goin' ahead

favourite tune time again on the indulgent blog thing
today spent working in an environment that is on the wane
a warehouse full of cds waiting to be shipped out
the old way of delivering music - i.e. packaged
the presentation and artwork given due diligence
a means to encompass a set of tunes in a tangible manner
in this case row upon row of cds from the eclectic ecm label
a german record label of exquisite music of the jazz genre
home at some point at least to the finest musicians known to man
not the least being supreme american jazz guitarist pat metheny
an introduction to this man's music in itself a memorable event
a good friend in the 1980's turning my ears away from 80's new age
and an awakening to the world of musical possibilities beyond that
an album by pat metheny titled 80/81 then and now still on high rotation
if push comes to shove and there's only one album on the desert island
then this would probably be it - but ideally there's 3 i would prefer
80/81 to these ears is that which is easily felt but hard to explain
a collection of tunes of richness, emotion and the highest standard
dewey redman on a beautiful, sumptuous, deep and enticing sax
jack de johnette playing drums and percussion so expressively
charlie haden on double bass and as required anchoring things
michael brecker (rip) providing alernative standout sax sounds
pat metheny himself joining in with a beautiful acoustic guitar
or...on just one track playing solo and nailing it perfectly
goin' ahead - a 3-4 minute solo guitar tune of total bliss
i reckon i've listened to this track alone many hundreds of times
mostly with headphones on while walking the streets of big cities
an anchor point in a life with not too many of those at all
a reminder that it really is simple pleasures that mean the most
or that 3 minutes of exquisite music can enduce serious mood swings
in this case most likely to calm things down significantly
and on the not too rare occasion bring on a tear or two
a bit weird really that one can be so moved by the familiar
but that's the power of music inside this head at times
a search on youtube reveals various other fans of this tune
mostly less accomplished guitarists playing it very capably
i'm not even sure of the technical difficulty of the tune
a simple start and end surrounding some quite incredible playing
the clip below in fact is just a single appropriate photograph
suggesting the beginning to - or continuation of - a journey
you know - life stuff - that which we are all on
in my case accompanied by some essential music
this one goin' with me the full distance

frozen river

i have to admit i think i missed the plot on this one
lots of very positive reviews, academy award nominations
best film at the sundance film festival and so on
the flier suggesting fargo meets a simple plan
but mainly because it is set in a frozen environment
in this case the border between the u s and canada
the main character a woman by the name of ray eddy
recently abandoned by her gambling-addicted husband
she has 2 sons to raise, a part-time job and a new house to buy
that house in the form of a detachable delivered on a truck
trouble is husband has nicked off with the cash
and so she is left with the need to get the money together
through a series of events she meets a local mohawk indian woman
they form an alliance involving people smuggling across the border
driving across the frozen river between canada and the u s
with chinese, pakistanis and other desperates in the boot (trunk)
this earns her quite good money and solves a few problems
but of course creates a few along the way leading to her arrest
that's about it really - the plot as bleak as the setting
usually i enjoy an exposure to a life story with a difference
but this one just left me ah cold with a lack of connection
there's admittedly some fine acting from melissa leo in the lead role
but the rest of them were as stiff as boards and very one dimensional
not a laugh or a smile or any character forming of any kind at all
which presumably is the point - this is a harsh environment they live in
maybe the male in me was not receptive to the main theme
that women are resourceful, adaptable and determined
especially when it comes to providing for their children
ray eddy's companion in crime also a mother in despair
her young child effectively stolen by her own mother
motherly instincts in the 2 leads brought out by a sad story
when one of their illegal passengers also smuggles a baby
but is unknowingly dumped on the frozen river to ease the load
dies and is brought back to life when cradled by the mohawk lady
all just a bit of a stretch of the imagination for this crusty cynic
the film wraps up with a kind of happy ever after ending
but still not a smile, laugh or any joy to be seen
which in the end i think i found kind of depressing
again - maybe the whole point of this tale of woe
had me wandering out into the night feeling ok though
any personal problems paling into insignificance
compared to what this lot have to put up with
and maybe that is the point - but i think not
searching around post viewing for other opinions
almost universal rave reviews from the experts and others
yep - definitely missed something with this film
putting it down to a reluctance to empathise
or a lack of understanding of women's resolve
or something - oh well - nevermind
an occasional dud is not a bad thing

