Open letter to Gareth Evans, Chancellor, ANU

Open letter to Gareth Evans,
Chancellor, Australian National University

21 May, 2012

The purpose of this letter is to express support for the continuation of the current School of Music at the ANU, one of Australia’s most highly regarded conservatoriums and musicological institutions.

As you are aware, the university proposes to restructure the School of Music by reducing the number of staff from 32 to 13 and eliminating the degree majors of Performance, Composition, Musicology and Ethnomusicology. This would produce degree courses incapable of graduating high level performers, composers, music theorists, musicologists or music philosophers. It would fail to produce graduates capable of higher degree research or Australian Research Council funding. In other words, the new degree would be unworthy of inclusion in a tertiary institution.

We understand that issues of budget underpin the university’s current debate about the School of Music, and that Canberra’s business community has offered to subsidise the music degree. We also understand that the ANU is nevertheless intending to cut academic positions in Music. This decision would appear to ignore widespread community outrage and the wishes of the city that hosts the ANU.

The ANU has not clearly explained why the discipline of Music cannot be subsidised from the university’s significant surplus. Government funding is not provided to universities for the purpose of building surpluses but, rather, for the purpose of funding education programs and the idea that Music should be wholly economically self-sustaining overlooks the integral role of this discipline in the wider university. Melbourne University, when restructuring into the ‘Melbourne Model’, retained Music as one of only six undergraduate degrees. This decision was rooted in an understanding that music faculties are necessary for top tier universities - Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, all have music faculties as do the most highly regarded tertiary institutions in our own country. The proposed restructure of Australia’s most distinguished music faculty endangers the national and international reputation of the ANU.

The ANU School of Music makes one of the largest contributions to the study of Indigenous music of any Australian tertiary institution. For many years the ANU has been a world leader in ethnomusicology and it currently supports Indigenous Elders to undertake research into their own musical culture. This program will be cut with all the others should the restructure be allowed to proceed.

But perhaps most importantly, the downgrading of our Music School will impoverish the rich musical life of Australia’s capital city. The ranks of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra are largely filled with staff, students and alumni of the School of Music. Music teachers in private studios and secondary schools, as well as the Jazz bands that give life to the city at night, are also mostly connected with the School of Music. The musical contributions to university graduation ceremonies, Floriade, local fetes and school events are all likely to falter should the School of Music be downgraded to the extent currently proposed.

When the university points to the ‘elitism’ of classical music – a term that seems acceptable when applied to elite surgeons or sportsmen – it fails to address the far wider benefits of music in Canberra. Because it is not the elite who will suffer most from the closure or downgrading of the ANU Music School – it is the high school students who won’t have access to instrumental teaching, local communities who can’t involve musicians in their activities, Canberra residents who can’t go out on the weekend to hear a band or Jazz ensemble, Indigenous people whose research into their own music will go unsupported, and Aged Care residents who will not be visited by singers from the Music School with Christmas carols. When the ANU closes the door on the Music School they will not be simply restructuring an undergraduate degree, they will be depriving an entire city of its music.

Mr. Gareth Evans we urge you, in your role as Chancellor of the ANU, to intercede for the School of Music – for the reputation of our valued university and for the long-term public good of the Canberra-Queanbeyan community and the local NSW region.

Kind Regards,

Dr Judith Crispin
Sebastian Clark
Prof. Anne Boyd AM
Prof. Larry Sitsky OAM
Dr Ann Moyal AM
John Purnell SC
Jane Goffman
A/Prof. Gary France
Rosemary Greaves
Rob Gray OAM
Dr Oliver Raymond OAM
Greer Versteeg
Timothy Crispin
Brian P Stewart PSM
Dr Andrew Glikson
Christine Goode
Annie Oakey
Anne and Roger Smith
Claire de Luca
Benjamin Willson
Haddon Spurgeon
Dr Paul Hetherington
Barnaby Lewer
Robyn G McKay
Robert Burke
Richard McIntyre OAM

Words and not

It’s a trivial observation and perhaps an incorrect one, but it seems to me that there’s a real string of introspective trios out of Melbourne. The trio of Fran Swinn, Tamara Murphy and Joe Talia is one. I’m in Melbourne to visit some old mates, the Musketeers. Sadly too true to fiction, Peter can’t make it this weekend – here’s best to him – but Val, John and I are out on the town and it’s not all pizza and footy.

