied), but for their intelligent interests in the local and broader cultural scene.

As for the music, you can take me to any restaurant that offers a background like this. Just don’t expect me to talk too much over the main course.

ArtSound at Montreal Jazz Fest

Here's an exclusive for CJ. Just received in the news room. Lucky Chris. He's done tons for ArtSound, so good luck to him.

ArtSound FM's Jazz Coordinator, Chris Deacon, will attend and represent ArtSound at the forthcoming Montreal Jazz Festival. In a coup for Canberra, Chris has been accredited to cover the festival on behalf of ArtSound, and will provide reports for distribution to Australian community radio.

The Festival is simply huge, with over 250,000 visitors expected, plus a blend of music and musicians we do not always have the opportunity to hear in Australia.

Over 11 days and nights, Montreal rolls out the red carpet for over 2,500 musicians from every corner of the globe. From jazz to soul to blues, with detours through traditional music, electro and folk, Montreal conjugates in every style, speaking the universal language: music! North America’s French capital becomes a mecca for everyone from aficionados of pure jazz to fans of all its musical relatives.

The Festival is truly a global event: for the first time, 30 countries are represented at the Fest by roughly 3,000 musicians and street performers. With 500 concerts, including 350 free shows to choose from, some 250,000 tourists come to the City of Festivals every year for musical discoveries. At the Festival, music finds various forms of expression, from the daily Louisiana parade to a marquee event, from an intimate concert or avant-garde set to a major performance from a living legend, from jam sessions to the Petite école du jazz, and from a cruise to a workshop given by a big-name performer or stringed-instrument maker.

The Festival’s indoor concert program alone offers close to 150 shows spread over 15 series, presented in venues throughout the city. As eclectic as ever, this year's Festival will present musicians and music from every region and every source, from the classic to the most avant-garde. Some jazz legends will be there — Keith Jarrett, Bob Dylan, Harry Connick, Jr. and Wynton Marsalis, with his very special project Congo Square — and the music of the immortal Ennio Morricone, reanimated by the stunning The Spaghetti Western Orchestra, all of whom contribute to the magic of the Festival.

Consider, for instance, the presence of artists from the prestigious ECM label including Keith Jarrett, Anouar Brahem, Tord Gustavsen, Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin, and Stefano Bollani, who in themselves represent a diverse range of today’s music. The festival will also welcome Manfred Eicher, founder and president of the jazz label considered one of the most important in the world.

To mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Fela Kuti, Afrobeat will be everywhere: indoors, where his son Femi Kuti will uphold the legacy, along with Afrodizz and Antibalas.

Other musicians to front the Festival stage include Jack de Johnette, John Scofield, Algelique Kidjo, Mike Stern, Holly Cole, Medeski Martin and Wood, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Waune Shorter, Dhafer Yusef, John Pattituci, Dave Weckl, Erik Truffaz, George Coleman, Jimmy Cobb, Buster Williams, Roy Haynes, Billy Cobham, Anouar Brahem, Didier Lockwood, Cesaria Evora, Bugge Wesseltoft, Kurt Elling, Jaco Pastorius, John Abercrombie, Alan Holdsworth, Bela Flek, Bill Frisell, and Toumani Diabate.

The Festival will also be presenting an exceptional double feature, where culture and music are once again at the core of a superb collaboration: Louisianan Zachary Richard and French artist Francis Cabrel, both equally adopted by Quebec for years, will be sharing the spotlight. This collaboration is the undisputable result of an artistic alliance-turned friendship between the pair. After Hurricane Katrina, Francis was first invited by Zac to collaborate on his latest album for the song ‘‘La promesse cassée’’, of which the royalties helped raise funds for musicians from New Orleans. The two artists also recently performed together in New Orleans and Lafayette. For the Festival, the beloved French artist will draw from his affinity for blues and American music in order to create a unique repertoire for the occasion. Both artists will surely pay each other musical visits! from June 28 to July 8, 2007!

This profoundly unifying event will turn North America’s French capital into a mecca for everyone from aficionados of pure jazz to fans of all its musical relatives.

Apart from ticketed concerts, every day there will be free outdoor concerts, some of which will take the listener around the world! Take for example the Seun Kuti: Afrobeat party with over 20 musicians and dancers, the Arabian Night with Rachid Taha and a rhythmic and colourful concert blowout, the Brazilian carnival bash with Brazil’s Carlinhos Brown.