the reader

apparently kate winslet is shooting for an oscar with this one
it's had some rave reviews mostly centred around her performance
she plays the part of hannah a loner lady living in post-war germany
the film opens in 1958 with her working as a 36 year old tram conductor
she meets a sick 15 year old boy, helps, befriends, seduces and corrupts him
they have a torrid affair over summer before she mysteriously disappears
leaving him to suffer the loss of his first love that he never gets over
he then goes to university to study law and tries to move on
but 8 years after their time together he is witness to her in court
she had not disclosed it to him but she spent time as a prison guard
significantly at the auschwitz concentration camp so is on trial
unfortunately for her they need a scapegoat and her naivety sets her up
leading to her imprisonment for 20 years for her tacit support of the ss
this film is based on a very popular book in germany of the same name
somehow i think they would not rate this english film so highly
i'm sure it is true to the story but it's just so...english
it may be because of my interest in 'real' foreign films
but i find it unrealistic when language for one is substituted
so that all dialogue in the film is conducted in english
which is like buying mcdonalds and complaining it is not organic
but wait there's more - favourite bug-bear time again
in the film kate winslet's character ages about 30 years
going from an attractive middle aged woman pre prison time
and ending her sentence looking much older and wizened
an excellent job by the makeup people to depict the wasted years
but fairly blatantly a different technique is used for the main man
in the first part of the film one actor plays her teenage lover
then ralph feinnes steps in to play this person as an older man
which for me has the effect of further alienting me
particularly annoying in the scenes where they finally re-unite
for one i am looking at kate winslet and distracted by the makeup job
but then i find myself looking at ralph feinnes and similarly distracted
having to tell myself that he in fact is the same person seen earlier
that what he says and does is based on a character already developed
i find this a weakness and something i should not have to do
this flaw last seen in love in the time of cholera
same deal - woman - one actor and aged - bloke - too hard
which just adds to the impression of the point of this film
this is kate winslet's big shot at getting an academy award
she really lays it on admittedly quite impressively throughout
in the early scenes she strips bare and is a convincing seducer
then in the court scenes she plays the victim role just as well
leading to the final prison scenes with the unexpected twist
but apart from her performance i found this film unfulfilling
just too many shortcuts, inconsistencies and other confusion
e.g. a final scene set in new york which seemed excessive
presumably there to provide completeness as in the book
unfortunately for me i got into a mode of uneasiness
and so probably missed a lot of what this film was about
love, loyalty, absence, guilt, endurance all explored here
but just not coming through in such a natural way for me
as i write this i heard that kate did get her academy award
so cynically i would say mission accomplished...

