random tunes part 5

i must admit i do enjoy random tunes
coming from an mp3 player loaded up with favourite albums
so the chances of getting a tune you actually like are very high
though there are a few duds in there somewhere
as i like to record the whole album if selected
something to do with being fair to the artist in question
or more likely just because repeat plays of even dud tunes
can turn them around and move them up the scale
so counting them tonight from 1 to 10
ain't talkin' by bob dylan
have never been a bob dylan fan and have never owned any of his albums
cliche - it's the voice you see, and the fact he is an american 60's survivor
but i actually got tired of reading rave reviews about his latest album modern times
so thought it was time i did some investigating of this living legend
it really is a stunningly good album both lyrically and musically
this one is a gentle number with the band in cruise mode and bob doing his sing/talk
they say prayer has the power to heal so pray for me, mother
in the human heart an evil spirit can dwell
i am trying to love my neighbor and do good unto others
but oh, mother, things ain't going well
happy hunting ground by the church
this exquisite piece of music is from their 1984 album heyday
it's an instrumental track that i just love to bits and will never tire of
i'm a real sook for emotional music and this one often has me in tears
if i was a classical music fan i'd probably get my kicks elsewhere
but i'm not so this is it for me - repeat, repeat, repeat play
i'm now waiting for the day that it is used as an outro for a big film (or a church gig)
let it roll by willard grant conspiracy
i'm a late starter for this group out of the south of the u s of a
by all accounts they are a standard rock group centred around a robert fisher
a rather large hirsuite man who plays a mean guitar and writes the tunes
this one is an epic track clocking in at nearly nine minutes
a long introduction with the band including violins and piano hard at it
before me fisher comes forward with the vocal delivery
and the song then builds to a noisy and climactic ending then piano fadeout
love chariot by triosk
big fan of this trio since seeing them at wangaratta jazz festival in 2004
another case of a group who have hooked onto something they can call their own
typically like this one a pulsating, repetitive double bass line
lots of top end percussion played out on the drum cymbals
and splashes of piano with electronica mixed in
this one is a live staple and is as hypnotising live as on record
flaming heart by m ward
i had the pleasure of seeing m ward play at the metro earlier this year
he came to our shores with the tag of bob zimmerman junior, etc
this one is from one of his earlier albums
rocks along quite nicely and features his trademark echoey vocals
he is a multi-talented young chap demonstrated here with some boogie-woogie piano
day of the dead by the church
for anyone that thinks the church are a basic rock band
take a listen to the sometime anywhere album this track is from
when they were down to a 2-piece and in experimentation mode
this is space-rock at it's best - big echoey production
lots of effects on the guitars and lots of other noises going on
but underneath it all is a very solid rock tune
haydar haydar by mustafa kandirali
we're now off into authentic world music territory
this 77-year old is turkey's most well known clarinet player
a gypsy background so as you'd expect the tunes are very lively
this one has some tambourine noises up front
and rhythmical percussion that could easily keep the belly-dancers going
crystal clear by the laughing clowns
a random tunes session wouldn't be complete
without a contribution from the clowns
this lo-fi tune would indicate an early recording from the band
but another distinctive sax sound and ed and the band
providing all the necessary bits including some piano
which would suggest chris abrahams at work?
lost broadcast by triosk
they sure do have a very distinctive sound
more up-close cymbal tapping and a playful piano
with electronica and bass working away
the title suggests as does the music an ode to the radio
interlude by the tord gustavsen trio
another classy trio of piano, bass, drums
but this one of a more conservative nature
and tord g on the piano being the centre of attention
a quite pleasant 2 minute twiddle on the piano

that's it - 10 more random tracks - the church are now out in front
closely followed by the laughing clowns and a pack of contenders further back from that
mental note - need to stack more music into the iriver

music of the world c part 2

i wasn't sure about this exercise when i started it a few weeks back
transcribing verbatim from a magazine article about music genres
but since undertaking it i have found increased enthusiasm and curioisty
about the very many different music styles in existence on our planet
choro is one that i had no awareness of or at least a name for
but now i want to dig deeper, hear more, see more
and ahem get to south america and hang out in some brazilian choro bars
but for now it's a much more achievable task
completing the c section from songlines magazine july/august 2006 (with thanks)

congolese rumba (democratic republic of congo or zaire)

the classic rumba sound of the 60's, 70's and 80's congolese big bands
was a combination of multiple interwoven guitars
sumptuous vocal harmonies
and soul revue style horn sections
the current rumba revival recreates the wonderful atmosphere
epitomised by franco's ok jazz, tabu ley rochereau and le grand kalle

songlines recommends congo life by kekele
esne notes that kekele is a group of 4 sharply dressed gentlemen looking the part

cumbia (colombia)

cantering basslines, lurching percussion, spiralling clarinets and punchy trombone choruses
that's colombian cumbia
the racing 2/4 rhythm of a bamboo guacharaca (scraper)
and rumbling , cone-shaped tambora drums
drives dancers into flirtatious moves
descended from the slaves in ports like cartagena
cumbia remained low-class and largely black until the early 20th century
and the 50's and 60's society big bands like
lucho bermudez's and los corraleros de majagual spread it nationally
today's salsa-influenced modernists co-exist with roots accordian groups
whose singers yodel like cowboys

songlines recommends rough guide to cumbia (various artists)
esne notes this is one of many rough guide compilations to be hunted down

cocek (macedonia)

the cocek of the balkans is a solo dance of turkish origin
sensual and sometimes bordering on the lewd set to a hypnotic syncopated rhythm
sinuous chromatic melodies and plenty of space for passionate improvisation
on the part of dancer and musician alike

songlines recommends the heat of blakan gypsy soul by ferus mustafov
esne notes he being the top clarinet/sax player from macedonia

csardas (hungary)

with a springy four-beat rhythm, the csardas is hungary's quintessential dance
and was one of the tools with which hungary forged its national revival in the 19th century
taking its name from csarda (inn) the dance was popularised by gypsy bands
and is still the staple repertoire of budapest dance houses today
with fiery fiddles and rhythmic sawing bass
it's a couple dance that starts slow and works up speed
often with a playful or erotic undercurrent

songlines recommends the bartok album by muzikas
esne notes that's the first 2 european styles so far - both gypsy based

and the count of styles covered so far - 14 - total to do - 50
seems the cd spend budget is about to be blown big time

brasileirinho

i'm always on the lookout for interesting music based dvd's
a few weeks back i latched onto one documenting the music of iceland
which turned out to be a real beauty and has now got me started
on a little project of gathering similar such documentaries
seems a great way to learn more about the music of the world
there's also a little project underway to document in this blog
50 distinctive genres of music as identified by songlines magazine
this dvd looked particularly appealing as it is a film about choro music
a genre that i had recently read about and quoted from songlines -
choro is the ragtime of brazil and the mother of samba and bossa nova
for just as jazz lies latent in ragtime, so those later rhythms lie latent in choro
the rhythm grew from a fusion of african and european dance hall styles - particularly polka
so without hesitation the purchase was made and tonight was showtime
the film is centred in and around rio de janeiro
the opening scenes take us on a journey around the city at night
before we are on stage at a concert with a group called trio madeira brasil
3 gentleman playing acoustic guitars and a mandolin
beautiful music and some excellent closeup footage
showing the dexterity of the musicians at work
i think i'm liking this gentle, harmonious brazilian music
the film then cuts to some interviews with the musicians
all in brazilian but the sub-titles are large, easy to read and presumably accurate
i think we go back in time as there seems to a lot of talk and rehearsing
preparing for an up-coming concert which we have had a sneak preview of
there's some stunning shots of the countryside around rio
and music is never far away with various combinations of musicians
practicing, discussing, and rehearsing for the upcoming concert
we also get some relevant history with photos presented and explained
and a visit to snake's armpit a famous choro music club in the 70's
brass is introduced from the trombone of ze senior
at a lovely outdoor rehearsal with the original trio and now a brass section
playing what now obviously is choro - gentle, complex, addictive music
back into concert mode with classical guitar maestro yamandu costa
playing a style of music not entirely classical but brazilian infused
the acoustic end of the scale for choro music presumably
the middle part of the film seems to focus on song and singing
with some fine examples of ladies singing some rather sombre tunes
we are also given exposure to some of the younger musicians of brazil
as they pursue the music and seek to emulate their musical idols
the film very cleverly mixes in some fascinating footage of life in the city
passing trams, cafes, buildings, even aeroplanes are seen
and some interviews conducted in the surrounding hills
with the city for the backdrop giving a sense of being there
it becomes apparant that we are very cleverly being introduced
to all the musicians that are on stage in the final scenes of the film
back to the concert from the opening scenes
but now feeling like we are old friends with those on stage
and it's a great pleasure to see and feel the warmth and happiness
of the music, the musicians and the audience
choro - got it
is good

