trio apoplectic

apoplectic = intense enough to threaten or cause apoplexy

apoplexy = a fit of extreme anger, rage

so an interesting name for this previously unheard trio

part 2 of a 2 part series of trios this night at the sound lounge

the three omegas had set the scene quite resoundingly

and passed the baton or at least the drumsticks to their friends

a similar lineup but electric guitar substituted for alto sax

and a rare opportunity to hear 2 trios in quick succession

visually the trio apoplectic are quite unique

radical haircuts indicating a youthful attitude

and pre-performance banter confirming this

swinging into the first tune revealing fine musicianship

dave jackson on a sweetly sounding alto saxophone

abel cross playing a very lyrical double bass

alex masso on percussion filling out the sound

leading the audience back to a lovely melodic sound

my first impression was that of a very skilled outfit

most comfortable with their place in the musical world

but exuding a confidence that promised much

which came to pass as they worked through their set

a mixture of standards and their own material

dave jackson's confidence grew with each number played

nothing too flashy but able to lead every tune with aplomb

most of my attention was on abel cross on double bass

again seemingly playing quite conservatively

but at the same time demonstrating amazing dexterity

as his hands constantly moved all over the strings

producing a very rhythmical bottom end that was just there

occassionally stretching out with some slap style playing

admittedly the haircut also unfairly demanded attention

signifying quite unintentionally that this music has a future

in the hands of such young and able (sorry) musicians

alex masso over on drums and percussion was similarly solid

no need for solos or look-at-me bravado performances

just a very efficient, layered, fill-in-the-gaps mix of sounds

the small audience showed great appreciation for each tune

demanded and received a rare encore at this venue

which brought to mind a line from the flier

don’t miss your chance to hear the next generation of australian jazz

well a lot of people did miss their chance

but not i - thankfully

the three omegas

so, so disappointing - you have to feel for these musicians
showtime rolls around at 8:30 as they come on stage
and the sound lounge isn't exactly packed to the rafters
14 people in the audience - friday night, big city, world's best music
i just don't get it at all - has me questioning my music taste
for about a millisecond
then about 2 bars of music dispels such thoughts
master percussionist jame waples brushing and tapping cymbals
double bass player extraordanaire mike majkowski gently plucking strings
i've seen both of these 2 before in various lineups - they do good
dave de vries on electric guitar promising an eclectic combination
he closes his eyes and strums his guitar in quite a unique way
sounding slightly off-key but strangely appropriate
together it's a very gentle sound reminiscent of 1980's ambient
which is fine by me as i loved some of that music
and in the hands of these 3 anything is possible
the first piece is back-announced as untitled
written by a member of the audience we are told
her partner on double bass then leads with his piece titled posting
a more up-tempo number that confirms this outfit is out there on their own
has me thinking that there really is something special about a trio
especially one such as this where musical skills are unquestioned
confidence in each other and themselves is a given
and the willingness to push out is a driving force
confirmed by dave de vries announcing some improvisation
seriously hoping not to offend anyone he offers
but actually not really caring too much anyway he counters
now things are about to go out even further i suspect
mike majkowski has displayed his noise-making skills in the past
doing all sorts of things with strings, fingers, hands, bows and wood
but tonight he added a whole bunch of other sounds to the mix
using his bow to beat the floor mic for a bass drum effect
whipping the bow through the air for a swishing sound
and expelling air from lungs at volume for a similar effect
totally stole the show while his musical partners wigged out
had me thinking after listening to much recorded improv
that live and in the right hands it is a totally valid form
cleverly they segued into a composed piece of music
a touch of clarity is a beautiful tune showcasing the lineup
had me shuffling through the mental filing cabinet of sounds
pausing briefly on early pink floyd, wes montgomery and others
but nothing so obvious for any length of time as this was their own
at the conclusion there were 3 happy musicians on stage
and a bunch of very lucky music-lovers in awe
which may have assisted in their confidence as they wound up the set
taking the liberty to demonstrate their absolute lack of fear
take on any style, make any noise possible, engage the moment
so they cranked into hard-rock mode belting it out big-time
dave de vries madly working a chord on his guitar like a man possessed
james waples giving his drumkit a belting rarely seen at this venue
mike majkowski actually screaming as he also thrashed his instrument
what an amazing noise - the complete opposite of where we started
but absolutely proving the power of a 3 piece
and this is the support act for the night
with still only 14 people in the audience
go figure