Fran, Tamara and Joe were presenting a tribute to Bill Frisell. Perhaps it’s the water of Sydney or the brilliant sun of winter Canberra (certainly not the chill) that brings out the more extroverted camp. I listen to BF recordings with some trepidation, but I can be taken by the style in person. Fran has that clear concern with sound as pure presence rather than mere harmonic invention, the effect of the distilled, the loops and electronica. Each note seems to take on individual life in this world. I don’t so much hear this approach in Tamara’s bass, although it fits. But bass is usually just pure, uneffected in any way, just responsive harmony and rhythm that outlines feels. So it is too with Joe’s drumming, gentle and responsive and purposeful, unaffected by rhythmic contortions. It fits, and maybe it’s Melbourne way. This time, I heard the trio with singer Jacqueline (Jacq) Gawler. During the gig (it was a gig and not a concert, after all) I had a lively discussion with my mate John about words defining thought, or thought being limited by words. There’s an ongoing philosophical issue here and my understanding is that jury’s out on the issue. But when you hear words as in singing - the clarity of shared understanding versus the pure emotional contact of instrumental music - it seems to me that we make community, we share understanding, with words, and we make emotional control without. So I like plays that become films and fear the power of the visual in films. So Jacq was interesting as she sang, sharing stories and thought. Once with a poem she had written as an ode to Bill Frisell with Fran’s loops in support. Another with a pop song, Shining love by Justin Vernon on Bon Iver (I must avail myself). And lastly, with a community singing exercise on the Kinks’ Summer afternoon. Maybe I’d had a few and mates getting together do sing, but this seemed a nicely social thing to do to finish the night. It’s an eminently attractive song with dark Kinksian social comment, but we can forget that for the community singing. Words are all I have? The discussion continues, but I must say I was moved by the searching emotional soundscapes of BF by Fran and her team.

Fran Swinn (guitar), Tamara Murphy (bass) and Joe Talia (drums) played a tribute to Bill Frisell at Melbourne’s Uptown Jazz Café and Jacqueline Gawler (vocals) joined them for several songs and a poem set to music.

Bringing the world together

There were many representatives of the Australian world jazz community at the Loft when the Vampires came to play. Normal Vamp bassist, Alex Boneham, was not available so the catholics were represented by Lloyd Swanton and Wanderlust by Fabian Hevia (who happened to be in town). So we could expect reggae and Latin American pulses. I hadn’t expected Stanwell Park. I love the eclectic crosses of styles that we call world jazz - this blend of jazz sensibility with rhythms and grooves and melodies from beyond the Euro traditions. The visitors did a great job. I was floored by Lloyd, lightly played and fed by profound reading and easy playing chops. These were not easy charts to sit in on. Fabian mentioned 13 and 7 and perhaps 9 and I heard some very complex and unexpected syncopations and contorted ostinatos. Lloyd pulled them off with relaxed glances at the charts; stunning. Drummer Alex is all eyes, watching with a blank face and spelling out understated but nicely contorted rhythmic responses to the front line. Fabian was restrained. He’s never too overstated, and a few passages on cajon were richly defining of the tunes and enhancing of the grooves, but he seemed pretty unobtrusive this night.

The Vampires front line comprises the two composing horn players. Jeremy, on alto, had written most tunes; Nick, on trumpet, several others. They played 12 tunes in two sets. The tunes were short and purposeful but also richly embroidered and worldly attractive. Life in the fast lane could have been written by Ornette, and thinking back, Ornette’s influence was clear elsewhere, in rabid free, unison calls and a bluesy perception. The first tunes were warm-ups: few chords, easy changes, lovely simple and attractive melodies. I’d been surprised by the first tune starting with solo bass, given Lloyd was sitting in, but he is a master. The third tune was all Dave Holland to my ears: slower, less bouncy, thoughtful and opening up with rich solos and a counterpoint melody. Chellowdene was a bouncy uptempo 2-feel. Chellowdene is a street in Stanwell Park. I don’t know the reference but the patter suggested it’s shared, at least by Fabian. Euro schmarp was a take on adopting Norwegian fashion. Heston was rich with collective improvisation in the front line over a call-response bass line. On through the second set to the Ornette references. Jeremy’s alto was embroidered, frequently running solos with chords that moved chromatically, sidestepping the harmony, so plenty of dissonance. Nick was less dissonant but fast, clearly spoken and passionate. Trumpet and sax each lend themselves to their own statements and melodic inventions.