This is a festival that promises to reveal the full spectrum of jazz in all its vivid individual colours. In short, from the purest jazz to the most colourful hybrid, from the archetypal to the original, this Festival will gather and present some of the greatest living names in jazz!

Stay tuned for more coverage June 28 onwards.

Chris Deacon
Jazz Coordinator
General Manager Engineering & Development
ArtSound FM

First of the Gods

Leigh Barker’s Quintet were the first performers in this year’s Jazz Series at the Gods. Leigh and his mates provide a real Canberra ambience at their local gigs. Leigh, the leader and bassist, is a local, as is John Felstead on saxes. But it’s not just the fact of their background, but also the presence of friends and family at his concerts, and the references to the local area, that only a Canberran would understand. Their first CD is called “Off to Moruya”. It’s obviously a reference to the Moruya Jazz Festival, where they regularly play. Apparently, the cover designer was a Melbourne bloke who was intrigued by a grotesqueness in the name, Moruya, so it stuck for the album. Then, there’s the hot swing original tune called Merimbula, another obvious reference to a town and a local jazz festival. But the band is now resident in Melbourne, and apparently is very busy with work there. So in truth this is another homecoming from more successful ex-patriates.

I like this band’s complexity of conception. It’s a real mix. You may hear pre-bop in the rhythm section, cut time on drums, perhaps a gentle swing on bass, along with the sound of French boulevards on the piano accordian, and a bit of modern dissonance on the sax and trumpet. So it’s an intriguing and, to me, unique blend of trad, mainstream and modern styles. And their presentation fits to boot: brown suits, with jackets removed after a few tunes, and rolled up sleeves for the busy end of the night. Leigh even wore braces. Perfect. This is intelligent entertainment. No wonder they have plenty of work.

The night started with Ellington’s The Mooch. (I’m sure they started with this at Hippo’s when I saw them, but it’s a perfect, sleezy tune to set the ambience). There was a tune by Heather Stewart of Melbourne, called Music Room, which featured a cut-time reminscent of European films – cute, humourous and deceptively light music. There were several originals by the band, recalling Moruya and Merimbula, If I had a brain from the Wizard of Oz, and a Nat King Cole favourite called Ruby and the Pearl. They raised a chuckle with a tune called “What this thing called, love?”, and ended with a dedication to Bill Frisell (I think I got this right), which surprised me given the style, called In the country with Bill.

From my modern jazz, soloistic, individualistic point of view, I most liked the solos of the two horns. Eamon played some very satisfying fast lines, and often broke out into dissonance with repeated patterns at chromatic and other intervals. John also frequently dipped into the distorted pool of dissonance, and I liked that. When I previously heard Matt at Hippo’s he played both accordion and piano, and I thought there was more inventiveness on the piano. This time he only played accordion, and the style was not so much jazzy as euro-folk and ambient. I liked this, and it certainly highlighted the uniqueness of the band. Leigh and Al both set capable rhthyms, and did a few nice solos, too.

The Leigh Barker Quintet are Leigh Barker (bass), Al Mcgrath-Kerr (drums), John Felstead (saxes), Eamon McNelis (trumpet), and Matt Boden (piano, accordian)

Leigh’s band plays again at White Eagle on Thurs 14 June, for those who missed this show. ArtSound recorded the concert, so you can also expect to hear the band on radio over coming months. Thanks to Geoff Page for organising the series. The next Gods to visit the Café are Sandy Evans, Toby Hall and Brett Hirst, on 3 July. These are authentic Australian jazz gods, so get there if you can.

Large ensembles coming out

About this time each year, the large Jazz School ensembles perform on home turf for family and friends. This year, last night, it was the turn of the Recording Ensemble and the Commercial Ensemble. These are competitive entry bands; they are open to anyone in the Jazz School. Auditions are held each year, and a hot first year can replace a long term player. So there’s an element of pride the outfits, and a go-ahead edge to their performances. This night is like their annual coming out performance. Otherwise, there are gigs at various festivals and a planned recording for the Recording Ensemble, for these students to make their mark and impress outside of Canberra.