lars and the real girl

i had been aware of this one for a while
something about a bloke with a life-sized doll
kind of takes over his mind and life
so first impressions were that a light comedy was in store
wrong
there's a few laughs at the start pre-arrival of the doll
as lars is presented as determindly single, shy and alone
he lives in the garage of a house he co-owns with brother gus
they having inherited it jointly from their father
he having raised the boys alone after the death of their mother
gus has a sweet wife karin who is expecting their first child
she is particularly fond of lars and tries to connect with him
lars has a regular job sharing a cubicle in an office
his co-worker stumbles on a porn site with a difference
this one offering full size dolls intended for more than company
before long lars takes ownership of the beautiful bianca
which is where the film really kicks in dramatically
for lars sees her as real and treats her with respect
his family, friends and workmates are soon with him
as the town psychiatrist has advised caution
she recognises the deep problems in his mind
seems his mother died when giving birth to lars
his father led a heart-broken life until his death
and his brother ran off as soon as he could
so the film has quietly moved on from light comedy
we see lars and bianca in various roles and situations
at the dinner table, at the hairdresser, on a picnic, etc
and unbelievably i was with everyone else and seeing her as real
so some great acting and directing successfully allowing the leap
and therefore a foresight into the mind of lars
as he imagines life with the perfect partner
this film has had some rave reviews
the first part had me unwilling to give over to it
but then i was totally engrossed and seeing the truth
that anyone can be affected by external circumstances
then possibly triggering mental illness or instability
when it strikes community support is most important
which provides the feelgood factor in this film
as the whole town it seems rallies to the cause
the conclusion of the film is not unexpected
but nonetheless it does wrap things nicely
leaving the audience to ponder the power of this film
another low-budget film from small town america
seems american modern day introspection is now a genre
striking a chord with film audiences
this film is not for everyone
but i got a lot from it
thought provoking
and very enjoyable

bernie mcgann quartet

friday night = sound lounge
got there as the mc was on stage doing the big intro
a scan of available seating revealed one unoccupied table
front row, centre and about 1 metre from the stage
so as bernie mcgann strode on stage
i also took my cue and settled into position
some in-jokes on stage indicating a fine night was in store
before launching into the first tune
this outfit didn't even have to warm up
a count-in by bernie mcgann and away they went
he on alto sax and warwick alder on trumpet
perfectly harmonising and producing some sweet sounds
sounding more like a couple of clarinets than serious brass
these 2 out front and displaying a special connection
the new (to me) rhythm section behind but also linked
brendan clarke almost outsized by his double bass
andrew dickeson inhabiting drums and percussion
together displaying mutual respect for their fellow musicians
it would be hard to imagine a more balanced lineup
the 4 of them producing a beautiful, clean, swing-like sound
bernie mcgann leading and confirming his stature
giving his all as though nothing else existed at the time
before retiring seemingly drained to a chair on stage
leaving warwick alder to similarly lead with his gentle trumpet sound
before he too steps aside to allow the rhythm section to take over
brendan clarke is not flashy but totally also in the moment
after his first spot leading i'm sure he was close to hyperventilating
then andrew dickeson was left to display his virtuosity
producing an eclectic array of sounds and beats
a quick glance and nod and they are all back in unison
which left me with two words uppermost in my head
pure music
and this only the first tune - 30 minutes or so of sublime noise
back announced by bernie mcgann as a tune by thelonious monk
he of course being a piano player but confirming my impression
these 2 on brass making the need for keyboards redundant
a george gershwin piece up next and given the same treatment
4 chaps on stage totally absorbed and giving their all
at least 1 chap in the audience experiencing transendence
but a quick look around confirmed i was not alone
2 superb sprawling engrossing tunes in the first set
the opportunity to take a breather and charge the glasses
the second set was equally as enthralling for all involved
3 more long pieces each with multiple sections
culminating in d day written by bernie mcgann
sitting so close to the stage gives a great insight
there can be nothing better than witnessing such joy
for these musicians know they are totally in the moment
aware that the 4 of them are bound in a way beyond musicianship
the audience a necessary component to provide the love
which is why i guess they keep doing it
playing superb music to a small crowd
which continues to defy me
but i'm now hooked
long may it last