inga liljestrom (part 2)

subtitled the sound mixer from hell episode
ponyclub massacre are the support act for tonights show at the vanguard
they deserve special mention not only for a name that invites investigation
but a show that is as unique as it is rivetting
2 stunningly beautiful ladies with overwhelming musical talent
and an ear for and an inclination to the extremes of our musical culture
no names mentioned but she who handled most of the vocals
announced a song about peace written after the war when she lived in sarajevo
i lost count of the number of different instruments they played between them
it was all over too quickly but the hope is to see them again somewhere soon
inga is soon on stage with 2 ladies out front one on violin the other on cello
the boys in the band on electric guitar, double bass and drums at the rear
tonight she was tested beyond the limits of all reasonableness
the sound mixer had a shocker of a night
not just the usual hand signals from the stage requesting more foldback
or the occassional foray to the stage to attend to an errant mic stand
no, no, no this was serious mum
opening song your love is a bullet sounded fine to me but not so on stage
as far as i could tell the on-stage mix was a mess with lots of signalling
the signs were there when the second song of the set was done in darkness
and it was all downhill from there
one song ended with an ear-piercing screech of feedback
that went on for a minute or so and drew a round of applause when concluded
out of sheer relief as it was close to intolerable
one wag close to me suggested he actually liked minimalist music
by now you could see the energy seeping from our lady of the night
but she perservered and gave the mixer every chance she could to get it right
should we change mics she asked him out of sheer desperation
no you should change mixers came the response from one audience member
but she stood by him and announced it was his first night and he was doing a great job
she pushed on and let her confidence in her material sustain the evening
her trademark microphone in a telephone handpiece was behaving erratically
and true enough despite this and other and random sound issues
it was the strength of the material that carried the show
and had the audience wildly clapping at the end of each song
the audience's enthusiasm seemed to carry to the stage and push the band on
but every song was plagued with obvious sound problems
inga spent most of the time signalling, cajoling, reacting, resigning
by the end of the evening's performance she seemed exhausted
but complied with the audience encore demands and called back her 2 leading ladies
and performed a unique interpretation of nick cave's ship song
that touch of familiarity seemed to alleviate the bad feelings
it wasn't total redemption but we can put a big tick
on the checklist for star material
for grace under pressure
she going to be famous
thanks inga

marc hannaford trio with mike bukovsky

this story really starts about 24 hours prior
so a bit of background leading us to tonight's entertainment
i had the pleasure of spending last night with a very good friend
helping him celebrate his annual birthday with his best friends
a good night was held by all and the 4 of us left standing
had a yearning for some live music and rumour had it
there was a reggae band on at a certain bar in broadway
so at midnight the 4 of us are sharing a cab to said venue
but alas no reggae music anywhere in sight but all is not lost
there's a dj and rapper supposedly spinning some wicked music on an upper level
now i'm all for this as i actually have more than a passing interest
in electronic music and the equivalent of it's live scene
so in we go and settle into the here and now of it all
it is loud, repetitive, incoherent, trance-inducing, sense-numbing
from my vantage point i can quite easily watch over the mixing dude
who is obviously in control of proceedings with his apple mac
man he was busy, but i couldn't figure out why he was doing some much
with very little change to the amplified noises and laser light show
but then i figured he was actually doing that as well as everything else
email stuff, checking websites, image enhancing, composing, freaking around
i'm feeling like ok all very clever and impressive but there ain't no soul
so all day was spent in quiet anticipation of tonight's performance
this group are playing the third night of a mini-tour through nsw
there's at least 2 drawcards with the 2 mikes in the group
mike majkowski on double bass
mike bukovsky on trumpet
marc hannaford on piano takes the role of leader and composer
alex masso steps up to assume duties on drums
the first set was the core trio
doing a mixture of improvised and composed music
it took me a while to settle into it and get the sound
and a tune or 2 before they seemed to be totally comfortable
marc introduced his tunes as cubist the 7th, a beaver in the hallway
and various other obscure titles for deliciously obscure music
he provided the colour to the music without flash
alex drummer is a top end noise man
making all sorts of sounds and rhythms over the cymbals and snare drum
for me mike double bass is the star once again punishing his instrument
making it produce sounds that just should not come out of a double bass
at one point i closed my eyes and had no trouble envisioning
there was another musician on stage with some kind of sampling machine
a bit like the previous night but this time with soul to spare
the second set sees the irrepressible mike bukovsky on stage
in the second time in as many weeks he had driven from canberra for the show
i learnt in a chat with him between sets that he does not stay over
impressively drives back in the middle of the night post gig
hence his comment about knowing the place well
when marc introduces one of the tunes as pheasants nest
so i want to give mike trumpet my full attention and appreciation
his presence adds a whole new dimension and mood to the evening
marc has composed some very serious and challenging pieces of music
this was intense stuff and not some improvised jam session
you could see the 4 of them constantly referring to their sheets
but they delivered it well and to great appreciation
from the small but devoted audience
another satisfying's nights music
back in my comfort zone
at the sound lounge

googlegrams

something a bit different in the form of a photo exhibition
the artist in question is a gentleman from spain named joan fontcuberta
and this particular exhibition is a series of photo-mosaics
compiled using a search engine on google images
so it's a great intersection of art, photography and technology
there are 15 pieces in all on display
each one a striking image in it's own right best viewed from a distance
made up of usually 10,000 tiny images courtesy of google
these component images are selected based on some common search words
for example the first piece is titled homeless
in large form is the image of a man lying asleep on the ground
the mosaics are the result of providing the names of the world's richest men
to the google image search engine and assembling the results
that seems to be the paradoxical approach on a few of them
another example being a famous image of 2 ufo's over a forest
based on images provided by the search engine on place names
where the catholic church has approved claimed sightings of the virgin mary
one of the most striking pieces and the one used to promote the exhibition
is the famous photo of the young american female soldier
with the iraqi prisoner on a dog leash at abu graigh prison
this time made up of images compiled when searching on the soldiers names
it seems our artist has a keen sense of injustice and wrong-doing
there are also works featuring the 9-11 attacks, guantanomo bay
and a sobering and chilling image of auschwitz prison
the one that had the most impact on me was that of an iraqi
the graphic image of his body and head after being hit by an explosive bullet
and to great effect the component images are the result of a google search
on the names of the leaders of the nations in the coalition of the willing
including you-know-who
but it's not all doom and gloom and sadness and suffering
there's a stunning and beautiful portrait of the artist's wife sylvie
compiled from images based on a search for the lyrics of bob dylan's just like a woman
nature gets a look in too with a serene pre-tsunami beach scene
and a couple of collages of our little planet from outer space
it's also a hands-on exhibition
there's an apple mac set up with the appropriate software loaded
to enable random words or phrases to be entered
to produce fully composed images using results from google images
all in all a very fulfilling 30-40 minutes spent
at this free exhibition

