waltz with bashir

i wasn't so sure about this animated film
not a huge fan of a style usually reserved for family films
but the subject of this film is all but family oriented
it concerns a massacre that took place in lebanon early 80's
in this case from the point of view of israeli soldiers
the director set out to interview some soldiers involved
but their request for anonymity meant animation was an option
the film opens with a quite unsettling pack of dogs
so immediately i'm thinking this is symbolic of the soldiers
but in fact it turns out to be a dream sequence
that of one of the soldiers featured in the film
he's having a beer with an old comrade in arms
and tells the story of the dream and it's significance
a direct connection to an event in the lebanon war
this jars the memory of his now unsettled companion
who then sets off on a journey of discovery
he tracks down other soldiers to seek more information
including a visit to holland where one has retreated
there's constant flashbacks to the war in question
so as the film progresses the gaps are filled in
it takes a bit of effort to get past the animation
close the eyes and the voices are no doubt genuine
unfortunately the need to read subtitles makes this a folly
it is quite a dialogue-rich film so concentration is needed
especially for one as me with little knowledge of the events
i kept thinking this was such a unique film experience
a very serious subject using a quite whimsical technique
not your average serious knitted-brow documentary
a constant mental alarm going off as to the subject
an equally constant wonder at the effectiveness of the animation
and then in the final scenes of the film - the killer blow
a cut to some archival footage of the actual massacre
i don't recall ever being so moved by such footage
full marks to the director/producer/animator
a superb telling of the story in question
and then a jolting return to a sad reality
had me glued to the seat as the credits rolled
another very satisfying and unique cinema experience

marilyn crispall trio

a special night at the sound lounge tonight
another touring jazz musician doing the club thing
a one-off show following on from some opera house shows
anticipation running high for me for one major reason
she records on the eclectic german ecm label
home to some of the best jazz musicians in the world
she herself apparantly regarded as a supreme 'free' pianist
first impressions are she is almost dwarfed by the new yamaha c7
on this tour she has employed 2 of the best locals
double-bass supremo lloyd swanton centre stage and anchor
simon barker stage right and in charge of drums and percussion
my luck held tonight with scoring a great seat
another lone fan had got there early enough
a spare seat available directly in front of mr barker
i had no real expectation of what would happen sonically
though i had been advised that she has mellowed
her days of avant-gardiness now tempered by melody
in the first long rambling piece improvisation ruled
there were 3 consummate musicians belting it out big time
simon barker totally dominating proceedings with his noise-making
demanding attention as he assumed his usual posture
eyes closed, head lifted, hands and arms splaying his equipment
creating an array of noises far beyond beat and rhythm
every piece of every piece of equipment tapped or bashed
tom-toms, brushes, sticks, hands, fingers all interchanged
just an extraordinary percussive performance
which meant it was easy to forget the other musicians
lloyd swanton faultless as usual and also indulging
mostly seen to similarly operate with closed eyes
and the star of the show over there on piano
mostly adding in some fairly dischordant sounds
melody almost totally absent from her contribution
and only occassionally dropping back to a gentle solo sound
the first tune must have been close to 30 minutes
no back-announcement so no idea of its origin or name
then the same with the second and final tune of the set
more noise-making of a confident and appealing nature
a quick thanks from marilyn crispall and time to breath
discussions with my nearby audience members confirming my thoughts
simon barker inadvertently stealing the show from the star
most likely assisted by our front of stage position
the musicians seemed well pleased with the first set
and continued on a more-of-the-same approach in the second set
a few more shorter tunes given an airing this time
but still annoyingly no talk of meaning or origin
which ultimately lead me to think maybe there were none
certainly no sheet music on stage and no long-time association
so in this case tonight it was assumed to be pure improvisation
... not that there is anything wrong with that
in the right hands it can be quite exhilerating
tonight at many times it was as good as it gets
however my overall impression was of overload
probably one long tune too many for me
though happy to join in with wild applause
a standing ovation for some of the audience
(we need to encourage visitors to come back)
the trick being to bring or buy the best
i hope it was all worthwhile for the local lads
for it was them that made her star shine on this night