The Vampires were on tour for their third CD. I’m on tour as I write this, the day after the gig and on the XPT to Melbourne. The Vampires seem a long way away, but the world is all around us and the melodies and sympathy of this music, and the sheer skills and musicianship are still in my ears. This was wonderfully attractive music, wonderfully played, but also with skills to dream of, to luxuriate in the grooves and dream with the melodies. How deceptively easy it all is.

On this occasion, at the Loft and on this tour date, the Vampires comprised Jeremy Rose (alto), Nick Garbett (trumpet), Alex Masso (drums) with Lloyd Swanton (bass) and Fabian Hevia (percussion).

One plucky band

I heard the Canberra Mandolin Orchestra in concert today. I’ve known of this band for some time, but never seen them. Mandolin has a modest reputation but it was a surprisingly interesting outing. The whole orchestra was not there, but they had two mandolin parts (1st and 2nd) plus mandola and double bass and acoustic guitar. They also have mandocello players but not at this gig. Just like a string section! Finally, I understand what a mandola is. Obviously mandola as in viola; and mandocello, as in … you guessed it. It’s a very different sound. Plucky, totally unsustained, except when they play their classic rapid picking. The leader, Michael Sollis, brought a bazouki. Plucked instruments like this are common across the world, so the bazouki (eight strings, but with the strings in octave pairs) was not at all out of place. Neither were the Russian or Brazilian folk songs. I was a bit surprised that the film themes worked, but perhaps I shouldn’t have been. The polkas were expected to work and they did, with their groove-resistant oompah bass on the 1-3. Not danceable as in jazz swing, but how can you not enjoy a polka? The players varied in skills – some had played just a few months; otheres for years – but they obviously enjoyed the outing and it was more inviting that I’d expected.

The Canberra Mandolin Orchestra performed at the St Alban’s Anglican Church in Lyons and was led by Michael Sollis.

Reschedules

It was an amusing string of rescheduled meetings that makes me miss some concerts and get to at least one other. What I did attend was a rehearsal with Ella Luhtasaari, David Pereira and Barbara Jane Gilby. It was a star cast, in daily work routine, rehearsing a Mozart Trio (K-whatever) and Brahms’ E-minor sonata. In fact, even this was in place of a concert I had expected to attend but which had been rescheduled. So I was playing it by ear.

I was playing by ear as I listened, too. The Mozart was delightful, lively, jovial, but also changeable with shards of passion that appeared amongst the merrymaking. It was interrupted for discussion to compare ideas on bar nn (“85’s a good bar”) or to talk interpretation. The audience was unexpected but welcomed. The players were comfortable enough – they were perfectly professional and at ease – but I felt at one stage we were forcing them to perform, rather than rehearse. So be it. The music was a delight. Barbara departed after the Mozart, and the David and Ella rehearsed the Brahms E-minor sonata. This was more profound, more complex, less playful, and this is where I noticed the musicians performing. Most of the audience had left by then, so it was just a few stayers. After the first movement, there were discussions on the balance of cello and piano. They raised the lid of the Steinway and it was suddenly much more clear, sharp, loud. David’s voluminous and toneful cello had overwhelmed the piano with the lid slightly opened, but the unlidded Steinway took on power and clarity that easily bettered the cello. I wondered which was the better option, but the performance was not to be in this room and that was also a factor. As a string payer, I luxuriated in David’s cello. Cello has a larger range than bass – it’s tuned in fifths, not fourths. It reaches to relatively high notes and down somewhere amongst bass notes. And it’s flexible and malleable and toneful. David’s a renowned master and his ease with bowing and the fingerboard was a delight. The same message went easily for Ella and Barbara. I enjoyed the ease of reading and the search for interpretation from all the players. Also Ella’s skills and increasing abandon on a few passages in the Brahms. And, of course, the powerful but precise sound of the Steinway unleashed.