lucky miles

it's not very often if ever that i go to opening night of a film
but it must be the non-ratings period or equivalent for films
because they just don't seem to be turning over very often
been on the lookout for a tempting film for a while
but shrek 3, oceans 13 and harry potter 23
are not on my list of must-sees or even try-and-sees
i'd read a bit about this one and seen it reviewed on at the movies
so it was a definite on the list and tonight was opening night
not wanting to take any chances i went to the theatre
pre-dinner to secure my ticket, went off and ate and then returned
oddly enough there was no-one queuing (so much for beating the queue)
even more strange was that i walked into a completely empty theatre
but much to my relief by the time the ads and previews had rolled
a quick glance around confirmed i was not alone - 5 other people
it was not until the end of the first unexpected scene and the opening titles
that i even felt totally sure i was in the right theatre
so that was then put aside and i settled in to let this one wash over me
we're on the north-west corner of australia
on the beach with 2 separate groups of boat people
who have been dumped there and pointed off to the road to perth
....just over the top of that sand dune - see ya (suckers)
the boat is owned and operated by unsympathetic indonesians
and the abandoned passengers are cambodians and iraqis
the first part of the film leads us through a serious of events
that sees the group down to a trio of 1 of each nationality
and we are introduced to their bumbling pursuers from the local army reserve
another trio of disparate personalities and ethnic backgrounds
so it's actually quite a clever set-up of characters
and manages to avoid the politicisation that could be attached to this plot
the middle part of the film sees us wandering fairly randomly
around the stark and unforgiving australian outback
the cinemaphotography comes into its own
and probably is the star of the show at this point
as the characters are at odds with each other
and for my part i was also starting to lose interest
just wasn't too sure what to make of the situation
nor figure out what it was that i was meant to be getting from all this
my mind started wandering back to an interview i had seen with the director
michael james rowland who referred to a book i had read 7-8 years ago
called the lexus and the olive tree by thomas friedman
all about globalisation and the herd mentality of chasing the dollar
this film is apparantly the directors attempt to portray the possible fallout of that
that is the displacement of people and the accidental clash of cultures
so as i'm wandering around the outback with them i'm sort of getting it
but not entirely convinced as it seems to get lost here somewhat
but of course that is exactly what is intended
and then things start to get more interesting and even funny
friendships, trust and loyalty creep in very gently
as does a clever portayal of the ingenuity of the average bloke
when faced with some fairly dire situations
the 2 trios are kept apart but following a parallel path
and when the law and the outlaws do finally meet we expect the worst
but it's a high point of the film with some laugh out loud moments
from then on we are in total empathy with all the characters
and it's a great ride to the end of the film
i don't think it's going to do big business
but it's a genuine feel-good film
i walked out of the theatre
loving living in multi-cultural newtown
go see it

random tunes part 4

cold cold night in sydney town
apparantly we are experiencing the coldest days since the 1980's
this will please no doubt all those that want to deny global warming
not realising that in fact we're well underway with climate change
which basically means more extremes of everything
something to look forward to
just like my little game of random tunes
fire up the iriver, hit the shuffle button and see what comes up
'84 pontiac dream by boards of canada
ok i confess this isn't random play
it's the first tune alphabetically in my player
have to go there and then hit shuffle
but it's a lovely piece of work that deserves a mention
boc are a couple of scottish blokes i believe
who are camped in the genre of modern music
that is noises, beats, samples, vocal-less stuff
in their case mostly played and recorded using analogue equipment
so it has a certain warmth and kind of real feel to it
this is a very cruisy number that typically gets in the head and stays there
it gets so sentimental by the laughing clowns
the more i hear of this re-mastered material
and the more i hear live today's jazz/improvised music
the more i wish i had been there when this band was alive and kicking
this one has a ringing guitar riff reminiscent of church bells
and the rawest, dirtiest, sleaziest sax sound you could wish for
c'mon ed bring 'em back the world needs the clowns
la del ruso by the gotan project
epic 7 minute track from their magnificent inspiracion espiracion album
this one takes the listener on an amazing aural journey
it's an absolute feast of music kind of centred around a piano riff
but there is so much else going on - trumpets, acoustic guitars, percussion
and an infectiously, groovey south american feel/beat
brought to the fore by the sound of the bandoneon
which to me is the trademark sound of this superb french-argentinian outfit
draw near by the tord gustavsen trio
ok i admit i'm totally biased in my judgement of this trio
but to me they have taken up camp in a part of the musical world
that is entirely their own and to which they will be at for a very long time
this tune is the third track on their latest album
it's a beautiful number demonstrating their sense of touch and melody
hicaz dolpa by mustafa kandirali
i subscribe to an email newsletter out of the u s called rootsworld
they stream the most amazing music with the newsletter
this chap came up on the last one - inspired me to get the album
he of gypsy heritage born in 1930 and turkey's answer to miles davis on clarinet
the album is sensational with an assortment of rhythms, beats and sounds
like this one with the wildest clarinet playing on top of it all
a punch by radiohead
back down to earth with this tune from the masters
a sub 3 minute number with minimal accompaniment
a single strummed electric guitar
and thom and another falsetto voice harmonising - lovely
les passantes by coure de berra
talk about harmonising - this group have mastered it
more minimal instrumentation with a lone violin
which delivers an oh-so-familiar line
but the voices are the stars with a rich delivery
in french of what seems to be a very sad song
cry a tear for the man in the moon by richard hawley
this guy should be famous - step aside michael bubble
he has a stunning voice that would make ol blue eyes jealous
and he's not afraid to croon it as well
but with a spark of originality that makes him unique
this one has a lone electric guitar and a simple catchy lyric
come with us by brian eno and david byrne
from the classic 1980 album my secret life in the bush of ghosts
remastered recently and now sounding from the future not the past
the noises they have layered on this track are extraordinary
all held together by a simple 2 note electronica sound
you can never have too much eno
fara by ali farka toure
nor this chap and a nice way to close tonight's proceedings
from his last studio album before he shuffled off
another male voice and single backing guitar
harmonising voices lead to an acoustic guitar solo
that can only be from west africa - way laid back coolness reigns
that's it
feeling much warmer now
...thanks to all tonights participants

hayley jensen

tonight in the spirit of let it flow
i find myself back at the vanguard hotel in newtown
in the company of long lost friends and acquaintances
with the common goal of providing support to an up and coming artist
apparantly she has already had her moment in the spotlight
having had national ex-pos-ure on australian idle
but now pursuing a serious career as an entertainer
i'd heard she was above the average
and at least had a good voice, songs to sing
and a yearning to rise above the pack and sch-lack
of all that 15 minutes in the spotlight is provided by said tv show
so i lowered the musical snob barriers
and ventured forth with open ears to partake of this experience
before show-time i find myself introduced to hayley's partner tim
and in a slightly intoxicated manner take the opportunity
in 15 words or less (read paragraphs)
impart upon him my take on the music business, the industry of music
to which i feel, given the circumstances, and the red wine intake
i can teach this young whippersnapper a thing or 2
now on the basis that he nodded, smiled and agreed a lot
i assume my message got through
hic, it's a jungle out there, hic, in my day, hic, stay true to your music, hic
blah-dy, blah-dy, blah, blah, blah
funnily enough come showtime and my foil has quietly relocated
hayley is on stage with a 3 piece band in backup
and occassional acoustic guitar from support act anthony snape
the band is a competent bass, guitar and drums/percussion lineup
she certainly has a striking voice
clear as a bell and strong with it as well
she hits all the notes bang on
the band play very loudly but she still comes out on top
there are a host of self-written and co-written songs
which all sound of a decent quality and appealing enough
but the big moment of the night is when as she introduces quote
a cover of a cover of a song originally done by sting
and laterly recorded by eva cassidy who hayley is a big fan of
fields of gold which for me is probably the best song
both of these artists ever recorded
she did it beautifully and had the audience lapping it up
later in the set she also hauled out another eva cover
time after time by cyndi lauper which was also done very well
throughout the performance i was wondering how she will go
i think she has every chance of becoming successful
seems she has already snared a loyal following
she has the voice, the songs, the attitude, the patience
similarly she has got good management and record company backing
so given the correct guidance and everything else it will all come good
i hope she doesn't get tagged as the eva clone
sonically at least she is up there with her
so maybe her own unique take on a few other songs
will make those that need something to hook onto
sit up, take notice and move on from her illustrious past
cheers hayley