un secret

pronounced une sea-cray - beautiful french phrasing
and not some twist of the english language for a e.g. a non secret
which was a bit of a relief really as i had it pegged as a hollywood film
but it's another one from france and about as french as it gets
according to margaret and david this one failed to get into cannes and vienna
but scooped the pool at the nearly as famous montreal film festival
unusually as it seems lately they both loved it and gave 4 stars
so tonight on opening night i shared a theatre with 20 or so others (huh?)
the opening scenes are very reminiscent of swimming pool (the film)
showing a very fragile looking boy in a beautiful pool setting in 1955
watching his beautiful mother tania (cecile de france) swimming and diving
he is the son of her second husband maxime (patrick bruel) who has a (the) secret
the son sees a ghost of a brother and suffers nightmares
his athletic father is openly disappointed with his son
though fast-forward to 1985 and a reconciliation occurs
the son played in later life by mathieu amalric
last seen as the star of the diving bell and the butterfly
then it's back to 1935 so we can be let in on the secret
there's a jewish wedding underway in paris
this is maxime's first wedding to hannah where his eye falls on tania
hinting at a sordid affair or some other kind of tête-à-tête
but first there is the serious business of world war 2 at hand
tania innocently comes and goes in the life of maxime and hannah
and the perception of hannah detects the yearning of her husband
maxime is a non-practicing jew and baulks at yiddish tradition
even having his first born son secretly yet overtly baptised
he also believes france is tolerant and not in hitler's plans
but of course the weight of history is against him
he agrees to escape to unoccupied france to set up a new life
then eventually sends word for his wife and son to join him
and casually mentions that tania has also innocently shown up
his wife and son never make it - the reason being the big secret
which then has a ripple effect down through following generations
this film is another beautifully crafted piece of french cinema
superb acting, beautiful costumes, and stunning scenery
a story that hangs at times by a thread as the film goes on
which is something i find the french can do so well
have such confidence in the mood and ambience of the film
that the thing most resembling a plot lurks around in the background
then is gently brought forward usually in the most moving way
in this case in the scene where maxime and tania finally submit
both being free of past true loves and ready to love again
fast forward again to 1955 and then 1985 and it all makes sense
we are now armed with the knowledge of what the secret is
and now able to fully understand it's long-term effect
another charming french film
un success

the year the gypsies came

this book the result of a flying visit to a second-hand bookshop
one book about to end and a train journey about to start
a few minutes available to ensure book-reading continuity
this title is from 2006 and met the current selection criteria
a story of people in another place and in another time
therefore in line with other recently read and enjoyed titles
the book is set in a well-off white household in 1960's johannesburg
bob and lily iris have teenage daughters named sarah and emily
he runs and works hard at a successful chocolate import business
she plays the dutiful wife though most happy spending the cash
for there are imported fashions, cosmetics, records to be bought
to complete the picture of self-absorption she is having an affair
her oblivious husband allows a transient family to take up residence
parking their land-rover and caravan on their sprawling property
jock is an australian wildlife photographer married to peg
their 2 sons otis and streak are uneducated, clumsy and ill-mannered
having endured their gypsy lifestyle for all of their lives
also living on the property are 2 blacks on minimal wages and long hours
lettie is the housekeeper and the elderly zulu buza is their security guard
the youngest daughter emily has a great rapport with both of them
so while her parents indulge themselves in their shallow and insular lives
their daughters are exposed to and absorb stories and experiences of the land
buza is one very wise old man and foretells trouble with the gypsies
his foreboding is justified and soon unchecked teenage testosterone makes its mark
a lid is briefly kept on the results of this problem that sees the gypsies scarper
but tensions run high and before long the truth escapes explosively
at this point in the book i was totally absorbed with the story
in a short amount of time a lot of issues had been touched on
family relationships, abandoned lifestyles, apartheid, puberty, spiritualism
even politics in the form of nelson mandela are included in the story
the book is written in the first person from emily's point of view
adding another dimension as she struggles with all that surrounds her
but thankfully buza is there as her companion, mentor and guiding light
he passes on stories and expressions from his own life and ancestry
providing the reader with a expose to zulu customs and language
their relationship is the strength and truth in this wonderful story
showing that the wisdom of indigenous people is a powerful force
able to help anyone who is prepared to listen - even a 12 year-old girl
the final chapter reveals emily now as a grown woman with her own child
still in contact with buza now close to death in his zulu homeland
a beautiful, moving, gut-wrenching, unforgettable story
based on the upbringing of author linzi glass
surely a film is following