To be included in the life of the ANU School of Music can be even better than a concert. What must it be like to live this life every day. Thanks from CJ. Ella Luhtasaari (piano), David Pereira (cello) and Barbara Jane Gilby (violin) rehearsed a Mozart Trio and Brahms’ E-minor sonata.

St(r)eamin'

I’m listening to the Faculty band on a stream as I write this: Giant steps, giant playing. I got in earlier for classical guitar players who I’d never previously come across. The School is renowned for its classical guitar component. But School Head, Adrian Walter, classical guitarist, is off to Hong Kong. Sign of more things to come. The classical guitarists had a mournful edge to their playing, I can understand given the event, but beautiful and insightful. Cold night, warm hearts, keep it up. The petition is at 17,553, has been growing steadily for days and continues. We are with you. Face the night. Luck to you all, the School and, for that matter, potentially bereft Canberra.

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).

The outreaches of downtown Manuka

Spartak is currently in season at the Canberra Contemporary Arts Space at Manuka and I got to last night’s gig. They are playing with a series of visitors. Last night’s was Londoner, Ollie Bown of Icarus, who is now resident in Melbourne.

For me, Spartak is always the outreaches of my sonic experience: minimalist digitally-effected guitar drones from Shoeb with percussive expression layered over the top from Evan. I joke with Megan about it (she prefers Beethoven) but I like it, even if my understanding is short. But then understanding it probably not what’s required with this music. Ollie added laptop convolutions of the live stage sounds that droned or pulsed or mutated to our ears. It was loud or delicate or percussive and always meditative. I heard authentic BBC Radiophonic Workshop (think Dr Who) at one stage and I also felt dense, deep power when I sat near a bass trap corner. I heard Evan’s richly interpretative drummer that just says training and craft to my ears. I heard Shoeb’s electronics and minimal, recurring, slightly mutating guitar chords, although Shoeb's and Ollie's drones often merged to my ears. I even heard some thinly present voice from Shoeb at one stage, although I may have missed it if I wasn’t looking. Experimental and free music of this style is always a walk on the wildside, but I’m refreshed by it and taught again to listen meditatively.

Even Manuka has its outreaches. The minimalism continued in the visual arts on display and the space. The art was mostly tiny and dwarfed, even in this small room; seating was minimal (actually, none) but I felt that suited the music; most sadly, the walls are bare and refective and so the sound was mushy and the drums sounded distant with reverb. All part of the challenge that is a walk in the wilds of Manuka.

Spartak performed one night of its Cue Funktion residency with Ollie Bown (laptop) of Icarus. Spartak are Shoed Ahmad (guitar, electronics) and Evan Dorrian (drums).

An autumn serenade

I was late, but it was a buzzing crowd at the CGS Gallery when I arrived during Liam Budge’s set break: confident, friendly and chatty. Somewhat like Liam himself.

Singers do have a way, they have a presence, and Liam has it strongly. He emotes every word, bending knees, moving about the stage with the rhythms, leading strongly as a front man and percussing in support with nonsense vocal sounds. There’s a lot of his mentor, Vince Jones, in his presentation, the overt emotion and the hands crossed behind his back. Not so much the politics. At least at this stage, his presence is more simply musical and, when he writes, more personally emotional. So he performed Bye bye blackbird, but richly rearranged by Luke Sweeting in 7/4, and Autumn serenade, again re-imagined. One original was of lost love, forever a topic of music and also of youth. But his covers weren’t just the old standards. There was a Tom Waits and also a funky George Michael in the mix. This was rich variety, of performers and styles and grooves and sounds. His basic support was a piano trio, Luke, Jordan, Henry, but he augmented that for various tunes with Joe on alto and/or Tom on trumpet. I melted with some of Luke’s solos, but that’s to be expected these days. He is immensely strong, varied in improv, easily consonant or otherwise, and the piano gives him the most orchestral of instruments to play with. Henry introduced one tune with an attractive solo of percussive gentility where I noticed the thuddy tones of a floor tom damped with jacket over skin that contrasted nicely with a mildly played but sharply tuned snare. Jordan took the opportunity of the Tom Waits tune to let go with a fluent bass solo, and we consoled each other later about the clumsiness of the lovely-sounding double bass against the fluency of the middly-toned but easily-spoken electric. Bass doublers have it tough. On another tune, I noticed some lovely unexpected harmonies from Tom on trumpet against Liam’s vocal lines, and lifting fills with Joe on alto. But the voice is closest to human expression in music, and Liam is an overt, emotional, attractive character on-stage and off. Male singers aren’t too common on the ground and Liam, with his presence and depth, has convinced me they have a place. This was a very nicely presented and emotionally rich performance form Liam and his capable offsiders.