klumpes ahmad

klumpes being the one known as adrian ex triosk and now 3ofmillions
ahmad being previously neither heard nor seen noise-maker shoab ahmad
adrian klumpes came into my musical radar about 5 years ago
saw him playing as one third of triosk at the wangaratta jazz festival
an unforgettable performance by that band that lead to many more
sadly for some as yet unknown reason the band is no longer after 3 strong albums
but adrian klumpes has not stood still and continues to record and perform
there's an excellent solo album and a debut from latest venture 3ofmillions
so it was with some surprise that i learned another album has been created
this one in partnership with shoab ahmad and being launched on this day
at a late afternoon concert in the stone gallery - the paddington methodist church
i had the pleasure of seeing the alister spence trio perform there in 2007
a special ambience in this venue with it's sandstone walls and high ceilings
appropriately today alister spence is doing the opening set in solo mode
he plays a set of tunes demonstrating his quite superb musical talents
adrian klumpes is also exceptionally talented in 2 quite diverse skills
first and foremost he is a master pianist with an impressive fluid style
secondly he has a command of electronica that he also uses to great effect
to his right a bank of gadgets, switches and knobs laid out on a stand
there's also an effects pedal (wah-wah?) and shakers, etc at hand
his hands constantly moving between the keyboards and this gear
each twist of a knob, flick of a switch or pressing of a pedal a subtle change
mostly an indiscernable difference in the immediate generated sound
but there's some wicked sounds coming out - all very organic sounding
this i suspect because of the choice of analogue and acoustic equipment
meanwhile musical partner shoab ahmer is similarly cranking it out
wired up through his own p.a. and doing unorthodox things with an electric guitar
laid on a table while he goes to work on the strings and also on a mac laptop
there's metal cylinders being rolled on the strings and drumsticks tapping them
so between the 2 of them there's potential for a real racket to be made
but it's somehow held in check so that instead it's very accessible
a case of not getting too caught up in the technicalities of it all
but rather acknowledge that the sound is actually warm and even melodic
the piano sound a constant amongst the fuzz, echoes, loops and monotones
one impressive trick being the live recording of a shaker or similar
then some time later that sound coming back on a looped playback
it occurred to me that this must all be quite difficult to control
in a studio situation it would be one track at a time recording and mixing
but no such luxury here - this is a very live hands-on production
the end of the first piece and adrian tells us it's all improvised
and then off we go again - piano playing the underlying component
over in the guitar department and it's now being held conventionally
still an assortment of noises being generated and warped beyond recognition
but the same feeling - organic electronica sounds like a good term
a shorter tune this time followed by very hearty applause
a number of people coming forward to learn all about it
me - had a chat to a very proud mother of mr klumpes
she happy to pass on a few stories about her son
at the age of 15 he had mastered classical piano
then someone introduced him to jazz music
and the rest as they say is history
this man is going places i reckon
mind-boggling music - really

wanderlust

part 2 of a run of blue-chip bands playing this weekend at the sound lounge
last night it was the much-loved ten part invention laying it on
tonight miroslav bukovsky and james greening are back on stage
but significantly in this case at front of stage with the six part wanderlust
understandably a completely different sound with jeremy sawkins on guitar
steve elphick also puts in a repeat performance guesting on double bass
fabian hevia assuming his usual position at rear on drums and percussion
and way over there stage left is alister spence in charge of the yamaha c7 piano
a typically quiet and gentle start with him doing a solo piano piece
then one by one the others come in also quite tentatively and gently
it's a classic warm-up number allowing them to check and synchronise
another case i suspect of rehearsal time being nil or very limited
this confirmed by the friendly embraces exchanged between members pre-set
and so it's the decades of performances that provides the foundation
some reassuring glances, nods and smiles indicating this will be good
miroslav bukovsky is the driving force of this band and does mc duties
james greening also in his usual master of comedian role with his quick wit
so everything is in place for the band to crank into it and excel once again
my feeling is that the outstanding component here is the songwriting
tunes that all have a unique edge to them and true to the band's name
dakar, samba nova, mumbo jumbo amongst the stunning tunes played tonight
the band name very aptly describing the music that they play so convincingly
always a sense of travelling, distance, foreign places invoked when they play
so easy to give into the music and go with them on the journey for an hour or 2
a wonderful hybrid of music with jazz, world and even rock (guitar) intersecting
and as a bonus alister spence on piano adding a lovely melodic component
as for last night's performance it's the sense of control that dominates
in this case bass-player and drummer a constant in every tune
allowing the 4 chaps up front to come and go with ease
piano, trumpet, trombone and guitar solos all taken and played brilliantly
then on the occasions when they are all at it there's impressive harmonies
a highlight in dakar being trombone and guitar sounding as one
if there was one standout musician tonight then jeremy sawkins did it
every time i have seem him with this band he has contributed faultlessly
but tonight he went up a notch or 2 in intensity and inventiveness
his left-handed chord-based effects-driven guitar-playing superb
bringing to mind more than ever pat metheny at his fastest and best
sounds meshing so well with the music coming from his peers
and significantly applause, whoops and large smiles also from them
which pretty well summed up the whole nights performance
you know you're onto a good thing when the band is enjoying it
this band has 6 members of equal and individual skills
each one of them clearly with respect for each other
as evidenced by the after-show embraces and handshakes
me - just so happy to be there and now re-charged (again)