The first set was by the Recording Ensemble, led by Miroslav Bukovsky. The band started with a tune written by Miro called 10 Part Invention Blues. Right from the start, we heard the rich tonal and harmonic colours of this orchestrated, recorded style of music. It’s a blissful sound, and is the reason people hanker after bands of this size. It just doesn’t come with small outfits; it’s dependent on capable orchestration and numerous instruments to play the parts. The band played six tunes in the set. There were several written or orchestrated by Miro, including numbers for his band 10 Part Invention and a version of Oliver Nelson’s classic, Stolen moments. Jenna Cave provided a chart dedicated to Wayne Shorter called Little Shorter. The playing was typically competent all round. Carl impressed, as always, with some blistering solos. I took particular note of solos by Alistair, Jonno and Sebastian, but the performance was a group effort, and these weren’t the only notable soloists. The rhythm section was superb. We’re seeing lots of Bill and Ed around town, and there’s good reason. They play well together, they each play with great delicacy and responsiveness, they hold a rock solid steady swing, and they solo with panache. Lovely stuff.

The Recording Ensemble is Ed Rodrigues (drums), Bill Williams (bass), Carl Morgan (guitar), Dave Rodriguez (guitar), Kayla Corlis (trumpet), Jonno Apps (trumpet, flugelhorn), Alistair Clarke (trombone), James LeFevre (alto, baritone sax), Jo Lloyd (alto sax), Sebastian Macintosh (tenor, soprano sax), Nick Combe (tenor sax), Miroslav Bukovsky (leader).

The Commercial Ensemble provided the second set. There was quite a deal of overlap in membership in the horn section, but otherwise this was a different experience. This is the Letterman-style band. Bold and brassy, playing hot, funky charts. Where the Recording Ensemble gives us sublimity and colour, the Commercial Ensemble gives us beat and life. It’s not a matter of better or worse, although it can be a matter of preference. Eric Ajaye leads this band. They started with a great version of Wayne Shorter’s Footprints, with Sophie singing her own original lyrics. This was followed by a funky blues number by Bill Cunliffe with a great unison intro. Then a laid back, New Orleans-style chart by Les Sabrina dedicated to basketball and called Shoot the hoop; a Pat Metheny-style tune (which Eric introduced with a glimpse at the geography of Oregon and Washington State); a hard, funky Bob Mintzer chart called Go-go; a ballad by Matt Harris in the style of Michael Brecker; and to finish the night, a fast latin piece also by Matt Harris, called Bacio innocente. Again, there were capable solos all round, and again Carl lifted the roof. As a bassist, I particularly liked the great sound Stu pulled when playing slap on a Musicman bass, with Eden amp and speakers – smooth and balanced, with a lively but sweet top end.

The Commercial Ensemble is Ben Foster (piano), Evan Dorrian (drums), Stu McKnown (bass), Carl Morgan (guitar), Kayla Corlis (trumpet), Jonno Apps (trumpet, flugelhorn), Alistair Clarke (trombone), James LeFevre (alto, baritone sax), Sebastian Macintosh (tenor, soprano sax), Sophie Leslie (vocals), Eric Ajaye (leader).

So, a great night of rich and funky playing. I’ll look forward to hearing more of both these outfits over the rest of the year.

Effects, anyone?

Last night’s White Eagle seemed a detour into the 21st Century and jazz as it is now: a melange of styles and sounds, with clear references back to jazz history, but with newer tonalities and technologies. I’ve asked on CJ poll whether there’s jazz after Bitches Brew. I was not surprised that everyone who answered, answered “Yes”. But I was surprised that so few people answered. The question was a bit of a joke for me, and presumably for those who didn’t bother to answer, but it’s still argued in conservative jazz circles. Jazz suffers from such internecine dischords. The trad/modern standoff still appears occasionally and the argument over electronic instruments is ongoing. But I’ll choose to sit this one out. I’ll just return to my M-Base Collective and Branford Marsalis and amuse myself thinking about how this White Eagle would have upset the conservatives.