the visitor

another cold night in this big city
so another trek through largely empty streets
past multiple restaurants in a trendy part of town
and to the art-house multiplex cinema visited last night
you the living lodged in my head and demanding attention
read all sorts of rave reviews about this superb film
then it popped up in the trailers to this evening's viewing
so that also forcing hope of a similar cinema experience
the visitor is a bored (and boring) university professor
his wife has died, his son is abroad, he seems to have no friends
so a visit to new york to attend a conference is undertaken
he owns an apartment there which is being illegally occupied
so mr-straight-white-guy confronts his opposites
zainab is a sengalese woman working at the markets
her live-in boyfriend tarek is a syrian djembe player
both young, happy, carefree, together
professor vale (walter) is drawn to tarek's music
initially watching him perform at clubs or on the street
and then taking a few lessons from him and joining in
but the post 9/11 xenophobia in new york spoils the fun
tarek is arrested for no apparant reason other than his looks
which finds walter leaping to the aid of his 2 new friends
he engages a lawyer and makes visits to the detention centre
in the meantime tarek's mother turns up unexpectedly
and it turns out that tarek and zainab are illegal immigrants
so an interesting and believable scenario is set up
the film is ostensibly about walters re-birth
a changed man now awakened to a different world
and his willingness to trust his intuition
that injustices should be railed against
different cultures and music have a place
and that love is an emotion not to be suppressed
his gradual awakening is handled quite gently
making it and the story all the more believable
it's not a knockout must-see truly enlightening film
but it has a good heart and tells a good story
funny how it's easy to stigmatise american films
this one however avoids all the unreal stuff
tells things as they are in today's world
with the emphasis on the goodness of people
despite all that is imposed upon them
not a bad little film at all really

you the living

a cold night in the current city of domicile
so it seemed almost appropriate to head off to sweden
i had read a couple of quite brief reviews of this film
coming down to love-it-or-loathe-it art-house cinema
the film opens in a sparsely furnished room
a unkempt elderly man sleeping in daylight
abruptly aroused by the noise of a passing train
then telling us of a dream he has had of bombers
cut to a outdoor scene of a woman in despair
telling her partner of her unhappiness with her life
no-one understands her and wants to escape somehow
her partners reaction indicating this is a regular occurence
and so the scenes are set for those which follow
many more equally mundane slices of common life
not a lot of dialogue and even less complexity
mostly a fixed camera used to frame each scene
but each one with some common element with others
some characters appear in more than one scene
there's a young woman in love with her musical hero
members of the local brass band are seen rehearsing
the music of the brass band providing a common element
similarly the bleakness of the city is well conveyed
there is no sunshine and mostly subdued pastel colours
several times it is made clear a dream sequence is underway
with an almost identical method of filming used
so at times it feels like the entire film is a dream
such are the almost absurd situations that are included
there's not a smile to be seen or laugh to be heard
as various people tell their stories of despair
with such deadpan delivery it becomes comedic
i was laughing or smiling throughout this film
a guilty pleasure as sad, simple lives are presented
but done with such impressive yet simplistic style
a great feel for consistency as each scene is presented
lines, shapes, angles, props (or not), colouring all common
but each scene a separate chapter in this story of life
no sledgehammers used but many and various issues covered
e.g. racism, ageing, obsession, commitment, mental-health
there's no happy ending and no resolutions offered
but a very clever ending with a relevant dream sequence
the bombers seen flying over the city we have been in
and a deep feeling of angst hoping they don't deliver
indicating a real attachment to the characters
this film could easily endure repeat viewings
so simple but visually with so much to offer
puts me squarely in the love-it category