ten part invention

for about the 3rd or 4th or 5th time in the last year or so
but like a few other bands, events and occasions in this life
not to be missed unless physically impossible to be there
tonight it's back to the sound lounge for part 1 of a stellar weekend
the last one was 2 nights of incredible new-to-these-ears music
this one sees live on stage 2 acts now seen with commitment
but true to life tonight's first lesson is don't assume anything
walking in well early to secure a good seat and sound-check is on
but uh-oh no john pochee on drums and a young dave goodman instead
and to add to the concerns is dale barlow tuning up not bob bertles
musically not a problem - comically is the main concern
for it is mr pochee that leads this group especially as m c
as the music starts such concerns dissipate with the familiar
the constant 8 of the 10 part group all in familiar territory and into it
tossing the musical ball around as they all take a lead at some point
at the end of this tune ken james steps forward and assumes mc role
announces the tune as their usual warm-up set and does the welcomes
he also has a fine sense of humour so it's best wishes for john pochee and on with it
this band is carrying forward the legacy of deceased pianist roger frampton
a couple of his pieces - jazznost and the longest journey played in sequence
both composed during a tour of eastern europe so the mood to match
every time i see 10 part invention i am in awe of their connection
i believe that they do not (can not) rehearse their material endlessly
but after 20 years of playing there must be a sense of understanding
allowing familiar pieces to be played with known reference points
but all around that all sorts of different things happen with each play of each tune
tonight there's the need to count in or otherwise assist the new chaps in the band
dale barlow hardly needs any tuition but it's him that gets the most assistance
dave goodman on the drums mostly playing as though he's been there from day 1
then there is the manner in which solos are given, taken and absorbed
james greening on trombone in particular fine musical and comical form tonight
he gets to solo in one tune leading eventually to all other players stopping
his playing also winding down to an almost whisper/talk from his instrument
but at the same time the tune is hanging in the air waiting for resurrection
and sure enough at some magically appointed moment the band kicks in again
a rousing return to the tune with loud and enthusiastic applause to match
bringing to mind that this band is tight with control but loose with delivery
loose allowing the freedom for individual players to be as into it as they want
tight meaning the music never gets lost or wanders off into improvisation
every tune thoroughly composed and requiring regular reference to sheet music
sandy evans and miroslav bukovsky again referenced as the main composers
she in her usual excellent form on tenor sax, he giving all on trumpet or flugglehorn
in typical don't-assume-anything style though another surprise at the end
blues for clanceye has always been the big closer and a favourite tune of mine
but not tonight - they have decided to haul out another piece new to these ears
ken james introduces the tune written by miroslav bukovsky in 1988
after witnessing the tall ships in the bi-centennial celebrations
coming up sydney harbour adorned with coke sponsorship
and so it is that welcome to captain coke is introduced and then played
2 members of the band featured playing drumsticks in aboriginal style
and then dale barlow on his baritone sax using circular breathing to great effect
invoking a rich deep sound in a very reverential manner like the sound of a didgeridoo
the rest of the band then joining in to play a very sombre but moving piece of music
leaving no doubt as to the intent of the tune as a reminder of an event 200 years ago
piano, double bass and brass all used most effectively to add to the mood
and then an ending to match the beginning with the didgeridoo sax sound
back with the sticks and then a few moments of absolute silence
a stunned audience before wild applause breaks out for the band
sigh...another performance by ten part invention over
but there's a couple coming up in april
featuring one andrea keller
aria-award winning pianist
...and the band plays on