I must also mention the venue. The Canberra Grammar School Gallery may be short on lighting but it’s a wonderfully comfortable and even indulgent space, with grand piano, nice wines on tap and art to peruse in the breaks. Currently on display is the Mortimore Prize touring exhibition of realist art works. It’s not a large exhibition, but there are some decent painting skills (and impressive prices) on display.

Liam Budge (vocals) led a band at the CGS Gallery with Luke Sweeting (piano), Jordan Tarento (bass) and Henry Rasmussen (drums) and Tom Sly (trumpet) and Joe McEvilly (alto) sitting in on various tunes.

Prog folk folk 2

Still at FrogFest, and I was to see Ben Hauptmann’s band, BOB, and Mr Fibby.

BOB was a totally different experience. Highly trained playing that was tight, richly improvised and ornamented and arresting in concept and in performance. It started with a subtle but mobile solo on keys from Damien, precise and understated, then into melodies that spoke of folk song and solos with long crescendos that built steadily and unerringly. Ben’s guitar is always honest and impressive, sharply toned and with a touch of banjo or country-hick influence. Julian entered on tenor for several melodies but I was surprised his solos seemed so few in number. Damien reappeared for solos, but I particularly liked his presence as organ bass and piano/organ accompaniment. I was particularly following Evan. I seldom have much to say about drummers, but I was dazzled by this display: rock solid and stable beats, singular grooves of deadened snare and toms or smashing cymbals. All the time with precision and delicacy and refreshing, committed fills. I heard this as a master class in rock drumming. BOB features Ben Hauptmann (guitar) with Julian Banks (tenor), Damien Slingsby (keys) and Evan Mannell (drums).

Last was Mr Fibby. I’d heard tell of the band, so I was interested to have a listen. How clever was this, and how different? Classically-trained instrumentals accompanying zany story telling with an Eastern European accent. I’m sure I caught some Bach amongst the Gypsy instrumentals. I certainly enjoyed the story-book references to ANU V-C Ian Young for his current threat to the School of Music. (He was not a welcome man at this event!) These were contorted and somewhat improvised stories with dreamy logic and fairy tale characters. And tones of violin, cello and acoustic guitar that were played with real skills and panache, despite the none-too-classically-perfect environment. This was serious theatrical fun with great wit and serious fine-music skills. Highly recommended. Mr Fibby are Zavi (aka Sam King, guitar), Rusalka Seraphina (aka Emma Jasmine Kelly, violin), Borracio (aka Spike Thompson, cello) and No Important (aka Adam Hadley, story teller).

Open letter to Senator the Hon Bob Carr, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

Minister Bob Carr

I write to you about the international impact of changes to the ANU School of Music.

It’s not often that changes at a music school will have international effects, but I think this one does. By its presence in Canberra, the ANU School of Music provides excellent staff and students to the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Duntroon band, events at Parliament House, Government House, the Lodge and at embassies, as well as supporting a range of local musical events and communities.

The proposed changes at the School of Music would remove numerous staff and downgrade the nature and quality of training. The result is that ANU would no longer attract students seeking performance excellence.