Trident+1 started the night. Trident are a trio comprising Chris Thwaite (drums), James Luke (bass) and Lachlan Coventry (guitar). The +1 is Ben Marston (trumpet, flugelhorn). James described the style as “made up on the spot, with some jazz standards to meet up … sometimes”. This is definitely the approach. It’s loose and improvised, but they have achieved this open and responsive relationship through playing together for considerable time. The experience shows. The set comprised 3 extended improvisations. There were soundscapes and funk and reggae and one hard swing. There were processed sounds galore. I guessed octavers, autowahs or synths, choruses, reverbs and echoes on trumpet, bass and guitar, and there may have been others. There were mesmeric repetitive rhythm passages, mostly set by guitar or bass. There were loads of solos from all instruments, variously standard jazz styles or more impressionistic. There were squeels of whales from flugelhorn, and didjeridoos emanating from bass. And there were lovely calls back to the jazz and even pop forms with melodies that rose from the highly processed, rhythmic substructure: Alone together followed by Nica’s dream over reggae; Madonna’s Material girl with a coda of Weather Report’s Birdland; Mingus’ Nostalgia in Times Square. The floor was littered with effects. There were two PAs on stage for the instruments alone, as well as the obligatory stage PA. It all sounded highly processed, compressed, full and fat, like recorded music rather than simple, acoustic jazz.

Chris played fabulously in this format: richly changing rhythms; great counterpoint to more or less regular grooves of the other players; some excellent, accurate, clearly intentioned solos. James played a fretless 5-string Jazz bass, through masses of effects and into a PA for clear, sharp, full-range sounds. He played confidently, mimicked Zawinul-synths and didjerdoos and more, and played some lovely solos along with chords and harmonics at various other times. Lachlan was relatively traditional in this context: attractive and not overwhelming effects, and some crisp, clear jazz soloing. Ben set the scene with known melodies played with simplicity and conviction, but also dropped into impressionistic sounds and effected solos, and the first time I’ve heard octavered flugel. Great, confident and convincing playing all around.

Trident+1 are a fabulously involving and developed outfit playing the highest level of groove-infected, culturally-inclusive music with a jazz sensibility. Trident play every Tuesday night at Trinity Bar in Dickson. Catch them!

The second band was a less processed and took a more standard modern jazz approach, but still displayed frequent effects on sax and bass. And it also featured electric bass (another one to upset the conservatives). The band was the Matt Keegan Trio out of Sydney’s JazzGroove stable: Matt Keegan (tenor sax), Cameron Undy (electric bass) and Dave Goodman (drums). The trio played original music in the modern jazz idiom, with frequent blues or funk feels, and some monster unison lines.

Matt mostly plays a considered, calm and melodic style with clear intentions and a considerable exploration of dissonance. On the other hand, he loosened up and played excitedly on the later tunes on the night, and also played with a range of effects on various tunes throughout the night. Cameron is a frequent visitor to Canberra, being a product of the town and the Jazz school. He plays with a strangely wooden tone on a 5-string electric bass: more woody than crystal clear; very satisfying on fast funky patterns and occasional blistering solos. I found it interesting to hear the way Cameron dug into the strings with strong double bass-strengthened fingers. It made for a very different and more traditional sound than James’ in Trident (although James also plays double bass). I was also interested to notice how much a statement of the underlying rhythm was Cameron’s soloistic style. It’s not unusual in bassists; I noticed a similar approach by Zoe Hauptman. Dave played a strong, steady and definitive role in this band along with a busy, satisfying solo later in the night. The band lifted for the last few tunes, when Cameron rose from his seat, and the energy level was turned up a notch. So, a strong and competent modern jazz outfit.

Matt Keegan's website

Open mic - influential albums

What are your favourite or most influential albums? CJ’s “Open mic” is a chance for you to write for CJ. Just add a comment below. Tell us your 2 or 3 favourite jazz albums and give us a short blurb on why they are important to you. Make it as long or short as you like. If you are a muso, tell us what you play. You can write as anonymous, but I’d prefer your first name. Over to you.

Europe visits via Melbourne

Melbourne has imported a few big names for its recent Jazz Festivals, and it’s having an effect on the rest of Australia as these names go on tour. Most of them don’t reach Canberra, but we had Herbie Hancock recently, and last night we heard the Jens Winther European Quintet as the European, or perhaps Scandinavian, contingent. Jens is not a big-name drawcard like Herbie, so (instead of the Canberra Theatre) he performed at the Jazz School for a lot less money. That’s sad, but an opportunity for those who did attend. While the names are not so well known, the performance was spectacular. So thanks go to Miroslav Bukovsky for his efforts to bring them here. This was a great night of jazz in the 50s/60s tradition of Miles and post bop, held in a club-like venue for a small group of students and jazz afficionadoes.