milk

there's some big things going for this latest sean penn film
apart from him in the starring role gus van sant is directing
it's had almost unanimous rave reviews - penn's best film, etc
and is based on a true story about american politician harvey milk
he being the first homosexual to reach high office in the u s of a
high office in this case being a city administrator in san francisco
this happened in the mid 1970's so this film is a kind of period piece
centered on the events leading up to the murder of harvey milk in 1978
the film opens with harvey recording his memoirs should he be assassinated
and from that point on the film cuts between that and the events he describes
the starting point is harvey's 40th birthday which he is celebrating in new york
he meets robbie the love of his life and they decide to make a change and head west
san francisco is a magnet for homosexuals and so it is there that they settle
harvey has an interest in photography and they open a camera shop
centrally placed in the heart of the mainly gay district of castro
and before long a meeting place for the many gays flocking to san francisco
but there are straights out to spoil the fun including the local police
so before long harvey finds himself a spokesperson, activist and politician
my impression is that the director has very deliberately stuck to the truth
which means he can use archive footage to both augment and verify the story
quite often it's this footage that is slipped in that is the most impressive
actual scenes of tv interviews, police harrassment, protest marches, etc
the switching between documentary and drama very subtle and effective
sean penn as usual provides an exemplary performance as harvey milk
no fear of this actor over-acting his part or being miscast in the role
and no doubt inspiring those around him to also deliver the goods
josh brolin seems a little understated as the straight administrator
us and him it seems a little confused about where his mind is at most of the time
but enough lines worked into the script to suggest he is a ticking time-bomb
there seems to be genuine respect between him and harvey milk
and it is this relationship that is the foundation of the film
understandably so as there is no secret how this all ends up
which is another clever part of the film - there is no big unpredictable ending
several times throughout the film we are told what is going to happen
which has the effect of allowing us to concentrate on the facts behind the crime
and enjoy the ride as the film builds towards the inevitable finale
for me it was a bit of a nostalgia trip - fashions, music, attitudes of the 70's
cars, gadgets, furniture, etc all meticulously representative of that era
there's no argument that gay rights then (and now) is a big issue
in a way not much has changed with the attitude of some right-wingers
which had me thinking how disappointing it would have been for gay activists
knowing that their struggle then in a way has gained so little in the u s at least
but putting that aside this film is very educational and entertaining
sean penn does it again - not forgetting gus van sant - nice one