The essence of Canberra has long been its vibrant intellectual and cultural life, as well as its role as the centre of government. Canberra represents modern, intelligent, urban Australia as its national capital. It provides a contemporary alternative to Australia’s international stereotypes.

On the eve of Canberra’s centenary, and while all governments promote innovation and creativity as the basis of wealth in the new Century, will Canberra revert to culture-starved and orchestra-free Country Town status? Choices like this determine whether Australia’s reputation is as a vibrant, modern, creative country … or as a sheep dip and coal mine.

Please consider the implications of a culturally diminished national capital for Australia’s international reputation and its immediate reputation with the diplomatic community.

Eric Pozza
CanberraJazz.net
9 May 2012

cc Hon Simon Crean, MP, Minister for the Arts
cc Senator the Hon George Brandis, Shadow Minister for the Arts
cc Mr Gary Rake, Chief Executive, National Capital Authority

Prog folk folk 1

It was called FrogFest (from Folk and Prog[ressive]) and it caught my attention because Ben Hauptmann was playing with one of his bands, BOB. It’s an indie scene, so quite a change for CJ, but I’ve been dropping in to this scene a little recently and I find it intellectually satisfying even if the musical skills are not always to the level of jazz. But the best of it is intelligent and witty and does have impressive musical skills. It’s also a scene I enjoy: down to earth, diversely aged, welcoming and cheerful in a calm and slightly distant pubby way. And best of all, the women drink beer. It all happened at the White Eagle Club so the beer was Polish and the hall was nicely bedraggled but with a decent PA. All nice.

We caught three bands. The first was Cracked Actor. This is a guitar quartet with front line singer sounding to my ears in the style of Nirvana. Their songwriting wasn’t as memorable, but who can match it with Nirvana for a good hook? I heard it more as punk than folk, but definitions are pretty malleable in any modern scene. There were lots of rock beats and four to the floor bass lines and guitar chords in this music. I liked the singer’s voice but I wondered how anyone could play a bass slung so low. I felt uncomfortable with the overt intensity, but then I couldn’t catch the lyrics so maybe they were justified. Checking online, they are a Triple-J unearthed band in the style of squarepusher, Portishead and Radiohead. Cracked Actor are Sebastian Field (vocals, guitar), Nick Delatovic (bass), Jordan Rodgers (guitar) and Spike Thompson (drums).

More to come with BOB featuring Ben Hauptman and Mr Fibby…

Open letter to Katy Gallagher, MLA, Chief Minister of the ACT

Ms Gallagher

I write about the possible changes at the ANU School of Music. I’m sure you are aware of the changes that have been proposed. You may also be aware of the ardent campaign that is now running in the the community. The ANU is a national institution, and so is not under your control. However, I wish to highlight to you the dangers for the ACT of these changes. They don’t just change the situation at one university. They change the whole ACT community. Essentially, the remnants of the School of Music will no longer draw aspiring musicians to Canberra to study. The results of this are devastating to the culture and damaging to the people and business of Canberra. I borrow from Jenna Cave, ex-graduate and now a professional composer:

“Without the school of music functioning as a training ground for quality musicians and retaining its world class instrument tutors, the hub of music making in your town will be gone. There will be no Canberra Symphony Orchestra. There will be no inspired young music students and graduates to teach your children. There will be no one to play jazz at bars around town. There will be no string quarters or jazz bands for your weddings. And most importantly, there will be nowhere to inspire your children to imagine that they could one day study to become an amazing musician.”

I love Canberra for its intellectual and cultural scene which is beyond expectation for a city of this size. But now I picture an enfeebled culture. All Jenna’s predictions above, plus … Community groups, choirs, Canberra Concerto Orchestra, UC College of Music, Duntroon starved of musicians. Clubs and bars and tea rooms without talented and committed artists, with implications for business. Even embassies and national institutions starved of performers. What of Australia’s reputation with an orchestra-free capital? And what of Canberra’s reputation within Australia?

On the eve of our centenary, at the very time we are celebrating Canberra 100, will Canberra revert to culture-starved and orchestra-free Country Town status, that status we for which we are perpetually mocked?

Canberra is far better than this. I implore you to work with ANU V-C Ian Young to find a way to save this essential institution.