rokia traore live

another star from mali in west africa
i did see her live back in 2001 at my first womadelaide
she performed on a side stage in the middle of the afternoon
i.e. not exactly headline status but even then there was something about her
skip forward to april 2004 and this dvd captures her in concert
in front of a large audience at la cigale in paris
she comes on stage in her bare feet
with her acoustic guitar and slightly nervously i think
performs a tune called kele mandi
a very gentle number with some sublime guitar playing
her beauty is striking - she radiates it in spades
i hope this is not an insult to her, him or anyone else
she reminds me of a female version of george gregan
but with a guitar in her hand and a song or 2 in her heart
she is drop dead gorgeous and seems equally loved and adored
by men and women alike judging by the audience reaction
and the mix of genders i have shown this dvd to
the second tune is called sara
and she is joined on stage by the full band
2 men on traditional n'goni (lute) instruments
swinging away at stage left creating a unique string sound
a 3 member percussion section also on various traditional instruments
mr white boy on bass looking very comfortable
and an equally beautiful backup singer
they all look at ease with the music and each other
hard to believe that such a lineup can produce music of such complexity
but that is always what has struck me about african music
they make it look so easy when in fact it is all but that
at least for those amongst us that lack the genes
so can only look and listen in wonder at how it is done
the third tune called dianguina features the talking drum
and rokia now free of her guitar
she now gives us all a lesson in traditional african dance
body-twirling, arm-swinging, leg-splaying, head-tossing, bare-footing
with mesmerising effect to the infectious music
she breaks into a dialogue french at the end of this tune
which i suspect is quite political as i hear the word mali spoken several times
and she does appear to be in serious mode while this goes on
back on the guitar for m'bifo
which is one of the standout tracks on her last album
featuring beautiful vocal harmonies
one of these days i'm going to watch this concert
with the subtitles turned on just to also get the lyrical dimension
but in a way i don't want to do that
just take it as it is - a visual and musical treasure

music of the world c part 1

this is a bit of a no-brainer exercise
in terms of having to be even a little bit creative
when composing the contents of this post
this is part 3 in a series of about 26
covering the music of the world a-z
as presented in an article in songlines magazine july/august 2006
but even the process of transcribing the article
means re-reading, re-processing and hopefully re-membering
something about each of the various world music genres exposed
with thanks again to songlines magazine

calypso (trinidad)

late 19th century african work songs co-parented calypso
and the earliest recordings (1914) feature tambour-bamboo drums with acoustic guitars
by the 40's, tuned steel drums (pans) carried the lightly syncopated springy rhythms
which support the calypsonians' improvised poetry
patois, slang and double entendre satires of topical subjects
(political scandals to cricket)
are wielded in the annual carnivale calypso monarch contests
calypso reached post-war london via lord kitchener and friends
and 50's superstar mighty sparrow was overshadowed
by harry belafonte's diluted million-seller 'calypso' in 1956
by the 80's, calypso was displaced by the soul/calypso fusion, soca

songlines recommends london is the place for me trinidadian calypso in london 1950-1956
esne notes the blatant rip-off commercial end of the scale but does dreadlock holiday rate?

choro (brazil)

choro is the ragtime of brazil and the mother of samba and bossa nova
for just as jazz lies latent in ragtime, so those later rhythms lie latent in choro
the rhythm grew from a fusion of african and european dance hall styles - particularly polka
rio's masked balls, including those at carnavale were exclusive for the white and rich
and like carnavale itself, choro was born when poor african brazilians
created their own festivities in the favelas which honeycombed rio's hills
even in the early 20th century

songlines recommends pixinguinha (self-titled)
esne notes seems that this performer is to choro what robert johnson is to the blues

chamame (argentina)

from the rich soils of corrientes and misiones
chamame sprouted when migrant workers from eastern europe
rubbed hoes with guarani natives and africans from brazil
the sprightly rhythm has been a folk dance favourite since the late 19th century
but it was legendary accordionist mario del transito cocmarola (1918-1974)
who turned it into a powerful regional roots music
the title of his most iconic song, kilometro 11
evokes a landscape where there are no great cities
just milestones where people chat, flirt, dance and, occassionally, despair
in all his compositions, cocomarola balances the melancholy and passion of chamame
with it's sweet, rocking beat

songlines recommends estampa correntina by transito cocmarola
esne notes possibly a influence on the gotan project?

there's another 3 styles in the c part of the alphabet
will save them for next time
that's 10 down and 40 to go
....mind-boggling

mark isaacs resurgence band

now this one came up on me very quickly
i was sure that i was going to go and see a film
but i had this niggling feeling i had made a promise to myself
not to go and see any more war movies no matter the recommendation
and so it came down to a choice between a war and dead people
and a concert with very much alive people
fluked a seat left of stage looking directly on to mark isaacs on piano
so i felt reassured that i had made the correct choice
had an equally excellent view of the rest of the band
matt keegan on clarinet and saxophone
brett hirst on standup bass
tim firth on drums and percussion
james muller on guitar
young jazz guns ready to fire
i only know of this man by reputation
though i think i own a series of cd's titled air/water/fire/earth
released in the 1980's by a mark isaacs
who i had assumed then was an overseas performer
need to dig them out and check the connection, or not
the band started and my immediate reaction
was that of a very well rehearsed outfit
in the first tune there was amazingly tight harmonisizing
between piano, saxophone, guitar and bass
at times each playing the same line of music in perfect unison
that became a feature of the whole set
one member would be off doing impressive solos supported by the band
or 2, 3 or 4 members would be doing the harmonising thing
they really were that loose and tight as required
it was a pleasure to watch a composer pianist at work
none of the material felt familiar which i think is a good thing
at times there seemed to be a slight eastern feel to it
at other times we were heading into blues territory
and then with the electric guitar at full voice we were in rock mode
mark introduced each tune with grace and humour
and a very obvious reverence to his fellow musicians
one tune introduced was titled you never forget love
or as he stated it could be you never forget, love
or as he said in most of our cases (maledom i think he meant)
you always forget, love
this one started so quietly even though 5 musicians were playing
and the audience was so engrossed and going with the music
that i'm sure i could hear the candles on the tables fluttering
now that seems highly unlikely but that's how in control they were
it doesn't seem right to single out anyone for special mention
but now i understand why mark isaacs is held in such regard
he writes, arranges, plays, and leads exceptional music
he was all over his keyboard when in solo mode
hands crossed, sliding up and down, or staccato like at times
his time in the spotlight was limited but put to great use
each other musician similarly performed standout solos
matt keegan was superb and at one point
reminded me very satisfyingly of kenny garrett
in some footage i have seen of him with miles davis
james muller on electric guitar was also superb
if desired he could out-solo any guitar axe in any rock band
but additionally add the textures required in this top jazz band
the rhythm department of hirst and firth shone when invited
but mostly provided the essentials for the others to work with
there was a full and very enthusiastic house tonight
mark explained they are about to go on tour
first up to queensland for their annual music festival
then across to asia for a tour of major cities
they are going to love them over there
jazz stars in the making
good luck to them i say