the counterfeiters

die falscher - austrian for - the counterfeiters
i had seen the trailer for this one and had it on the maybe list
something in me says warning wil robinson - it's a war story
but in this case the academy had slapped an oscar on it
best foreign film for last year so that made a difference
an extra appeal being that the film is based on a true story from w w 2
so off i went and braced for another visit to a concentration camp
the film opens on the (stoney) beach at monte carlo pre-war days
salomon sorowitsch (sally) is seen to be in contemplative mode
then shows the swaggering anti-hero character at work and play
using his chips bought with counterfeited cash to win large
he is on a roll and wins money and love as a result
the action cuts back to pre-war underground berlin
giving an insight to changing attitudes towards judaism
he senses the danger and plans an escape while the going is good
but his libido gets the better of him and a final fling is his undoing
leading to his deportation to a brutal concentration camp
but he is a wily and pragmatic man who seizes opportunities
putting his artistic skills to work on the egotistical germans
then as his criminal background is realised he is transferred
he is then in isolation with other selected prisoners in another camp
they are forced to put their skills to work to produce money
initially english pounds in large quantities and then the us dollar
the nazis in desperation have determined to use this tactic
dump the money in the respective countries and ruin their economies
it is about here that i found my own belief system wavering
totally unconvinced that a few prisoners could achieve this
but the point of the film is more about the moral dilemma
some prisoners will do anything to preserve life and acquiesce
others take the higher ground and choose to resist the nazis
by determining that subtle sabotage of the cash is required
it is from this conflict that the film is further developed
backing up each prisoners position with background information
the strongest opponent having lost his wife and child at auschwitz
as the war comes to an end the germans turn to jelly
a farcical scene sees the nazi commander cowering
in a scene that just seemed to be too unrealistic
which pretty well summed up my take of the film
an interesting story delivered in an unconvincing way
even with excellent acting and bleak cinematography
it took a complete read of the credits rolling at the end
to state that the counterfeiters actually produced a lot of cash
4 times the volume of the english foreign reserves at the time
something i felt had not been well documented in the film
so in the end i was impressed by the historical fact
just not totally swept away by the film as a whole
certainly not my best foreign film 2007
but worth a look-see

the blackwater lightship

there's a bunch of second-hand bookshops in the nearest town
the kind of shop traditionally i had not frequented much
but these days books come from either libraries or recycled
which is fine by me as it means no or less reason to accumulate 'em
and even more reason to take a punt on a book with little to go on
case in point being the blackwater lightship by colm toibin
an irish author based in dublin writing in this case an irish story
we shall be reading and living with the blackwater lightship in 20 years
so reads a bold statement on the cover from the independent on sunday
along with a heading stating shortlisted for the 1999 booker prize
the synopsis on the back cover read ok and so the $5 changed hands
this novel is about a now grown-up dysfunctional family
sister helen is now a successful school administrator
married to hugh with a couple of young boys of her own
her younger brother declan is gay and has fallen ill
their estranged mother lily is a career woman
her own mother lives alone in coastal ireland
close to a place called the blackwater lightship
it is at the grandmother's place that the family gathers
including a couple of male friends of brother declan
so the book is set up with 6 quite disparate people under 1 roof
3 males, 3 females, 3 generations, old and new relationships
before long it becomes apparent that declan has aids
and his illness dominates proceedings in the house
as he is tended to and some old family issues re-surface
seems the 2 siblings were dealt with cold-heartedly
when their own father died of cancer when they were young
leading to a real resentment to and detachment from their mother
which really is what the book seems to be wanting to highlight
that the treatment of children is formative for their own lives
the issue of aids is dominant but reactions to his illness seem odd
leading to a check of the year that the book was set in
i could not form an affinity with any of the characters
and the 3rd person narration got to be quite annoying
mostly short sentences prefaced with he/she said/did
not an endearing writing style to encourage re-reading
i think i must have missed something in this one
i kept waiting for something appealing to develop
even expecting an inkling to get back to ireland one day
but the charm of that country and it's residents was lacking
as the end of the book drew nearer i'd given up
there was not going to be any big revelations
it became a case of get through it quickly
even the climax to me was a letdown
which was actually quite a relief
no big surprises with the ending
nothing missed along the way
anyway take the good with the bad
back to the second-hand bookshop we go
i'm sure someone else will pick it up and love it
but it don't come highly recommended from me
beware the quotes of critics on back covers
his prose rises to heights of extraordinary beauty
this is the most astonishing piece of writing
lyrical in its emotion and spare in its construction
yup - definitely missed something
nevermind - over