The line-up of the band was standard for the style: Jens Winther (trumpet), Thomas Franck (tenor sax), Ben Besiakov (piano), Jonas Westergaard (bass), Dejan Terzic (drums). The quintet played two sets, and I noticed how each started on a high with a hard bop melody introducing the set. But this was a night of open, exploratory change. The music was written to some degree, but the players took every opportunity for improvisation and variation. Jens and Thomas, especially, led each solo through huge variations: restrained, pensive, hard swing, free. I also noticed how the rhythm section would also change to follow the soloists. At various times, bass, drums and piano sat out for extended passages, so the tonality of the mix was continually changing. At one stage, we heard an unusual combination of piano, bass and trumpet when drums sat out. Otherwise, piano often sat out, leaving a trio format. At one stage, trumpet played alone, or at least with the help of vibrating piano strings, as Jens played directly into the body of the grand piano, and we could hear the resonances in the otherwise deathly quiet and attentive room.

All were highly competent musicians. I felt both the front line players, Jens on trumpet and Thomas on tenor, played highly developed bop styles, with clear intentions and interesting melodic ideas. There were calls and response between the front-liners, and several sessions of swapping fours and shorter passages. There were beautiful harmonies when they each held long, pure notes. They were fast but not blinding, although they often enough dropped into flourishes or faster passages. But this was considered playing, and thus melodically and harmonically exploratory. The rhythm section was solid and mobile in its interaction with the front line. I particularly liked Ben on piano. His comping seemed more classically-influenced, as I (perhaps ignorantly) expect from European musicians. I loved hearing some long, long lines of ascending or descending backing chords on quarter notes. Ben didn’t play too many solos, but what he played was rich in the way only piano can be: in style, in complex and substituted harmony, in melody. He was also lucky to have a gorgeous piano sound from a Yamaha Grand in the band room. (I noticed later it was one of those pianos with full midi implementation. Perhaps this is the very piano I saw in the National Library playing Oscar Peterson a few years ago, where it seemed a ghost was playing as the piano keys and pedals moved, pianola-like).

The band played two sets over several hours, but there were only 6 or 7 tunes (including a few medleys), so each tune was long, and quite a journey. The tunes were mostly originals. The first was Mercury from Jens’ CD called the Planets and influenced by the Holst work of the same name. This started as a hard bop piece, but like all tunes, metamorphosed through various other styles. I missed the other titles, but there was a lovely original 32-bar ballad by Jens, and a lively post bop blues. As for non-originals, there was Body and Soul during the body of the concert, and a final jam where Miroslav Bukovsky and John Mackay joined in for a sometimes frantic blow on Footprints.

Again, Chris Deacon recorded the session for ArtSound, so listen out for this over coming weeks. This was an excellent evening of modern acoustic jazz, with a strong influence of Miles and his fellow travellers from the 50s/60s era. Thanks go especially to Miroslav for bringing this excellent band to Canberra, and for the quote of the night: “Drive safely, and if you come to a fork in the road, take it”.

Viet jazz

I’ve been incommunicado for the last 2 weeks when we’ve had the two biggest international jazz shows in Canberra for years. But the alternative was perfectly acceptable: travelling in Vietnam with family and friends. But your intrepid jazz reporter for CJ does not return empty handed.

I visited what must be the two major jazz venues in Vietnam: SaxN’art in Ho Chi Minh City (better known as HCMC or Saigon) and a return visit to Minh’s Jazz Club in Hanoi. Both are decorated with bright neon lights, both inside and out, so are hard to miss.

SaxN’art was disappointing. It was more a light jazz venue, at least at the time I attended, with an air of 50s sophistication. It was early in the evening, and it may hot up later at night. But a chat I had later in Ha Noi suggests most musos are playing this style, in hotels, bars, etc, for tourists and for the money. (Things are the same the world over, or as the Vietnamese commonly say to tourists, “Same same”). SaxN’Art a two story venue with a dress circle. We were upstairs, so the pic looks down on the band. They were competent players, and I especially liked the bassist. There seems to be a lot of opportunity to sit in in VN jazz venues, and the Vietnamese are a friendly lot. In the case of SaxN'art, there’s a standing open invitation for visiting musos. This time, there were several changes in the one set I heard: one sleek guy singing Sinatra style (“New York, New York” et al.), and a Korean guitar-singer sitting in for a basic rendition of Stormy Monday blues. Free entry, but prices weren’t cheap, so limit your cocktails when you visit.