snap

sandy evans has a knack of coming up with clever band names
there's the eclectic 8-piece sandy evans tony gorman led outfit named gest8
and tonight for our listening pleasure her latest 4 piece outfit titled snap
featuring sandy, nick bowd, andrew robson and phillip johnston
but a change in personnel has seen andrew robson replaced by paul cutlan
snpp just doesn't have the same ring to it and so wisely snap is retained
there's something quite satisfying about a 4 part saxophone quartet
my first exposure to this format being the adelaide sax pack
a bunch of 4 highly talented and inventive chaps having a lot of fun
the delta saxophone quartet another group heard recently on cd
their latest album an exquisite selection of diverse and unique tunes
which after many listens had me yearning to hear more of this format
and so it is that the essential sandy evans and friends deliver the goods
though it is apparent that phillip johnston is the driving force in this band
the first tune starts very noisily as they blast their way into startup mode
a little bit of trepidation as to the sustainability of such a racket
and the lack of rhythm section particularly is noticed straight away
but such doubts are very quickly dispelled as they settle into the tune
and plenty of harmonising between the various players comes to the fore
we have before us 4 supremely talented musicians giving their all
on 4 quite diverse sounding instruments - baritone, tenor, alto and soprano
the first tune giving some indication of the possible diversity of sound
phillip johnston is mc for the night and thankfully seems to enjoy this role
taking the time to announce each tune with respect and humour
so that a wonderful rapport is established on and off the stage
it's quite apparent that each musician greatly respects each other
so that each tune is played with the utmost conviction and skill
every piece requiring full concentration from each player
this music to me seems very complex and challenging to play
every note has been arranged and so sheet music is essential
they move between solos, duos and group harmony with ease
the richness of the sound of the saxophone used to the max
totally justifying this format and the redundancy of other instruments
there's a mix of material by other composers and themselves
a sandy evans tune called street party wraps up the first set of the night
hard to pin it but a sense of african township jive creeping in
but really it's the same old story - that australian jazz sound again
that one where the influences are diverse and the result indefinable
in the second set a piece titled reviled changes the mood totally
this being a very slow, melancholic, almost orchestral styled work
quite breath-taking in it's scale and range of sounds achieved
musicians eeking out the strangest of sounds from their instruments
phillip johnston apologising on this valentines day for the mood change
one other standout track being another sandy evans composition
the title being dawn over (insert aboriginal named place near bellingen)
this piece should be used in schools to demonstrate art in music
so easy to imagine a sunrise as the instruments are used inventively
there's random bird noises and the crackle of leaves and branches
a slow build as the sun comes up and illuminates the day
the full heat of the sun invoked by 4 musicians blasting away
then a drop-off in intensity as the sun recedes and finally sets
an amazing piece of music played amazingly by this group
tonight's audience totally won over by the performance
leading me to think if they were stringed things would be different
they'd be commanding big fees playing to big audiences in concert halls
hopefully someone of influence will remove cloth from ears
of blinkers from eyes - or whatever it is that gets in the way
snap - great name - superb music - long may they play

translators

this show at the sound lounge billed as steve hunter : the translators
i'd heard or read his name a lot in a reverential manner over the years
tonight he is with a relatively new outfit of eclectic musicians
the man himself playing electric bass and leading the show
damien wright stage left on nylon stringed spanish guitar
stage right is ben hauptmann on mandolin and effects pedals
between them all his brother james hauptmann on drums and percussion
the promise of an interesting sound fulfilled from the first tune
a long piece proving the skill of each individual musician
and at the same time showing what a great sounding band they are
my first impression within a few bars was that this is a very tight outfit
forget improvisation - each musician knew exactly what they were all doing
complexity also sprang to mind - time changes, solos, duets all done expertly
no reference to sheet music (as often is the case) with this band
indicating to me that they have rehearsed their material intensely
so much so that they had the freedom to play it with confidence
and at the same time enjoy the experience as much as the audience
all this observed in the first tune - could they maintain this for 2 sets?
steve hunter did the honours on the mic between each tune
made us feel welcome and provided some insight to the music
and then another piece of amazing music would be presented
if any musician had any prominence it was steve hunter himself on bass
setting up several tunes with a solo and the focal point in all of them
demonstrating amazing dexterity with his melodic, funky sound
but he is also very generous towards his fellow musicians at all times
introducing tunes composed by each of them and sharing the stage
damien wright producing a beautiful sound from his spanish guitar
his right hand strumming at speed in true flamenco manner
producing a rich, warm, melodic acoustic guitar sound of difference
ben hauptmann on mandolin doing the same with his instrument
at times sounding as you would expect like a classic mandolin
but producing an exquisite sound when the effects pedals are engaged
reminiscent of a full-on electric guitar but not so demanding or dominating
brother james the perfect drummer for the 3 guitarists in the band
nothing too flashy but perfectly balanced with the combined sound
keeping and changing time precisely, filling out with ease, having fun
which was true of all of them - a great sense of enjoyment seen on stage
lots of smiles between musicians as they knew it was going to plan
several times i tried to think what pigeon-hole their music belonged in
but not possible - they have forged a unique and hybrid sound
that which several experts claim is the sound of australian jazz
influences from many before but free to go wherever it wants
bringing to mind the likes of wanderlust who are in a similar space
but also in at least one piece a reminder of pat metheny the way up
so to me as a metheny fan very happy to hear a brief connection
couldn't help but think how lucky we the audience are to be here
this is a band who has devoted countless hours to hone their craft
we show up on the night and they are our servants for an hour or 2
but what a time - exquisite, unique, hugely satisfying music
now i know why the man is regarded as such an icon