jindabyne

the film not the place in this case
another one that slipped by me on original release
so with the dvd in hand home-viewing is next best
laura linney and gabriel byrne are the stars
international stars in this otherwise australian film
i'm not sure why they had to import these actors
the plot does not need irish and american characters
so presumably a marketing ploy for international appeal
maybe films are now so globalised it doesn't matter
or possibly more realistically that's the way of the world
people of all nationalities all over the place
living their lives, reacting, interacting, etc
the film opens with the telling of a murder
a lone woman in a car on a lonely stretch of road
followed then confronted by the local loner come creep
we then are in jindabyne mixing it with the locals
stewart kane (byrne) runs the local garage
his partner claire (linney) is busy raising their son tom
it's a close-knit community where everyone knows everything
stewart and his 3 buddies are heading off fishing
a long drive and hike into kusciosko national park
they stumble across the body of the murdered woman
but delay reporting the find until after their weekend
which is where things really start coming undone
there's a bad reaction all round to their action
the implication being their fun has taken precedence
suggestions that the victim's gender has influenced them
more so that the victim was from the local aboriginal community
which adds a very interesting spiritual twist to the tale
as traditional aboriginal beliefs are introduced to the mix
stewart and claire's relationship sours quite dramatically
many other friendships and allegiances are also tested
religion, sexuality, familiies, race relations all explored
so quite a lot going on in this quite simple tale
the director also wants to show off the geography
many beautiful shots of gorges, rivers, lakes, etc
which basically makes up for a busy 90 minutes
though in the end i think it is quite successful
but i couldn't help also thinking it side-stepped a bit
especially in scenes of confrontation with the aboriginals
where the overseas stars represented the white man
australian actors kept effectively side of stage
couldn't help thinking how powerful that could have been
especially in this year of the apology
but this was made 2 years ago
still - worth a look

evil urges

my morning jacket is an american rock band known for their reverb-heavy sound

their eclectic mix of country rock, indie rock, funk, psychedelic and southern rock styles

...and enthusiastic and energetic live shows

this is the opening paragraph of the band's wiki entry

i've been aware of them for some time but hadn't paid much attention

however their brand-spanking new album is in my possession

and curiousity has got the better of me - so here we go...

evil urges

yup - it's a rock band for sure - big drum sound and straight-up guitar

some interesting electronica in the mix sounding like um?

falsetto voice comes in also sounding familiar - but who?

synth-orchestration also used as the tune builds to something

then a sudden change of key, tempo and a rock-out - not too bad

touch me i'm going to scream part 1

this is going to get annoying - another tune sounding like ?

moog noises, 60's kind of harmonies pointing to influences

snare drum up-front in this quite fast-paced singalong

one striking thing is that there are a lot of channels at use

all sorts of instruments and noise-makers at use - working well

highly suspicious

there's that falsetto voice again - michael jackson-ish

and here we have a heavy-rock dirge type riff dominant

a bunch of fellows repeating the song title over and over and...

electric guitar histronics thrown in the mix just for good measure

quite a catchy tune but also quite annoying - bit of a throwaway really

i'm amazed

nice intro - giving a sense of a singalong tune about to start up

and true enough - off he goes - he's amazed you see

damn - it's another case of a significant soundalike

west coast rock, vocals, harmonies, guitar/bass/drums

it's a rock song with guitar solos and a riff and a chorus

thank you too!

ouch - now we're in 70's soft-rock territory

it's the big ballad complete with strings, electric piano, etc

now sounding so much like a band from way back it's really annoying

this one would be really cringe-worthy except it's quite a tribute

i'm going to wake up in the middle of the night and know who to

sec walkin

country-rock is now the reference - pedal-steel guitar in there

70's production values all over this one also

complete with the call and response female backup vocals

it's so close to a complete piss-take it's almost laughable

but it's not - they mean it - and actually get away with it

two halves

and the theme continues - the 70's rule - alright?

i'm certain there is one famous band that they idolise

actually cheap trick wouldn't be far off the mark - yup that's it

which is quite ironic really considering they were proud plagarists

so the favour has well and truely been returned in spades

librarian

lovely - solo voice and acoustic guitar lead in here

and a very pleasant voice it is too - very clear on the ear

karen of the carpenters singing in the rain - another lovely victim of the mirror

so confirming their decade of choice on this slow build tune

very strong actually - great production and a memorable tune

look at you

uh-oh - must be the middle of the album - ish

not sure what was intended with this one - original or clone?

