subtitled the obnoxious performer from hell episode
it was all a bit of a rush to get to this one for starting time
but i succeeded in arriving as the band stepped on stage and started up
i also managed to fluke a spare seat at a near-stage table in a very full venue
didn't take too much notice of the crowd and concentrated on the music
i'd heard and read of melbourne based joe chindamo quite often
mostly as a performer at the wangaratta jazz festival
but i had actually never made it to any of his performances
so when he was booked to appear at the sound lounge i was there
the program had also promised jonathan zwartz on double bass
and brother of you-know-who john morrison on drums and percussion
first sign of things to come - no zwartz to be seen and someone else instead
ok - no problem - that's the thing about jazz - versatility and improvisation
or to put it another way - in the wrong hands - make it up as you go along
the opening tune was all very pleasant - nice piano, nice tune, nice melody
at the conclusion of this tune there was almost rapturous applause
which had me a bit baffled and the second sign of things to come
i looked around and took a closer look at those in the audience
uh-oh - i'd got myself entrenched into the high-brow jazz scene
no disrespect intended - but - this is a scene at one end of the scale
my actual main interest in jazz music is significantly at the other end
i'm just not that into gentle, easy-listening, inoffensive, safe, nice jazz
give me noise, improvisation, originality, sensibility-challenging any day
but of course unfair to judge after one tune so the decision is to go with it
which is about when things got really ugly and had me most unhappy
mr chindamo shoo-ed his 2 musical partners off the stage to go solo
and proceeded to tell us that he would be performing 2 pieces
the first would be a tune by paul simon titled america
the second would be the theme from fargo by the coen brothers
and then from a chap seated at the front of the venue - a loud woo-hoo
which seemed perfectly reasonable - i too was a bit excited by this
but mr chindamo was not happy about someone expressing such joy
i appreciate your enthusiasm but could you keep it to yourself it's really annoying
yikes that's a bit rude i'm thinking to myself - this is a live show after all
our friend down the front made some unheard comment - the reply
yes and you will find yourself out of here if you carry on like that
to which rightly so the paying guest quietly departed without any fuss
i was actually quite ready to walk out with him but decided to persevere
but the damage had been done - the simon and garfunkel tune was just....nice
the theme from fargo was largely unrecognisable and basically boring
when the 2 others returned to the stage it was better but not so good
the stand-in bass-player struggling and barely adequate at this venue
drummer john morrison also seen to be below average in comparison
and so it came to pass that i decided i did not like the man nor his music
the end of the first set couldn't come around quick enough for me
as much as i hate arriving late or leaving early for live music
this one was not going to get any better and the bad taste had set it
and so i was out of there - sorry joe - maybe it was a bad night
it was all a bit of a rush to get to this one for starting time
but i succeeded in arriving as the band stepped on stage and started up
i also managed to fluke a spare seat at a near-stage table in a very full venue
didn't take too much notice of the crowd and concentrated on the music
i'd heard and read of melbourne based joe chindamo quite often
mostly as a performer at the wangaratta jazz festival
but i had actually never made it to any of his performances
so when he was booked to appear at the sound lounge i was there
the program had also promised jonathan zwartz on double bass
and brother of you-know-who john morrison on drums and percussion
first sign of things to come - no zwartz to be seen and someone else instead
ok - no problem - that's the thing about jazz - versatility and improvisation
or to put it another way - in the wrong hands - make it up as you go along
the opening tune was all very pleasant - nice piano, nice tune, nice melody
at the conclusion of this tune there was almost rapturous applause
which had me a bit baffled and the second sign of things to come
i looked around and took a closer look at those in the audience
uh-oh - i'd got myself entrenched into the high-brow jazz scene
no disrespect intended - but - this is a scene at one end of the scale
my actual main interest in jazz music is significantly at the other end
i'm just not that into gentle, easy-listening, inoffensive, safe, nice jazz
give me noise, improvisation, originality, sensibility-challenging any day
but of course unfair to judge after one tune so the decision is to go with it
which is about when things got really ugly and had me most unhappy
mr chindamo shoo-ed his 2 musical partners off the stage to go solo
and proceeded to tell us that he would be performing 2 pieces
the first would be a tune by paul simon titled america
the second would be the theme from fargo by the coen brothers
and then from a chap seated at the front of the venue - a loud woo-hoo
which seemed perfectly reasonable - i too was a bit excited by this
but mr chindamo was not happy about someone expressing such joy
i appreciate your enthusiasm but could you keep it to yourself it's really annoying
yikes that's a bit rude i'm thinking to myself - this is a live show after all
our friend down the front made some unheard comment - the reply
yes and you will find yourself out of here if you carry on like that
to which rightly so the paying guest quietly departed without any fuss
i was actually quite ready to walk out with him but decided to persevere
but the damage had been done - the simon and garfunkel tune was just....nice
the theme from fargo was largely unrecognisable and basically boring
when the 2 others returned to the stage it was better but not so good
the stand-in bass-player struggling and barely adequate at this venue
drummer john morrison also seen to be below average in comparison
and so it came to pass that i decided i did not like the man nor his music
the end of the first set couldn't come around quick enough for me
as much as i hate arriving late or leaving early for live music
this one was not going to get any better and the bad taste had set it
and so i was out of there - sorry joe - maybe it was a bad night