jolie holland

sometimes it pays to take a bit of a risk music-wise
this lady on tour from the us of a presumably to build the base
the writeup for the show mentioning some big name connections
names as big as m ward who played and produced some tunes with her
a surprisingly small crowd at the basement as she steps on stage
picks up her beautiful acoustic guitar and shows us how to play
one guitar but there's a bass line and a melody coming out
so me thinking if nothing else then musically things are fine
and then soon we hear her strong, accented, versatile vocals
there's an exaggerated texan drawl featured in this tune
making it necessary to concentrate hard on the lyrics
voice and guitar together making for a unique sound
in the second tune she is joined on stage by her band
she is now flanked by a bass and electric guitarist
and a lady up back taking up position on drums
a very well balanced outfit at least aesthetically
with all them now playing it makes for a clean sound
it's a kind of country-rock-americana sound with a twist
that coming in the form of the voice of jolie holland and her lyrics
the first band tune titled the living and the dead quite bittersweet
reminding me of the handsome family seen at this venue also
tonight some more sweet sounding tunes and acerbic words
the band occasionally rocking it out but also holding back
and at times all 4 musicians harmonising on the vocals
the guitarist mixing in sounds and riffs well suited to the tune
none more so than a singing riff on a tune called the littlest birds
jolie holland is also a capable pianist as she switches instruments
adding another dimension to the sound coming from the stage
as the set goes on she seems to loosen up with the audience
between songs she speaks very sweetly about her experiences
making clear reference to a bohemian life lived in new york
she mentions quite a few unheard-of-by-me fellow songwriters
also included is a cover of a bob dylan song that sounds like her own
heading towards the end of the set and the intensity builds
another change of instrument as she picks up a violin / fiddle
proving beyond doubt that she is a supremely talented musician
the set ends as it began with her back in solo mode with her guitar
and an audience totally besotted with her and her music
loud and long applause rewarded with a 2 tune encore
my impression - she could break through big time
everything is in place for that to happen
gorgeous lady, great songs, gifted talent

matt mcmahon trio

2 of this trio have been seen many times before
matt mcmahon one of the most respected pianists around
simon barker would have to be the drummer's drummer
unknown jono brown completing the trio on standup bass
they're at the excelsior hotel on this tuesday night doing the late set
a respectful audience in both numbers and attitude in attendance
matt mcmahon in charge of his trusty rhodes electric piano
looking every part of it's 70's vintage - and that at a guess
he leads off with a gentle noodling of the keys
a very distinctive hybrid sound that defines this trio
halfway between an acoustic piano sound and full-on electronica
not a sound my ears are particularly tuned to in normal circumstances
but this player deserves respect whatever the instrument
over on percussion simon barker is also sneaking in
the gentlest of taps and scrapes on cymbals his early contribution
at back of stage jono brown also gently adding the bass line
the lack of melody and sheet music suggesting full improvisation
happy about that as the early signs are that it will work here
there's not much eye contact as the players zone into the sound
simon barker particularly quickly seen locking into the moment
taking up his usual eye-closed, head-turning, body-swinging motions
keeping away from drums and providing unique percussion
his side-on position at front of stage making him dominant
it's only a couple of minutes into it that i am also locked in
ready to go along with this fine sound they have generated
another example of expert musicians combining expertly
producing a balanced and integrated sound that is quite unique
the opening piece is then closed out with some warm applause
and surprisingly matt mcmahon announces it as a composition
he then introduces 'unaustralian of the year' last heard played solo
impressively then on a beautiful yamaha c7 grand piano
tonight it's unrecognisable and only slightly less appealing
the rhodes keyboard sound dominating in this tune
with all 3 musicians now well settled in and enjoying the moment
setting the scene for the rest of the tunes in their set
jono brown does all he can to avoid the spotlight
happy instead it seems to work in a smooth bass sound
leaving the 2 musicians at front of stage to dominate
my impression being that there is a great rapport on stage
that infuses the music with an essential binding element
this confirmed by matt mcmahon introducing his close friends
the audience well into it and demanding an encore
one call for another cole porter tune that surprised me
mainly because it came from another local jazz contemporary
the trio finishing their set with a slow and gentle ballad
a reminder of how close this kind of outfit is to disarray
but confidence and skills overriding any chance of that
instead providing a perfect bookend to an hour of fine music
and then a wander out into the warm air of the night
all thoughts of bushfires, etc banished from the head
ah....the power of music once again to the rescue