mark isaacs resurgence band

i had been very much looking forward to this show
based on seeing this same band perform a wonderful show last year
so unusually i had convinced a few friends to join me on this night
mostly i self-indulge big time with my sound lounge visits
not one for forcing my musical adventures on others
but this one came with satisfaction guaranteed
we got there close to showtime so best spot was at the back
the mc for the night gave a long and rambling introduction
most memorably telling us that mark isaacs is a transient
only sticks with a project as long as it works for him
which seemed to indicate this combo's days are numbered
the first tune was a gentle wandering piece titled minsk
giving time and space for the band to settle in
hinting at what i knew they were capable of delivering
memories of my last experience still exciting me
but something about what i was hearing was unsettling me
i tried to put it down to a rare seat at the back of the venue
or that i was very much wanting a great performance
so that my friends would understand my obsession
things became clearer as mark isaacs spoke between tunes
he informed us the band had not played for 6 months
but more than that he just seemed not that happy to be there
which then became true of the other 4 musicians
to their credit they used their skills admirably
matt keegan on sax doing his nod to kenny garrett
james muller proving again he is a master guitarist
tim firth on drums providing anchor and focal point
brett hirst on double bass being mr reliable as always
but...but...but there was something just not right tonight
even from a distance i could sense the animosity on stage
which spilled over to barbed comments between tunes
by the end of the first set my companions were on to it
admiring and impressed by the music (phew)
but questioning the point and in fact the need of the banter
me - feeling a little underwhelmed on this ocassion
all i could do was hope for a resurgence (groan) in the second set
but it seemed the damage had been done and more of the same
impressive soloing, professional playing and attitude
but the big totally necessary and undervalued component missing
no on-stage vibe, no sense of joy of the moment, no respect
which to me actually then seemed to find it's way into the music
at least a couple of times i sensed they had lost the plot
aimless meandering and ball-tossing on stage
long, indulgent, uninspiring, begrudging solos
providing mostly an excuse for a visit to the bar
something i usually avoid to the nth degree
in the end we all gave respectful applause
but in this case it was the end that i wanted
for whatever reason tonight was a letdown
my friends seemed not unimpressed
just not overwhelmed
me neither
...damn

