SO2017-2

I was interested to hear the next outfit, RHRR Trio out of France, a formed band rather than a meeting of performers without a shared history. RHRR are Frederick, Guylaine and Xavier, piano, vocals and clarinet. Things got seriously interesting here. This was a meeting of minds with history and that history was evident, in their responsiveness, ease, purpose, those things that develop with time together. Various piano preparations, playing under the lid, bow hair drawn across strings for drones, various implements tapping or otherwise expanding sound, later some playing on the keys, sparse and open and with ill-defined time, plinks and bells ringing in the air. At the centre, a voice of unearthly quality and inventiveness. This was really the centre for me: voice is so central to our humanity, so much a product of our core. And what voice! Unearthly, yes, with whistles and squeaks, impossible sounds to imagine from a voice, but here they were. But then animal sounds, sounds of the wilderness, like listening with open ears in a primitive environ for a first time. Approaching, retracting, mobility and movement: very expressive in body and movement, often closed fists or swaying to and from the mic with closed eyes, every movement spelling the sound. Some meaningless words, too, pleading, although language-like voice is a rarity here. And Xavier on clarinet, responding, filling, mobile too, arcs as clarinet sweeps upward, providing structure and conversation. I was hugely taken by Guylaine with her intriguing and virtuosic vocalisations, but the whole ensemble was a gem. RHRR Trio are Frederick Blondy (piano), Guylaine Cosseron (vocals) and Xavier Charles (clarinet) out of France.

Solo bass up next, from Norwegian Christian M Svendsen. Throughout, his bass playing was strong, unrelenting, physical, visual, using feet and hands and up to three bows. This performance was not different. An unyielding German bow bouncing quavers at 190bpm for about twenty minutes varying in intensity, volume, changing tone through overtones despite little movement of the left hand, a foot to stop a string for one bow while the other hand bows otherwise, another bow played from the mouth. Strange but still those unrelenting quavers at 190bpm. One bow in a back pocket, taking the bass for a walk around that Drill Hall Gallery corridor just built for this purpose, audience listening to reflections from than coffered ceiling, more distant and muffled, then a return to the stage, then polyrhythms played by two bouncing bows, perhaps 5 over four. Still, after 20 mins, those incessant quavers at 190bpm. A feat of commitment, application, strength. Is this painful? Maybe. It's certainly memorable.

Christian M Svendsen (bass) played a solo set.

SO2017-1

SoundOut 2017 is the eight incarnation of this most intriguing and challenging festival. Every year I contest my ideas over this abandon, this questioning of musical verities, this search for sound, noise, art from standard instruments (they mostly use standard instruments), this abandon on all manner of traditional musical verities (they seldom play standard techniques). It's an intimate festival and considerably international. I spoke to one performer who was touring, asking about her experiences with performing, to small clubs on tour, of the chance of performing around a more dense continent like Europe. But even there this remains a form for a small group of initiates or searchers. Despite the traditional instruments, it's not too often that traditional techniques are used, so you may form an opinion that these players can't play straight. It's true for some. I once asked a player about her performance on piano. In discussion, it turned out she didn't know how to play an Eb scale. Nonetheless, I'd been mightily impressed by her set. But that's not the case for all. I heard some warmups this time that were straight ahead jazz or classical styled and played with great skill. And Brazilian bassist Luiz who stayed with me for the weekend was advising me on how to play bossa. Bossa! That's as sweet as it comes.

First up was a string quintet of three (!) basses, violin and cello. Bass playing with feet, hands, taps, bow(s), staccato, notes, short snaps, whooshing of air over bows, bow woods on strings or timber, metal winding scraping strings. Cellist Freya pulled it together with some traditional techniques, slow clear notes forming atonal melody of long intervals, double stops, minor seconds with lovely bowed tone. Others found harmonies, then into experimental techniques again, drones, high harmonics, some vocalisation (whistles this time). Cello uses pencils between strings (a common technique) and non-trad techniques with bow. Squeaks of skin dragged over varnish, tappings, slaps, again a climax. Form and movement is evident here. I asked Luiz about starting strongly or tentatively. He consider that it's respectful to enter gently with players you don't know or haven't played with before, to listen better and not to hog the scene. But then the alternative of driving, determinative start can also work. Continuing, some excellent pizz from Norwegian bassist Christian although with strings pulled off the fingerboard for a deadened and edged sound. More form, start low-grow, reduce-deduce, rise-surprise. Loud again, intense, cello again spelling notes that define melody if little rhythm. This music is not a thing of groove: it sets and meditates and sits in time rather than states it. Presumably nothing is dissallowed, even trad techniques, but it's uncommon. People drop out, complete, applause and smiles. Starts and ends are often somewhat indecisive (reminds me of my penchant for getting in the final notes on bass).

Such was the first set, a string quintet comprising Christian M Svendsen, Luiz Gabriel Gubeissi and Ben Drury (basses), Irene Kepl (violin) and Freya Shack-Arnott (cello).