edouard bronson and friends

subtitled the audience member from hell episode
back to the sound lounge at the seymour centre on friday night
i was quietly anticipating this one based on the writeup in the sima program
as has been usual lately went stage right and parked myself at one of many available tables
settled in a few minutes before start of set to be joined in an adjacent table by a lady
who seemed to be alone so i assumed maybe wife/girlfiend of one of the musicians
band started up and work themselves into the first number
a definite case of finding their way with each other
building to a number that all members of the group
indicated musically they were into it and settled
hadn't noticed that another lady had joined the first and was seated next to me
dale barlow stepped forward as spokesman and introduced the band and the song
apparantly named thomas after a place called thomastown
with wry humour dale explained he felt confident we had understood all that
and with a cheeky smile he asked the audience if anyone had been to thomastown
yes - she cried - me - you took me there - she yelled
her accent has me initially thinking maybe there is such a place in the u s of a
a startled look from dale and into a most unwanted dialogue we went
almost completely floored him but he gathered himself to present the next piece
an improvised piece to be titled friday the 13th in honour of the occassion
it was a refief to be back in the music
but my neighbour had other ideas and took up the challenge
she clapped, she pointed, she whooped, she shouted, she....encouraged
she whipped out the mobile phone and all but stuck it in dale's face
trying to get the best closeup of a photo to send to her friends
i'm praying that she doesn't ask her friend
to take one of her and dale while he is performing
the next tune is introduced as
something dark and mysterious from the undiscovered cosmos
the band took us all over the place with this one
i'm now thinking i'm way into this improvised music
and my neighbours too though in the literal sense
for their conversation was so loud it was competing with the musicians for space
it occurred to me that seeing the ladies were actually seated under the p.a.
they probably thought it was ok to shout at each other at a gig
except in this case they were the only ones doing that in the whole room
i loved what the band was doing but the end of the set couldn't come soon enough
i had to do it - i relocated to a more central table away from the maddening crowd
mr barlow introduced the first song of the second set with his bamboo flute in hand
and subtly suggested if anyone wanted to dance
there was a spot at the back of the room over there.....
but they didn't get it and chose not to take up the invitation
i swear dale barlow played his flute through the whole next tune
trying to stare down our enthusiastic friend as she wound up again
i bowed my head, closed my eyes, tried to concentrate on the music
but even halfway across the room i could hear their banter
it was too much for another braver audience member than i
why don't you please shut the *%$# up
very direct, very incisive, very effective, for about 3 minutes
anyway enough of that - more attention than she deserved
let me introduce the members of this rare band
stage left is eddie bronson leader and legend in local improvised music
russian immigrant originally from moscow
taking a moment to explain almost jokingly
we were experiencing a new style of music...
play anything, anyhow, anytime, anywhere, to anybody
to his left on double bass is mike majkowski
master of pulling inconceivable noises from a double bass
for example the flaying with both hands on the top of the strings
to extract a sound reminiscent of a greek bouzoukia
james waples on drums and percussions
looking very happy to be improvising without limitation
as a counter to his exquisite ensemble playing of 2 weeks prior
aaron flower on guitar also looking very comfortable
perched on a stool adding an impressive range of guitar noises to the mix
and dale barlow moving between baritone sax, tenor sax, traditional and bamboo flutes
they played with supreme confidence and improvised in unison
and were hugely satisfying and experience expanding
at the end of the last set dale genuinely thanked the audience
he said sometimes the audience is so part of the performance
it's like having a sixth member on stage he said
summoning all the wry wit he could muster
i don't think they got that either
more please...

screaming masterpiece

unashamed music junkie is what i am
i thought it was something that would dissipate with the years
maybe it's just a phase i am going through (i hope not)
but these days i'm almost totally obsessed by the stuff
i have a jukebox on my computer stacked with compilation cds
i have a mp3 player stacked with my favourite albums
i have at least 3 venues within walking distance presenting quality original music
i have a bunch of music shops in my suburb that i have become very familiar with
tonight i had an urge to strap on the iriver and walk
which i did - from one cd shop to another
it's probably not a good idea to go into a music shop
with an mp3 player strapped on and music feeding into your head
kind of walking into a bar already half sloshed
you're not going to not partake in that which is on offer
so feeling in the mode for something visual as well as aural
i scoured the music dvds declining all the usual suspects
then noticed on the new releases wall this very interesting looking dvd
screaming masterpiece
the familiar yet manic bjork gracing the cover
her name and a list of other 9 others listed on the front
including sigur ros which bumped the interest factor off the scale
closer inspection reveals it's a film/documentary on icelandic music
perfect for a world music devotee such as myself
the purchase is made and inspected over a pasta and wine at lucky jim's
then taken home, dropped into the dvd player
projector fired up and sit back to let it unfold
the mind is open (the glass is full)
in between amazing footage of the great outdoors of iceland we see
- sigur ros at full throttle in concert in new york
- mum and slowblow in collaboration bashing things rhythmically
- bardi johannsson making big cure-ish noises to a huge devoted audience
- apparat organ quartet with a full rock band backing doing a fuller kraftwerk
- eivor palsdottir a female electric guitarist with a stunning voice in front of a 4 piece band
- an unnamed string quartet with electronica backing in a cathedral
- bjork singing beautifully with an orchestra at an outdoor concert in new york
- trabant an experimental group performing for the president of iceland in his home
- mugison an acoustic guitarist singing and playing somewhere in reykjavik
- odin's raven magic performing an 800 year old poem with orchestra and choir
- slowblow a lo-fi alternative male/female multi-instrument outfit
- mum presented in video form with a gentle electronica backed tune
- footage from a 1981 film documenting iceland's punk heritage
- archival footage of the sugarcubes in the 80's
- ghostigital a full-on electronic based outfit
- quarashi performing their rap/rock in tokyo
- amina a young 3 piece violin/cello female group with electronica
- dans three an electronic group backing up bjork in new york
- sigur ros performing a beautiful moving piece at an outdoor concert
- singapore sling a hardcode alternative band in a club
- vinyl doing an icelandic version of the birthday party
- minus icelands answer to the ramones
- nilfisk the archetypal garage band picked up by the foo fighters
- a massed choir and orchestra doing something presumably uniquely icelandic
very disparate music but with some things in common
a striking vein of freshness and originality
a dedicated and enthusiastic audience
a society obviously very supportive of their musicians
now get this mind-boggling fact
stats that roll up at one point state iceland is a nation of
300,000 people
90 music schools
6,000 choir members
400 orchestras and marching bands
and an unknown number of rock bands, jazz combos and dj's
sounds like mecca for a music junkie
me wanna go...

being there

the third studio album from the tord gustavsen trio
wangaratta jazz festival october 2004
this was my first visit to this festival encouraged by a friend
who owns the local music shop and regularly sells cds at the festival
the trio performed late on the first night
i was in the audience purely out of curiousity and lack of other choice
they were unbelievably, stunningly, amazingly brilliant
and i was not alone in that judgement
after the show i was asked to help my friend on his cd stand
we spent 20-30 minutes flat out selling both albums
sold all he had available - about 400 cd's from go to whoa
next morning they were on again and word had got out
the concert hall was unusually packed for saturday morning
ditto at the last concert on the sunday night
3 incredible performances in 3 days
i had the fortune to chat briefly to tord at one point
the most humble, interested, friendly, gracious man
and his 2 cohorts seemed similarly approachable
maybe that is the norwegian way
or maybe just good manners or smart business
they came back to australia 18 months ago
performed as part of the sydney arts festival
and a one off performance in melbourne
i went to both those shows also
and had the pleasure of joining them for dinner in melbourne
so there you have disclosure - i'm totally biased in my judgement
now bearing in mind there are limitations in a 3 piece lineup with no vocals
and an obvious preference for space, melody, technique
it would be easy to hear sameness in tracks and albums
so you have to be very patient and repeat play and listen
as i have done lately with this latest album
at home
it only takes 3 piano notes on this first track
there is only one pianist i know of that is at work here
then the trademark percussion and double bass are with us
and we are back, ahem, at home in the company of their beautiful music
vicar street
i recall tord introducing this on their last visit
apparantly inspired by a recording studio in dublin
the 3 musicians in unison here challenging and firing each other
and then the piano kicks in on melody until fade-out
draw near
slow, slow, slow number - bass plucked gently and randomly
percussion every so lightly tapped or stroked
and piano equally caressed and a tune drawn out
blessed feet
military drumming on the snare introduces this one
then some relatively heavy handed piano playing
you can almost picture his feet working the pedals
as this one works itself up into what could be a rock tune
complete with a bridge and change of key
sani
harald bass player takes a break
jarle drummer rattles away on his cymbals
tord pianist hammers out a pleasant little tune
interlude
jarle now also takes a break
tord noodles away at firing out a monotic beat on one hand
and tinkers around with a melody using the other
preparing us for the next track
karmosin
solo and brief drumming using all his gear
piano tinkering up the top end
and the bit i remember from the live concert
drumsticks being dragged across the cymbals
and then we are dropped into a tune
that has me going all goose-bumpy and teary
remember the final emotional scene of one flew over....
moose escaping across the hospital lawns
remember the music? this reminds me of that
still there
the thing that always strikes me about this outfit
is that sometimes as on this lovely piece
you feel you know the tune or the chords or the melody
there's a tune on a previous album with echoes of song for guy
but it's all coincidence even if it does bring the comfort of recognition
where we want
rock out track with the 3 of them hard at it
starting out with organised noise making
then tord demonstrates his skills at speed on the keyboards
before it settles down and eases out gently
cocoon
sometimes you hear a tune that you are unfamiliar with
that behaves itself just as you want it to
you hear a note or a chord or a bar
and the next one is just right
this is one of those
around you
i find there is always one or two tunes on an album
that do not immediately connect
i take that as a positive
repeat playings and this one could also be a standout
vesper
double bass dominates this one
and showcases some excellent playing
where piano and bass are in unison
same notes, same key, same tune
wide open
did i mention the incredible touch of the percussion
the rhythmical bass playing
the confidence of the piano playing
and how they all work together so well
album closer leaves you wanting more

cheers for repeat play
and to the trio
is good...