Eric Pozza
CanberraJazz.net

7 May 2012

Attachment: Open letter to ANU Vice-Chancellor Ian Young

cc. Joy Burch, MLA, ACT Minister for the Arts
cc. Caroline Le Couteur, MLA, ACT Greens spokesperson on the Arts
cc. Vicki Dunne, MLA, ACT Shadow Arts Minister
cc. Robyn Archer, Creative Director, Centenary of Canberra

Comping to clinking and clacking

There’s a regular migration to Hippo after the ANU Band Room gigs and I joined in this time. Andy Campbell was back from Sydney to play with Mark Sutton and a visiting Sydney bassist, Dave Groves. In the end, Matt Handel sat in on tenor sax. This is a chatty and clinking cocktail bar with clacking high heels so the jazz is partly ignored but also energetic and imposing. I only recognised Body and soul. If they were reading Andy’s originals, then I was impressed by the reading and the writing. I was there to catch Dave’s bass playing, and it was impressive. Good solid grooves with Mark but most interesting were his solos that were voiced in a sax-like idiom: fast and nicely fluid with call and response melodies and sequences and easy playing up into thumb positions. The others were no slouches of course. I was impressed by Andy’s increasingly identifiable musical personality, Matt is always a pleasure (even if I think I still prefer his alto) and Mark is just an established local master. Very nice and energetic playing all round. But as I write this, I’m thinking of the changes at the ANU School of Music. What did the Jazz school ever do for us? Well … this and more. Andy Campbell (guitar) led a quartet at Hippo with Matt Handel (tenor), Dave Groves (bass) and Mark Sutton (drums).

New York state of mind

Keith said to me it that Miles O’Connell’s music might have been recorded by Blue Note is it had a trumpet. I located it somewhere in the ‘70s, but maybe that’s just because that’s when I started listening to jazz. But it’s music you might hear today in the clubs in New York. I know that Miles was listening to at least some of this music when he was recently in NYC. He played one track from Kurt Rosenwinkel, who he’d caught several times, and who is a major influence for many current jazz students. Miles had told me that most of what he was playing was original and it was written during or after his NYC sojourn. So this is also where it’s at now; a modern style that’s spanning the decades. I hear it as busy grooves from bass and drums, slower melodies that float over chords that change slowly, perhaps every two or four bars, still the head/solos/head structure, and all players having a solo role, and usually a plangent tenor out front with guitar or piano accompaniment. But I guess that’s modern jazz in its major guise.

Miles did it well, both musically and in presentation. There was some nervousness, and the second set sat more comfortably than the first, even though Miles had told me that was the harder set. They’d settled by then. I appreciated Miles’ tone better, then. It was not so much forceful as sinuous, although hardening when emotions called for it. These were nicely developed solos with sparser starts and developing flourishes presented with an edgy distance that befits jazz seriousness. But there was also a nod to performance. I really liked the professionalism of the band introductions at the outro over an obviously planned, funky riff. Nice one! Also the way tunes merged with intervening solos and the way Miles maintained the flow by only speaking occasionally. Daniel fitted this image to a tee. He’s a performer with considerable presence, but also a developing rabid guitarist. His tone here was distorted but not sustained and it nicely displayed some intriguingly jagged lines. Max stated harmonies and pushed the groove and soloed comfortably. I particularly liked a solo intro in the second set that highlighted the tone of the Velvet strings, but I enjoyed his presence too. He’s an openhearted and involved player and a pleasure to watch and presumably to play with. Luke was steady and calm and slightly distant and that seemed apt when Miles noted he’d returned from a recent outing as a rock god. Andy sat in for just one tune that had him punching heavy quarter note block chords each side of a sweeter solo. Mostly the tunes were originals written during or after Miles’ NYC sojourn, but there was also Rosenwinkel and Radiohead, the intelligent pop choice of this generation. In all, an interesting and convincing concert with and some very decent modern jazz writing. Miles O’Connell (tenor sax) led a quartet with Daniel Kim (guitar), Max Alduca (bass) and Luke Keanan-Brown (drums). Andy Butler (piano) sat in for one tune.