it's slow, monotonous, and basically a bit of a waste of space

the musicians seem to be going through the (slow) motions

can be totally summed up in one word - filler

aluminium park

resuming cheap trick personnas on this fast and furious tune

another rocker complete with screeching guitars and real piano

which just confirms that the 70's must be making a comeback

or maybe they just like the style of music of that era

my feeling is that this one has been done to death previously

remnants

part 2 of the rock-out segment of the album

sounds just the same to these ears out of touch with that style

sorry guys but this just isn't very original at all

and the producer also shows a distinct lack of originality

enough already - rock is ok - in (smaller) doses

smokin' from shootin'

do you, do you, do you see my smokin' guns - they're smokin' from shootin'

and a bunch of other lyrics as equally silly and trite

do you, do you, do you live your life on the run - runnin' from nothin'

so it's another big shot at a big meaningful ballad

they're now taking themselves seriously enough to be annoying

touch me i'm going to scream part 2

moog sounds, electronica noodling working quite well as an intro

beat picks up and it's quite a head-nodding tune that cranks in

spacey production allows for various instruments to be used

and lots of borrowed techniques - even jean michel jarre gets a nod

in the end it's totally consistent with the 70's sound of all before

summary - a collection of tunes with reference to all things 70's including the likes of cheap trick that with modern recording techniques makes for a very strong and enjoyable album

bringing on back the good times

oh dear - mr-i'm-not-into-nostalgia does a back-flip
youtube strikes again - just an amazing resource
you name it - it finds it - anything and everything
now being the music-nut i am that's what i go looking for
mostly clips of favourite artists and others recommended
also an endless supply of amateur videos using recorded music
this one particularly caught my attention aurally and visually
the tune - well - it resonates with me big-time
i think probably the first song that ever impressed me
got lodged in my head very early on and has stuck there
before this one i hadn't heard much else too exciting
roger miller, the seekers, nat king cole, etc, etc, etc
pretty bland, safe, gentle, inoffensive, nice music
of course this one could now be described thus
but back then (60's) it was like a blast of fresh air
a personal awakening to a world of musical opportunities
apart from all that i think it's just a great piece of music
it surprises me some boy band hasn't made it a huge hit
vocally, lyrically, musically it hits all the marks for me
then to see a viusal presentation such as this clip is v cool
someone has put some thought into showing it in context
with a walk down memory lane of an a-z of album covers
watching them pass by a gentle reminder of a special time
the world of music exploding with genuine originality
ah - those were the days (my friend)
and i'm not even into nostalgia
really - but this is great
the love affair...

disgrace

another book by author j m coetzee now read
this one apparantly given the booker prize in 1999
i saw it raved about on a recent book review show
and so when offered a loan of it i had to take it on
david lurie is a poetry lecturer at a south african university
leads a fairly dull life but for his libido problem
the first part of the book demonstrating this thoroughly
no woman is off limits particularly his young students
who are drawn to his intellect and persuasive manner
but in a classic case of one too far he oversteps the mark
his latest conquest informs her parents who in turn react
leading him to be being sacked and well, disgraced
no sympathy from me as i just don't like him at all
the prude in me says middle-aged blokes should act their age
and not go round luring ('scuse the pun) after much younger women
he also has a less than average relationship with his ex-wives
presumably as they have been caught up in his activities
part one of the book takes us up to the point of his ejection
then in part two he retreats to his daughter's country property
possibly as a reaction against her father she leads a simple life
has a now-absent woman lover and looks after neglected dogs
she eeks out an existence in a poor part of rural south africa
so mr lurie finds himself in a quite hostile environment
but seems to find relief in his absence from the spotlight
he takes to writing an opera portaying the life of lord byron
and in typical coetzee style art-imitates-life-imitates-art
so on the surface this book tells an interesting story
but dig a bit deeper and there's more going on
dogs become quite central to the theme of the story
lurie befriends in his usual style a lady at the local veterinary
then finds himself routinely involved in culling the dog population
those ones now neglected, rejected, isolated and un-loved
so it's not hard to see the parallel of a dog's life to now his own
the hardship of life in rural south africa is also well described
seems violence is never too far away and comes into the story
i'm not entirely sure what the author was trying to tell us
there's nothing too endearing about any of the characters
and life on the outside of society is seen as bleak
but maybe that is the point of the story
disgrace - not a good place to be?