Musing

Mike and Richard are currently playing fortnightly on Friday nights at Muse Restaurant in the East Hotel, Kingston, so I took the opportunity to visit and sit in for a few tunes. Luiz, one bassist at this weekend's SoundOut Festival, was staying with me so they got 2 bassists for the price of none ($0). But it was fun. I played some jazzers and perhaps one bossa. Luiz played bossas and one or two jazzers. Luiz is Brazilian born and raised so this was interesting. I got some hints on playing bossa more true-to-style (less driving, more relaxed, play the anticipation, perhaps meaning less samba) and all round the outing was a pleasure. Strange to see Luiz, who I know as an experimental player, performing bossa, but then he is Brazilian. Nice. Interesting also to play jazz without amplification. Hard work.

Mike Dooley (piano) and Richard Manderson (saxes) play fortnightly as Aloft at Muse Restaurant. Luiz Gubeissi and Eric Pozza (basses) sat in.

Physhy

No set list required. Pensive Phish were in their F3 incarnation, meaning three players: Mark, Miro and James. No set list because no key, no changes, no whatever - at least nothing preplanned - other than perhaps some starter drum grooves or crying babies and others (yes, a strange start for one tune). But these are such good players that even when they amused themselves with their indulgences, they were still playing fabulous grooves and wildly delirious tones and the rest. James joked that he had 3 loops going at one time and he had to turn off the effects to stop the last. And what effects! Some obvious ones, if neatly melded with the rest, and some unhinged ones, synths or ring modulators. And with James' rock solid funky feels and lithe fills and the rest. Then Miro with just his one pedal, a wonderfully effective harmoniser, but also percussion and a few mutes (not least the Miles mute, Harmon with no stem), playing some fabulous improvs, moving through harmonies, wistful or determined. And the electronics from Mark: a laptop with a trigger pad and a Mopho x4 synth and feeds from James and Miro and a mic. All mixed and merged and mangled as base and expansion. All fabulous, intriguing, meditative or deeply grooving, playful (always both playful and serious) and entrancing and enveloping. I rocked along with deep grooves and followed solos with appreciation and mischievous tones and tunes with awe and a few smiles. Great stuff and worthy of a few chuckles from the players after given the exhilarating audacity or it all.

Pensive Phish F3 are Mark Webber (laptop, synth), Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, percussion) and James Luke (bass, effects). They played at Smiths.

Brasil

Ah, la Música Brasileira. What a great pleasure it is, for the senses and the intellect, for the whole body. Al Kerr was in town with his band Panorama Brasil and with Alda Rezende up front. Alda is Brazilian, chanteuse, trained in music and journalism, once a newsreader and still a musician. There's a deep, earthy voice, lively with energy, touching with emotion, at least in Portuguese. She amusingly commented that lyrics are always romantic in Portuguese, sometimes cheesy in English. Not wrong. I have wondered how does the love song, that often inane lyric, work? But it does. Three sets, one for the seated, tender, songs of the locality, songs for listening, considering, but it didn't take long in the second set for the dancers to pop up - very quickly, I noticed - a pair, then another pair, then a dance floor, then rhythms infecting the bodies, then through to a final set of sambas and occasional solos and intense grooves and almost delirious joy and movement. This was a sponsored gig, by the Embassy and others, and the ambassador was there, but relaxed with the atmosphere. At the White Eagle, with its staid tables but that red velvet surrounding an enveloping black stage with lighting and band and decent sound. All inviting to the excitement of the event. I didn't catch names of tunes, they were mostly in Portuguese and many were local or lesser-known. But there was also Jobim and a series of Afro-Samba and later some of the standards of Brazilian jazz: Desafinado was one amongst several. Alda commented on the authenticity of the band. You could feel it. Al with some unique rhythms, often deadened snare, sometimes with some percussion in one hand, or joined by Asha with other small percussion when she wasn't playing flute. The flute defined many tunes, melodies or starts and ends, several unisons with piano or bass. She played two flutes, a concert flute and a longer, deeper alto (?). Bass was electric, 5-string, wonderfully solid toned, sometimes sharper, sometimes slapped, rhythmically flexible but always firmly in the pocket and setting the changes. Very nice. And Matt on piano, reading a good bit, colouring with lots of subtle and pretty jazz chords, rich with extensions and harmonies, quite a few solos and always part of a very together band. This band was very together and enjoying it. Tight and pleasurable and rhythmic - the essence of Brazil. Satisfying in so many ways; great night.

Panorama Brasil comprised Alastair Kerr (drums, percussion, musical director), Asha Henfry (flute, percussion), Matt Boden (piano), Jorge Albuquerque (bass) with special guest Alza Rezende (vocals).