I have already reported on Minh’s Jazz Club following a visit to Ha Noi a few years ago. I think I saw the house band then, and perhaps they were the same players that night. The band on this night was Red River. It comprised Quyen Thien Dac (tenor sax), Le Thoanh Long (bass), Ha Dinh Huy (drums), Vu Duc Tan (piano).

Red River (=Song Hong) is in its second generation, after the leadership was passed from Minh to his son, Duc. This seems so appropriate in this ancestor aware country. I heard that Duc has studied at Berkeley. Whatever, he plays a lovely, melodic, musical tenor sax. His solos can break into faster runs and flourishes, and can break out of tonality, but he works the chords mostly with beautifully chosen intervals to create oh-so-satisfying, cool melodies. He was a pleasure to listen to. The rest of the band was good support. I understand Long, the bassist, is a classical cellist, and his positional playing certainly looked the part. He played with strong, reliable rhythms and walks, but sadly no solos while I was there. Huy, the drummer, is capable and took several solos, and obviously enjoyed his playing. Again, this was professional, competent playing. Tan played a range of styles, from block chords to more interesting soloistic adventures. The tunes I heard were from the standards repertoire: Autumn leaves, Girl from Ipanema, St Thomas, Misty, etc. I would have liked to hear some originals, and apparently they had played some the previous week when they played in concert at the Ha Noi Opera House. But, regardless, I was enthralled by Duc’s excellent sax throughout. St Thomas was great. I always find it a bland number to play, and usually to hear, but this sax was rich and interesting, as Rollins must have meant it. Same same for the others: Ipanema, Autumn leaves, etc. Minh’s is well worth a visit if you’re in town, and especially if Duc is playing.

I spoke to the musos afterwards. They remembered visits by various Australians, and repeatedly mentioned the role of the Australian Embassy in promoting tours (here’s an opportunity). They specifically mentioned Scott Tinkler, Mike Nock and Nick McBride, and Neils Rosendahl got a mention too. I visited on the night Herbie Hancock was playing in Canberra, and they pointed out the pic of Herbie playing at Minh’s (apparently he only played one tune). From what I understood, there’s no tertiary jazz training in Vietnam, but there’s interest at the Conservatorium, and Red River comes out of that background.

We have now travelled twice in Vietnam with a great tour guide called Tuan Anh of Insight Vietnam Travel http://vietnamtourguides.com/. I’ll put in a promo here: deal direct, get great prices and intelligent, professional service. VN is the first country where I’ve travelled with a tour guide, and it’s so easy (after exploits in Egypt and elsewhere). But more related to CJ, it also turns out that Tuan’s wife, Hong Dung, is a professional singer on the Ha Noi scene. She knows Minh and the jazz scene, but works more in the “corporate” area. (Ya gotta make a living). As for travel, feel free to contact Eric at CJ if you want a reference for Tuan’s company.

And one last observation. Air Vietnam currently have Miles/Coltrane and Mingus as background music during boarding. On the other hand, JetStar (a perfect example of a commercially successful, modern, low cost airline) has some inane, endlessly-repeating clip from some catchy pop tune with the lyric “fly away”. Sadly, you’re more likely to travel JetStar.

Herbie Hancock - add your comments below

I'm out of town and I've bagged the quinella. Herbie H is the second international gig to hit Canberra this month, and I've missed them both. Herbie Hancock played with Vinnie Colauita (drums), Nathan East (bass) and Lionel Loueke (guitar). Again, I invite your comments. Over to you. Add your comments below this CJ Blog post.

Eugene Wright - add your comments below

"Senator" Eugene Wright was Brubeck's bassist on the Take 5 sessions and a stalwart of the LA jazz scene who played with many other influential jazzers. He's just played at White Eagle with Anita Thomas (reeds), Mike Price (guitar) and Mark Sutton (drums). I couldn't make the gig, so I invite your input. Add your comments below. Over to you. If you have pics, send to me for later publication.

Thanks to those who left comments. More welcome. Looks like I missed a great show. Thanks esp to Luba Thompson for the great review and these pics.

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.