teental (north india)

time now to go back to an old blog exercise
for the sake of completeness if nothing else
songlines (world music) magazine being the inspiration
they published a very interesting article a number of issues back
documenting what they considered to be 50 rhythms of the world
so with the amazing resources of youtube i have gone one step further
for each rhythm i have found an appopriate clip and blogged it
i got up to 45 of 50 ages ago and then lost the plot
but spring is sprung and spring-cleaning is in order
so this project needs to be dusted off and finished
heres what the magazine had to say about teental

teental (north india) - it means a 16-beat cycle - that's 4/4
but there's nothing square about the flying fingers, ingenious cross-rhythms,
competitive exchanges and frantic build-ups
that feature in this most popular of north indian structures
all classical music operates within cycles of various lengths
which are easiest to follow in percussion
the tabla being the dominant instrument
performers often recite their compositions
in rapid bursts of syllables before playing them
traditionally the bowed sarangi accompanies a solo recital

songlines recommends memorable tabla duet by ustad alla rakha and zakir hussain
esne notes womadelaide visitors from a few years ago

the following clip in a short space of time demonstrates the above
furious finger work being the most dominant feature
also the use of the sarangi as accompaniment
my feeling is that this rhythm is best experienced live
late night, outdoors, warm air, altered consciousness stuff
sprawled out on the grass and taken away by this music
fond memories of the last act on many womad days
(46 of 50)

michael clayton

missed this one when it was on the big screen recently
it seemed interesting enough in the trailer
but you know - george clooney - too mainstream
lately america has been well in my field of vision
things are cranking up with the presidential race
so try as i may it's hard to ignore the u s completely
tonight the dvd of the film ended up in my possession
lights out, laptop fired up, big breath and.....action
which starts totally unannounced with no opening credits
m c has a money and gambling problem and is playing poker
is down in his luck and not fussy about playing partners
though paradoxically drives a late model mercedes benz
he's an attorney come problem-solver for a large legal firm
goes where he is needed at any point in time to move things along
the opening scenes see him driving out of town on such a mission
town being the unmistakable and here grimy city of new york
on the way back a bomb mysteriously explodes in his car
at a moment when he has gone off to take in some nature
we're then in flashback mode to 4 days earlier to explain all this
his firm has been working for years on a large class action case
a chemical company is being sued billions for negligence
michael's old friend and co-worker has gone into meltdown
so he is assigned to pick him up and get him through the case
but all it not as it seems which makes things very interesting
tilda swinton impressively plays the chief counsel of the chemical company
way out of her depth it is suggested as she makes some bad calls
including the use of hitmen to take out people causing her grief
the cynic in me had me thinking nah - not likely - it's just a film
but at the same time there's a lot of realism to this scenario
as there's enough diversion from the main plot to back it up
quite a few scenes depict the main characters in their private lives
cleverly used to further explain people's motives and actions
michael clayton himself has a young son who gets involved
in a quite subtle way that ultimately has major consequences
the 4 days of flashback pass and we are back where we started
the opening scenes roll again but now we know what's going on
particularly why michael's car explodes and more so why he is not in it
his decision to engage with nature (horses) now a very moving scene
and from that point on the film moves quite rapidly
all the pieces have fallen into place and he acts accordingly
leading to a powerful and believable conclusion
the final scene sees michael clayton in the back of a taxi
now in a zone where he can finally dwell on events
the camera fixed on his face as the credits are rolled
2 or 3 minutes as his face displays appropriate emotions
making the point that george clooney is a fine actor
as i am snapped back to reality after an absorbing film
even in this case tonight on the little screen

