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