alister spence trio

sound lounge - friday night - a favourite time and place
got there way too early and first into the room
advantage being the best seat in the house was secured
smack bang centre-front all but on the actual stage
by show-time the place was sadly less than half-full
leading me again to despair the irony of this situation
world-leading (and loved) musicians playing in their hometown
but largely ignored by their very many fellow citizens
alister spence is an accomplished pianist, composer and noise-maker
lloyd swanton on double-bass would be rated number 1 in australia
toby hall on drums, percussion and glockenspiel would not be far behind
this trio has been invited to play at the tokyo jazz festival
presumably meaning they will perform in front of large crowds
but tonight there's a few of us ready and willing to lap it up
things start gently and even tentatively with the first tune
being so close to the stage reveals some fine-tuning on stage
as the musicians discreetly adjust various settings and settle in
but all the time confirming their skill set and connection
the next tune luminescence sees the band really crank it up
3 musicians hard at work pulling all sorts of noises
there's a great energy to be had with a piano/bass/drum combo
that on a good night means a real transcendence can be enjoyed
as the melody, beat, and rhythm takes over the headspace
but then as in this case add another 3 channels of input
with each musician using imaginative noise-making techniques
and the result is almost overwhelming in it's originality
alister spence has no fear of adding any noise to the mix
on occasions he would stand and hammer the strings of the grand piano
at other times he would fire up the sampler and add textures
noises like the wind in trees, or a boiling kettle were heard
lloyd swanton circling the palm of his hand on the bass
toby hall dragging drumsticks over cymbals
his skills on the glockenspiel also evident at times
so an amazing musical intensity was achieved fairly quickly
and by the end of the first set of 3 or 4 songs it was clear this was special
confirmed by the large smiles and happy exchanges on stage
certainly it was good for us all to have a break and prepare for part 2
which was another set of 3 or 4 tunes delivered stunningly
the standout tune being a track titled mercury from the latest album
opening with a set of improvisation that had me hooked
then in the formal piece i was playing a favourite game
relax the body, close eyes, let go, crank up the hi-fi
acknowledge that at this time there is no better place to be
then open the eyes and see what is right in front of you
brings a smile to my face every time it happens
and in this case a smile coming back from the stage
lots of those as the lads obviously also enjoyed the night
which to me is the best thing about this kind of music
they love what they do and they do it brilliantly
just a real pleasure to be a witness to this magic
pha! who needs a crowd anyway?
the bank manager mostly i suspect
here's hoping japan embraces them
they thoroughly deserve it
new album soon too
....great

the secret river

this book came both highly recommended and as a gift
the timing of the reading of this one also of personal significance
the secret river is the hawkesbury river in the early 19th century
the book starts out in cold, depressing, harsh, unforgiving london
william thornhill is born into poverty and lives in rancid conditions
no social welfare in these times so the poorest live abysmally
work is scarce and poorly paid, food and clothing is minimal
wil's near neighbour and friend sal is the daughter of a waterman
he takes him on as an apprentice boatman working on the thames
so over a period of time learns some useful skills and falls in love
before long there is a child and a wife to provide for
part of the survival process for the poor is petty crime
being caught leads to corporal punishment or execution
in wil's case he and his family are sent on a convict ship to sydney
this sets up the second part of the book as the family settles in
initially in sydney as wil works the boats on the harbour there
before long he is also working on the hawkesbury river
spots a very desirable neck of land and secretly imagines ownership
in the meantime the family is expanding and outgrowing their digs
sheer hard work means wil can buy his own boat and the move is on
sal reluctantly agrees to try out life on the land (and water) for 5 years
and so it is that the 100 acres of thornhill's point becomes his own
which is where this book becomes more than a great history lesson
for it is only a matter of time before the natives of the land are encountered
as a reader i was partially dreading what would unfold in this part
the accuracy, detail and identifiable emotions revealed so far were a clue
and knowing even vaguely the history of the white colonisation of australia
meant that more than likely there may not be a happy ending coming up
the author (kate grenville) however takes the time to introduce the locals
and eloquently allows us to learn more of their lifestyle and habits
friendships are formed between black and white and tolerance has a chance
there are some new australians with a heart and mind to co-habitate
but there are some hard characters amongst the convict whites
and some distant law-makers not interested in accomodating alternative lifestyles
the final part of the book sadly depicts the brutality the locals endured
wil and sal and family survive and prosper in their new home
but they are unknowingly affected by what has happened
this pointing to a possibility of repercussions for future generations
there's a bunch of superlatives on the front cover of this book
passionate and disturbing, outstanding, fiercely intelligent
overwhelmingly beautiful, unforgettable, subtle and satisfying
a book everyone should read, breathtaking, vivid and moving
i actually read this book mostly doing my daily train commuting
so crossing the hawkesbury river took on extra meaning
as i took and had the time to be engrossed in the book
it's not often i am so moved by a work of fiction
and in my case another superlative to add
...life-changing...
(watch this space)