that striped sunlight sound

is the name of the dvd recently released
of the latest incarnation of the go-betweens
performing in their home town of brisbane in 2005
at the tivoli theatre which has to be one of the best music venues around
i saw and listened to the go-betweens a lot in the 80's
hadn't caught up with their more recent releases post re-forming
but as it happens the death of grant mclennan last year
sparked a revival of interest and this dvd seemed perfect
hear some old and new material and also see them live
they start gently with gwm solo on acoustic doing black mule
then mr forster wanders on and the 2 of them
harmonise beautifully on clouds
which is one of my all time favourite songs by anyone
off the 16 lovers lane album from the 80's
the other 2 members of the band are then on stage
and doing a couple of tunes from the latest albums
one of the things i like about live concert dvd's
especially projected to take up a whole wall
is the sense of being right there
and depending on the camera work
also feeling like you're actually right on stage with the band
this one does that particularly well
it's hard not to look at gwm up close looking happy and healthy
knowing that within a year of this concert
it's all over - part company, bye bye pride, gone, dead
finding you is a standout track featuring the man
so sad - he just looks so calm, happy, contented
doing what he obviously loved above all else
performing his own tunes with his peers
to an appreciative audience
the hits are rolled out and played superbly
spring rain, streets of your town, was there anything i could do
there's quite a few songs i had not heard before
but they are equally as impressive as the older material
in summary - a fine concert from an even finer band
a great momento of this man's
time on earth

random tunes part 3

this exercise is totally self-indulgent
but so is the exercise of writing a daily blog
i don't necessarily need to justify it
but since picking up this little daily habit
i find i am actually thinking a lot more
about that which is before me
be it a film, live music, recorded music
or whatever else i may decided to blog on about
the nature of my work, and hence the nature of my head
means that most waking hours of the day are spent
planning, constructing, de-constructing, writing, re-writing, fixing, breaking
and generally focused unhealthily on my work (life)
to the detriment of all else - and i mean all else
so this daily distraction may continue for a while
one of favorite games is random tunes
turn on the mp3 player and hit shuffle...
quando me sinto so (when i feel alone) by mariza
this fado singer from portugal was the star at womadelaide this year
i have never, ever been so transfixed by a performer
it was a breathtaking performance in a beautiful setting
fado apparantly is a style of music used to express that feeling of hopelessness
when all hope is gone - almostly entirely in the romantic sense
this one a great example and brilliant production too
crush by willard grant conspiracy
americana is a genre i find i am drawn to
mostly about guitar based bands centred around
a singer/songwriter with a good handle on his craft
and straightup songs about everyday situations
yeah alright the sun is shining
yeah alright its a brand new day
yeah alright there's always tomorrow
that's the best that i can say
eu sei que vou te amar by bebo and cigala
bebo is an 85 year old cuban pianist composer
cigala is a 35 year old flamenco singer
they put out one album a couple of years ago
absolutely no idea what the songs are about
but they make great music together
dark days by fat freddy's drop
nz group takes the world by storm
or so the world music press would have us believe
another womadelaide guest this year
they performed a brilliant mid-afternoon set
this one is a real grower - slow simmering start
moving through various phases to the climax
it's hard to be happy in a world that's so cruel
where the weak just get weaker
where the powerful fued
where children go hungry with soldiers at their side
lay down your weapons take hold of your lives
a distorted reality is now a necessity to be free by elliot smith
i saw this man perform at the annandale pub in sydney about 10 years ago
lost track of him until this album was released
shorly after he removed himself from this planet
in that sense it's quite sad listening to the songs
this one isn't the best on the album
but it gets along quite nicely thankyou very much
toumani by toumani diabate's symmetric orchestra
another brilliant musician out of mali
this is one busy and complex album
typified by this busy tune featuring in no particular order
koras, saxaphone, string section, brass, solo, backup vocals
and various changes of keys and beats
you just can't imagine whitey-boy getting even close to this
paperbag writer by radiohead
another totally un-radiohead tune from them
this one has full on strings and a syncopated beat
and a bass line straight out of.....
.....something very recognisable
do not ever accuse radiohead of being regurgitators
listen by lambchop
sigh...this is just the most gorgeous tune
i can not ever, ever hear this one too much
it's the piano you see it just aches
not to mention the pedal steel just so
i only own one of their albums and it's so good
i'm a bit wary to take on another and be even slightly disappointed
suffragette city by seu jorge
yes the david jones song stripped back to one singer and one guitar
he being the deckhand on the boat in the life aquatic film
that sang bowie songs throughout the film
saw it for sale and bought it - it really is very pleasant
recusa (refusal) by mariza
brilliant - finish up where we started
this one is a real knees up
gets along at a very handy pace
her voice as always way up front throwing down the guantlet
to the musicians on their classical and flamenco guitars
nice way to end - full circle and all that
...more next time

inga liljestrom

i must have been living under a rock
not to have been aware of the existence of this lady
she has a sunday residency at the vanguard
don't get there too often for some unexplained reason
but i always keep an eye on who is performing
and the website promo on this one caught my eye
with her sultry vocal delivery set against a cinematic musical backdrop
inga jiljestrom effortlessly takes jazz syncopations
and marries them with the racier elements of pure electro
the 2 operative words being jazz and electro
i had a feeling we were in for a treat
seeing the band going about the business
of preparing for their performance
the lady in red satin, beautifully highlighting her long black hair
the lead guitarist in jeans, black t-shirt and pointy cap
gisbon les paul hanging from his neck
looking ready for action as though in an ac/dc tribute band
similarly attired were the double bass player and drummer
rounding out the band was a lady introduced as sophie on cello
first number totally mesmerising
your love is a bullet
slow, slow number with inga's voice dominant
forget the jazz and electro labels
no brass, keyboards or samplers in sight
every other song an original and unlike any other in the set
subtle use of a smoke machine and projected visuals
made the visual presentation an equal to the audio
the sound mix was also superb
and unusually got a special thanks from the stage
this is unclassifiable music - so let's call it modern
i don't think i saw the guitar being strummed all night
instead a flow of sounds and noises pulled from the instrument
and added to the mix of bowed double bass and cello
and of wide ranging percussion and singing
she is a multi-talented lady with a stunning voice
she plays at least ukelele and alto harp
both her accompaniment of choice in the quieter song or 2
she made great use of a microphone disguised as a telephone hand piece
which warped her vocals into a lower tone megaphone kind of sound
presumably she also writes the songs as well
a quick check of her website says there are 4 albums out already
i'm feeling decidely ignorant about this talented lady
so repeat visits to the vanguard on sunday night
over the next few weeks may get me over that
amazing