rodric white quartet

i hadn't planned on another friday night sound lounge visit
but partway through the day it was decided some live music was needed
the best tonic for anything and all else that may be ailing the mind
this show advertised with a special guest making up the quartet
dale barlow adding flute and sax noises to the piano-based trio
rodric white the composer, leader and pianist in this unheard outfit
dave goodman - heard of but never heard - on drums and percussion
an unheard of kevin hailey completing the lineup on double bass
sadly it's a small audience in attendance at tonight's show - about 40
and mostly clustered around the tables at the rear of the lounge
leaving me with a fine choice of tables up front where i settled in
a big breath, beer in hand and ready once again to be swept up
things start quite tentatively which is not unusual at this venue
a sure sign of very capable musicians finding their way
in an outfit that probably rehearses and plays quite rarely
but that is also the thing that also amazes me about this music
it can be complex but skillset and confidence makes a huge difference
dale barlow would have to be one of the most capable musos around
which had me thinking that rodric white must also be highly regarded
the writeup indicating he has travelled and recorded extensively
tonight he politely introduces each tune and goes to work
he's not a large chap and with head down the piano swallows him up
at least from my seat where his presence is in sound only
in each tune you can pick out the gentle melody of the piano
but whatever dale barlow is doing at the time dominates the sound
he switches seamlessly between flute, alto and tenor saxophones
in several cases asking his leader which instrument is preferred
the rhythm department looking comfortable with each other
smiles and laughs exchanged as they play without fuss or fanfare
after a few tunes the pattern has been well established
rodric white is the man with the tunes and therefore in charge
there is definitely something very appealing about his sense of melody
each tune was quite different to each other - a feat in itself
one in particular - because of you (?) - just beautiful and melodic
suggesting in recorded mode this music would be worth checking out
especially as dale barlow has also been involved in the recordings
and here the man at centre stage can't help but be the centre of attention
he has an imposing physical presence as does the music he plays
my thinking being that anyone he played with would have to lack ego
fortunately tonight that is the case as rodric white happily sits back
lets the man do what he is here for - fill out the sound superbly
it's not often the flute is heard as the lead sound in a jazz combo
but tonight dale barlow reminded us all how it can be played
a rich, strong, haunting, floating sound that dominates the tune
there's piano and rhythm in there somewhere as well
on occassions mr barlow would step aside and let the others have a go
rodric white adding some interesting flourishes on the yamaha c5
one quite loud and busy drum solo that didn't seem out of place
but the sound seemed to be lacking without the brass
in the second set things seemed to pick up in pace and intensity
rodric white introducing a tune inspired by african music
what followed was a great ensemble piece that had them all hard at it
that seemed to give them confidence for the remainder of the set
except for one uninspiring, under-rehearsed, very average waltz tune
one of those rare times when you just want it over and done with
but apart from that it was a very enjoyable night of music
take a nod mr white and co, take a bow mr barlow
his dominance highlighted by the last tune
an improvised free-for-all with 2 distinctive components
pianist almost floundering trying to find his part in this piece
and a sax player seemingly using the moment to have an indulgent blast
good stuff - wouldn't have been anywhere else
....again