Farewell Cam

It was Australia Day and maybe we shouldn't have been at a band having a good time, on a hot day, being Indigenous aware as we are. There's politics here, just ask cantankerous, reactionary ole Barnaby J, but Cam Smith was having his last gig with Brass Knuckle Brass Band before he returned to his place of origin, Qld, and I wanted to say goodbye. It was at Smiths, outside, hot, shaded for some, decently loud, delightfully cosmopolitan, tats or business shirts, all manner, and beers, coffees and a general jovial good will. It's a pleasantly diverse collection that gathers at Smiths (thanks to Nigel and Beth for such a nice venue) and a joyous and welcoming atmosphere and the band was nothing less than chugging and noisily inviting. Good and tight; perfect for dancing; drums and percussion; charts for harmonies of horns; that lovely lumbering and enveloping sousaphone bass and all so nicely played. Some march tunes with New Orleans references, some two feels and pop tunes arranged for the band. I recognised the pop as Careless whisper (with help), Sweet dreams, Sexual healing. That was just the first set. How much fun is this, rollicking and joyous, musically capable and an irresistible invitation to dance. Was Trump right about art being just for entertainment? He was wrong about that (there's lots he's not right about) but sometimes it can be for fun and this was and it was a great outing. I guess the BNBB will continue, but farewell Cam, thanks for so much local music and, thinking back, for your help with a few festivals. Congrats also to Xavier Kim for the piano interlude before the gig.

Brass Knuckle Brass Band played a farewell gig for Cameron Smith (trumpet). If I have all the names, right, the rest of the band is Tim Bowyer (trumpet), Michael Bailey and Josh Hart (trombones), David Abkiewicz (sousaphone), Nathan Sciberras (baritone sax), Josh Buckler (tenor sax), Steve Fitzgerald (drums) and Damon Counahan (percussion). Xavier Kim (piano) preceded.

Images and formulas

Hannah James's back in town - it's been a while. There was a last minute hitch and a change of band, but nothing lost (the original band, Energetic Zen Quartet, will be at Smiths in Feb). This was still Hannah with Casey Golden, but in a drummerless trio with Eamon Dilworth. They've all played together in various incarnations over the years and here they've coalesced into this unusual format. They are all such impressive players, all competent, all setting and holding rhythms independently, so drums are a luxury but not necessary. The tunes were written by Hannah, with just two from Eamon, and they were substantial pieces: lengthy, intricate with varied parts, telling stories that were sometimes very obviously closely felt and listened. Slip, Number one, Last letter and Portrait; Snowfall, Three different kinds of light. These were all from Hannah, pensive, careful tunes, sometimes obviously deeply felt, observant. Three different kinds described the thoughts of a poet, and clearly spelt out, as music can spell out light. They were all deliciously developed by Eamon on trumpet or flugelhorn or Hannah herself with a few solos or very inventively by Casey on a real upright piano, even if the tuning was problematic. And Eamon's two tunes. Hannah invited Eamon to introduce them and we got a decent intro to Havelock Gardens (modelled after the Fibonacci sequence and music theorist Greg Sheehan who he'd spoken with in Singapore, presumably the location of the gardens). We didn't get an answer on his other tune (what did The hiding signify? Hiding as in hide and seek, or, hiding as in spanking) so Hannah had to play that tune uninformed. These tunes were a little more driven, especially Havelock Gardens with an odd melody, I think spelling 1,1,2,3,5,8. At least the solos were in a more usual time (in 6/8 if I remember correctly). The concert was all open and clear and nicely spelt out with deliciously capable playing. A lesson in jazz richness for some musos arriving for the next set. Wonderful. And we have another opportunity with Hannah and Casey back in late Feb with their Energetic Zen band, this time with drums.

James Golden Dilworth was Hannah James (bass), Casey Golden (piano) and Eamon Dilworth (trumpet, flugelhorn) and they played at Smiths.

Collectives

A contagion of basses sounds about right. Whoever arrives at the weekly OCI jam session is a matter of conjecture. This week it was 4 (four!) bassists, along with 2xdrums and one each of guitar, trom, vocals. I got one tune - fair enough given some dithering over a beer. On the other hand, it was particularly interesting to hear so many bassists in one outing. The bass sound was not so big and fat this night: more edgy and toppy, sharing an amp with the piano, but fun nonetheless. I played Recordame, and others did various songs with Rachel Thorne (a great local singer) and Stella and Blue bossa and others. The imports were Sam Dobson, ex-Sydney Con playing with Geoff Bull, Cope Street Parade and others: nicely relaxed, easy-going, on top of the charts. Paddy Fitzgerald, student at Monash, nicely intoned thumb positions and good choppy solos, playing with fellow student guitarist Harry Tinney. And the locals: Alec Coulson with a nice take on Blue bossa and me, on Recordame. Moving Paths had turned up, too (including Max, bassist #5) but too early to jam; they left to play Hippo. The band this night was Ben, Hugh and Steve.

The Old Canberra Inn jam session was hosted this week by Ben O'Loghlin (bass), Hugh Barrett (piano) and Steve Richards (drums). Sit-ins included Sam Bolton, Alec Coulson, Paddy Fitzgerald and Eric Pozza (basses), Harry Tinny (guitar), Mark Levers (drums) and Rachel Thorne (vocals).