live earth 07.07.07

this was not something i had planned on watching
but a call from a friend with an extended invitation
found me watching the live earth concert from sydney
projected and amplified in scale in the comfort of a home
we came in relatively late in the proceedings
as the john butler trio were concluding their set
and seemed to be delivering their message
to a large and appreciative audience
being the fan of live music i admit i am
i then settled in for an expectant enjoyable night's entertainment
band of the moment wolfmother were up next
delivering all the hits in their 5 song set
the crowd seemed to love them
one of the highlights of the concert no doubt
they rocked
they were awesome
they were lots of other cliches as well
they also looked out of their depth i thought
stadium rockers they may wanna be
but for me there's a yawning gap they need to overcome first
next up was jack johnson
resident of hawaii but loved in every beach suburb of australia
uh-oh i'm thinking that's a big stage he has to fill
and a big crowd ready to rock man
he came on stage with a 4 piece band
himself on acoustic guitar
and piano player, bassist and drummer
i'm thinking surely he's not feeling that comfortable
especially after having to suffer an on-screen interview
by one of the channel v good-looking boys....
uh jack, is there something else we should be doing apart from recycling tea-bags
uh jack, are you now going to use guitars made from recycled paper
uh jack, do you think i am a complete moron and have no interest in or idea about this cause
i felt it wasn't much better for jack on stage
i'm sure i detected booing in between songs - the crowd was in rock mode
but jack pushed on regardless
and for those that bothered to pay attention
delivered a set of heartfelt songs
that certainly caught the ear of this non believer
i can now see why he is so popular
there's beauty in them there songs
a special mention has to be made also of the piano player
completely in tune with jack and filling out the acoustic sound
with lovely piano playing and vocal harmonising
all over too soon and then
the honourable peter garrett on stage to introduce the headline act
how appropriate i'm thinking
a man with the musical credentials
and the political aspirations
to provide an appropriate point of reference at this event
but the crowd weren't that interested
they were there to rock
not to be reminded that there's an election coming up
where their vote might actually be quite important
but try as he might they weren't having it
and so did his best to enthusiastically introduce the headline act
crowded house
picking up where they left off 11 years ago
playing to a large crowd at an outdoor concert
pretty well the same lineup playing the same songs
they were very, very good
the crowd loved them and sang along with gusto
just like it was 1996 all over again
except vale paul hester, hello whoever you are on drums/percussions
bit disappointing that neil chose not to do the honours there
or mention it was his son accompanying on acoustic guitar
or thank pg for the kind and generous introduction
or use his moment in the spotlight to make even a small mention
of the reason for the concert
highly ironic then i thought that the lights went out
and they had to complete their set in darkness
neil looked a bit flustered by this unexpected problem
not a good look in front of the supposed 2 billion overseas audience
but they pushed on admirably
to the big climax
with all the performers on stage
singing along to better be home soon
peter garrett left of stage on his own
doing his best to be seen to be enjoying the experience
just didn't seem right to me
he's no saviour
but it should have been his gig
except we were there for the music
not anything else...

ten part invention

a music magazine i subscribe to is wire
it comes out of the uk on a monthly basis
what i enjoy most about this publication
is the inclusion of a sampler cd packed with music
that is loosely defined as modern music
i.e. whatever music that cannot be easily
assigned to one of the traditional genres
there are some amazing sounds evident on the sampler
probably only through lack of investigation
i often think there doesn't seem to be a culture of such music
evident if my corner of the world
at least not in public view
but tonight i think i encountered it first hand
ten part invention
comprises 10 musicians in 3 parts
up front 4 saxophone players
left stage rear piano, drums & percussion, and double bass
right stage rear the brass section of trombone and twin trumpets
they are internationally acclaimed having at least once
been invited to perform at the jazz festival of jazz festivals in chicago
but they defy categorising as a straight-up jazz band
much more experimental and inventive than that
they perform only their own material
no stunning interpretations of jazz standards here
i had a great seat down front stage right
and only a couple of metres from the stage
like having them in your own lounge room
it occurred to me as i was watching them play
they were enjoying the creative process so much
and had such confidence with each other's ability
that the crowd was completely incidental
they could have been having a private jam session
not to say they didn't acknowledge the audience
there was ample entertainment both musically
and funny anecdotes thanks to drummer/leader john pochee
but when the music was flowing
if was for each other that they seemed to be playing most
it was fascinating to watch at one point 9 of the members
very efficiently signalling each other as the best way
to re-launch a tune that had been lost
due to a sax solo feeding on itself
and growing much larger presumably than the notation
in this case the recovery was totally seamless and successful
and had several members whooping it up on re-launch
a standout tune called folk song written by trumpeter miroslav bukovsky
really hammered home the modernity of their music
tuned out instruments, notes and keys
intersecting to set up a very eastern european feel
that then led into some superb harmonising and soloing
over an extended time before coming back again to where we started
i think it was during this piece that i realised
that what i was hearing and seeing a few metres away
was an outfit that could easily feature in wire magazine
or be included in the cd sampler
another example of a group
producing highly individual music
but in this part of the world
sound lounge fridays
way to go...

paris je t'aime

now this is going to take some doing
trying to articulate my thoughts on this film
knowing i would be attempting to do such a thing
i decided from the first of the 17 short films
that make up the total film
to try and put to memory each short story in order
or at least something of significance to jog the memory later
i got to 5 and then found i was focused on that task
rather than what i should have been doing
which was to simply enjoy the film
without trying to memorise, theorise, analyse
this film is a curious mixture of many different films
the point in common is the location of paris
love, partnerships, breakups are also a common thread
i was actually prepared for the film being a loose collection
but hadn't expected to experience such diversity
in the themes, styles and direction of the 17 short stories
and in true consistent inconsistency
some stories had an opening title whereas most did not
it took a bit to get used to that fact often one was over
and we had embarked on another story without warning
but that would have been fully intentional no doubt
thinking about what really makes the film so good
is that as a viewer i was very quickly empathetic
with the character or characters central to each story
the opening story being a great example of that
it started out with the daily issue for a lot of city-dwellers
...finding somewhere to park the car
the way in which we behave during the search
and the even sillier way in which we protect our patch when won
things got serious after that but it was a clever opening
another favourite story featured a silent steve buscemi
completely out-beaning rowan atkinson
hilarious stuff set in a metro station
there was a marcel marceau tribute
featuring a mime artist moving around
some famous paris landmarks
the tragedy imbued in another film
in which the victim of a random act of violence
dies in the arms of the woman
he loves and has sought the attention of
also demonstrates how quickly empathy is obtained
and sadness then also drawn out
things got almost scary
for this abstainer of horror flicks
with none other than elijah froddo wood
featuring in a quite dark and surreal vampire story
another favourite had us set up to expect the worst
in the clash of cultures our media is hammering us with
but it instead had an otherwise unexpected ending
one review i did read prior to seeing the film
suggested it would take repeated watchings
to pick up a lot of the more subtle detail
i'm hoping over the next few days
more detail will come to mind
but i suspect that reviewer is correct
and that this french pulp fiction
can be watched and enjoyed more than once

music of the world b

songlines magazine july/august 2006
a very insightful article covering the music of the world
a serious attempt to provide clarity and understanding
on the wonderful diversity of what is 'world' music
i have tried on several occassions to read and remember
but there is too much to take in and too much to get excited about
so following a very simple formula - a bit at a time
the second letter is now under the spotlight
with thanks to songlines...

bhangra (india/uk)

in the last 30 years, bhangra has come a long way
it started out in india's punjab
as a traditional music for bringing in the harvest
but has become one of the world' great urban styles
it's basis is the single-stringed tumbi played over infectious dhol drums
all supporting extrovert and melodramatic vocals
british punjabis revolutionised bhangra
crossbreeding it with the disco, pop and dance music they came into contact with in the west
this fed back to the subcontinent where bhangra rules
dominating indo-pop and bollywood film scores

songlines recommends nach nach by malkit singh
esne notes the dhol foundation - british based outfit led by 4 dhol drummers seen at womadelaide - very infectious rhythms

benga (kenya)

benga emerged as a pop style in the 50's
when kenyan musicians began adapting for acoustic guitar
the traditional dance rhythms of the luo people
originally played on instruments such as the nyatiti (eight stringed lyre)
by the 60's the likes of shirati jazz had electrified the sound
into a fast but fluid hypnotic push-and-pull rhythm
characterised by soft vocal harmonies and intersecting lead guitars
which has dominated kenyan music ever since

songlines recommends pinay ose mer by shirati jazz
esne notes nothing at all though a serious interest in hearing more

bossa nova (brazil)

bossa nova has been synonymous with brazil - and rio
since its inception in 50's copacabana
by singer-guitarist joao gilberto
pianist-composer antonio 'tom' jobin
and poet-lyricist vinicius de moares
bossa drew on samba's 2/4 notation but without the frienzedly syncopated percussion
a deliciously awkward dialogue exists between voice and guitar
and finger-picked chords relish the desafinado (out of tune) commemorated in jobim's classic
discreet cymbal beats imitate a woman's sashaying hips
bossa's debut was jobim's existentially melancholy 'chega de saudade'
immortalised in gilberto's 1958 version
while 'garota de ipanema' (girl from) by his wife astrud
launched an international frenzy and jazz collaborations led by stan getz
it captivated the world and even tropicalistas like caetano veloso
and today's electronica set explore it

songlines recommends elis and tom by elis regina and tom jobin
esne notes recent releases by bebel gilberto - daughter of joao and astrud - very accessible

bulerias (spain)

bulerias get their name from burlar (to make fun of)
and were created by gypsies of jerez de la frontera
playing around with alegria (and solea) rhythms
making the accentuation of their rhythmic count far more complex
upbeat favourites for fiestas, they were integral to the renovation of flamenco
by the groundbreaking 80's generation

songlines recommends aire by jose merce
esne notes the recommended album is the biggest selling flamenco album ever

phew - this is getting to be hard work - had the a's memorised
but the b's add more complexity to an overloaded mind
best get some recommended listening together i think
to add the missing and essential dimension to this exercise
more soon.....i hope

the way up live

lost count of the times i have watched this one
the dvd of the concert of the album of the same name
i've been a pat metheny fan for a long time
starting in the early 80's with his 80/81 album
over the years he seems to have developed 3 quite separate performing ensembles
solo, trios with assorted musicians, and the pat metheny group
which has at it's core himself, lyle mays (keyboards) and steve rodby (bass)
and joined by a floating lineup of various other musicians
i used to think his previous albums and dvds were excellent
and he could not get any better - but he has
he and lyle mays apparantly locked themselves away
and wrote the album from start to finish
with the intention of producing a single piece
a culmination of their 25 years plus work
something that could be recorded
and not necessarily ever played live
i bought the album soon after release
played it relentlessly and was totally satisfied
i took him for his word when he said it wouldn't be played live
so when i stumbled on the dvd in a shop a while back
a smile was immediately placed firmly on my dial
the purchase was made and since then on a good night
the dvd is dropped in the player
the projector fired up
the red wine opened
and all else is forgotten
while the group performs the piece faultlessly
it's not a light piece of music
not something to have playing in the background
it demands attention and even concentration
to my untrained ears and eyes there is a lot going on
like a symphony orchestra in full flight
all 7 musicians working as manically as you would ever see
but it also has melody and patches of serenity
where an acoustic guitar may be used to calm us all down
but before we know it things start cranking up again
and we're off again watching in awe as the group
plays so brilliantly they make it look, well, enjoyable
i don't want to go on about it (lies, damn lies)
but to me it seems such an accomplished work
i'm surprised about how little it is known or sells
not like in his home country of the u s of a
where the album set up sell-out tours
received grammy nominations
and led the group to be invited to play at festivals
in front of hundreds of thousands of people
still i shouldn't complain
if they ever make it to this part of the world
chances are they won't be playing in any entertainment centre
my feeling is however is that if i am ever going to see them live
i'm going to have to start a travel plan
that will cross paths somewhere, sometime with the group
which reminds me of a sad story for me
went to adelaide last year as always for womadelaide
flew down on the thursday morning
picked up the local paper over a cup of coffee
to find a review of the concert from the previous night
as part of the adelaide arts festival
yup - pat metheny did a one-off show
and i flew to the city the day after
luckily i had womad to get over it
the way up by the pat metheny group
an essential part of the esne snoner live concert collection

romulus, my father

i had contemplated going to see this one for a while
decided tonight was a good night to see a film
came down to a choice of 3
as is now quite often the case
the decision came down to a factor
of which one was most enviromentally friendly
i.e. walk to the cinema as opposed to driving
i'd read a few reviews and kind of knew what to expect
a study on european immigration
a father-son story
a view of life in outback australia
a timepiece
something uniquely australian
i also went to the film with no knowledge
of the author upon whom the story is based
raimond gaitor
the son of romulus and central figure in the film
i had a conversation a month or 2 ago
with someone who is a major fan of the book and it's author
hadn't seen the film but couldn't wait
this added to my expectation
i hope i'm not being too harsh here
but it was somewhat disappointing
it was beautifully filmed
with just-so-lovely footage
but it seemed so non-contiguous
every scene was left to live or die on its own merits
each one seemingly so obviously set up
all that was missing was the cry of 'action' and 'cut'
the actors didn't seem that interested in the full picture
just the here and now of the current scene
i tried to put this down even now
to maybe a style of direction
i am not used to or have not encountered before
concentrate on the getting the parts right
and the whole itself will surely be greater
in hindsight i think the problem may be because it is based on a book
and there is only so much detail that can be translated to the screen
especially if the book, the whole book and nothing but the book
is what is being laid out before us
i don't think this is a particularly complex story
but the speed at which characters came and went
were born, died, killed or committed suicide
were one moment in a hospital
and soon after in another
or introduced and then shelved
or introduced but not developed
or one moment living in one place
and the next somewhere else
was all a bit frustrating
for this viewer of no prior knowledge
it was like seeing a 90 minute trailer
of what could be a very good tv drama series
where things could be fleshed out
characters could be fully explained
actors allowed to inhabit their roles
and we could stay in one place for longer
yes i think i am being too harsh
it was a lovely film
really it was
really

random tunes part 2

sunday evening
should be doing something more productive
than playing russian roulette with my iriver
but it's too cold and dark to venture forth
and there's nothing too appealing on tv
besides i have work to do
but mr procrastination is in the room
and has taken charge of proceedings
although seems to be as keen as i
on having another 10 random tracks to comment on
maybe they will provide the spark i need...
tears transforming by the tord gustavsen trio
i first encountered this trio at the wangaratta jazz festival in 2004
saw them 3 times in 3 days
i don't want to sound over the top here
but my love of music expanded over those 3 days
because of this trio from norway
this one is a beautiful example
of their sense of melody and lightness of touch
wulu sky by david darling and the wulu bunun
talk about an unlikely pairing
classical celloist
meets forest dwellers of inner taiwan
known for their a cappella singing
this one is a teaser at 1 minute and 21 seconds
cello being gently plucked
with backing from a cacophony of birdlife
sometimes by the laughing clowns
mr ed played this one live a lot
after the demise of the clowns
it's a great rock track featuring a very raw saxophone
and an assertive chorus of...
anyone at all - i just can't live with anyone at all
repeat
repeat
repeat
untitled #2 by the pat metheny group
this 20 minute opus is part 3
of a 4 part recording on an album released in 2005
titled the way up
it's an extraordinary album
so much going on musically
this track builds and builds
it conjurs up images of a wild storm at sea
then suddenly all is calm
and we are left drifting....
pat metheny had no intention of playing the album live
but they got it together
and it's been captured on dvd
that is another story for another post
i will find the way by pat metheny
this one from the one quiet night album
according to the liner notes it literally
is him and an acoustic guitar
with all the tracks recorded in one session
i swear i can hear multiple guitars being played here
but that is the musical genius of the man
i am a wicked child by radiohead
these guys never fail to surprise me
with the diversity of their repertoire
i bought a cd earlier this year
of b-sides and random outtakes
intended for the japanese market apparantly
it has some gems on it
radiohead does the blues...
if i coulda kept on the straight and narrow
i might not have broke your heart
machengoidi by ali farka toure
from his last ever studio recording (rip)
another blues feeling track
his trademark guitar right out front
this could be a chant from the deep south of america
not the west coast of africa
but of course it's amazing how small this planet is
even if the mode of transport is a slave ship
tranquility by the church
from their 1998 album hologram of baal
clocks in at nearly 8 minutes
one thing about the church
is that every track is different
and is expertly produced
on this track we go on a gentle musical journey
i heard about maria she hated the rat race
and she escaped to a beautiful place
birds of neo-paradise groove in the trees
the name of her town is tranquility
keep the car running by the arcade fire
band of the moment
straight up songs
inventive instrumentation
i'm not that good at, or interested in
defining music and musicians by their apparant influences
but in this case i can hear echo and the bunnymen
loud and clear on this track
which is ok by me as i loved the bunnies back in the 80's
i shall be listening to more arcade fire
hommage a tonton ferrer by orchestra baobab
had the great pleasure of seeing orchestra baobab
twice at womadelaide in 2006
they were as big as an african (senegal) band
could get in the 70's and 80's
reformed recently and put out a gorgeous album
titled specialist in all styles
a bold claim but this track leaves no doubt
as to their ability at their traditional afro-cuban style
ain't collaboration a beautiful thing....
that's it folk(s) - another 10 tracks
now mr p says we need to go out for a walk
to check out the blue moon
on this winter night