prague

or prag as this film is titled in it's home country
the story is based on a danish couple's visit to this city
danish hearththrob mads mikkelsen plays husband christoffer
i've seen him in a couple of other films - he good
his wife maja here played by unseen-by-me stine stengade
they're in prague to bring back the body of his deceased father
he's a pretty cool (read cold) kind of fellow not given to exposing emotion
they are struggling to make conversation after 14 years of marriage
she there to support him in this closure on this part of his life
though we quickly learn that he hardly knows his father
seems he walked out of his life when he was a 12 year old
there are subtle clues given to the effect this has had on the son
apart from the fear of emotion he seems lacking in confidence
there are just enough clever little pointers to this
like not being able to use a card-swipe on a hotel door
or missing the table as he throws a discarded wrapper at it
this the kind of stuff that i find most welcoming in foreign films
the little things in life that we forget, downplay or ignore
but not this director in this film with a story to tell
the other star of this film is obviously the city of prague
some wonderful scenes highlighting particularly it's architecture
though not in any heavy-handed manner - quite matter-of-fact
as soon as we are comfortable with the characters things get messy
maja has a secret that christoffer confronts her with
this while he is dealing with the issue of his father's death
the expected reaction would be that she would bail out
but she very nobly sticks by him as he does what needs to be done
for she does love him dearly though has tired of his frostiness
so the roller-coaster ride cranks into gear and takes us with it
moments of anger, companionship, rejection, tenderness all mixed up
there are also 2 other strong characters that add major appeal
his deceased father's lawyer has his own secret in the mix
the father's beautiful housekeeper also charges the atmosphere
she speaks czech, the son only danish so another twist in the tale
this film absolutely reeks of real human issues and conflict
the standout scene being when emotions finally come to the boil
seeing the couple arguing aggressively and physically in public
poignant empathy for both as we now understand them well
leading to a quite unexpected and sad conclusion
this is a really powerful human-story film
with some beautiful music in there also
...what did you think david?

berlin

not the place but the album recorded by lou reed
originally released in 1973 and recently revisited by the man
he's put together a huge bunch of musicians and taken it on the road
part 4 of my day at a film festival with the film of the concert on the big screen
i have never owned a lou reed album or given his music much time at all
never liked a walk on the wild side and could never get past it
but curiousity got the better of me and so here i was
with no idea of anything at all that was about to happen
the first surprise was the credits revealing the director
julian schnabel having delivered one of the best films of this year
the diving bell and the butterfly a rich and rewarding piece of art-cinema
in the opening scenes of this film the likeness is obvious
in berlin lou reed has clearly opted to provide a visual feast
with a continual stream of images projected behind the band
the beautiful star of the afore-mentioned film also featured
emmanuelle seigner seems to be well adored by julian schnabel
providing sumptuous imagery in some of the songs from the album
the music itself starts with a feel of a return to a past (musical) time
a very obvious and unmistakeable 70's rock-opera feel coming through
lou reed demonstrating his ability providing the required guitar solos
at times in the first few songs rocking out most convincingly
he has gathered around him an eclectic bunch of musicians
steve hunter also on guitar providing support and lead duties
the usual bass, drums, keyboards doing their jobs well
stage left is a 12 member harlem youth choir
fronted by none other than antony (without the johnsons)
there's an acoustic double bass and a small string section
then over stage right there's a 3 piece brass section
so in some tunes over 20 musicans and singers contributing
to top it off there's a chap seen conducting the whole shebang
lou reed all the time looking his well perfected non-plussed self
but my feeling is he is quite pleased with this show
the camera spends quite a lot of time in close-up on his upper body
quite often there's the smallest of smiles on his now craggy face
in one tune there's a verbal whoop as steve hunter does a stunning solo
and most impressively a clap and acknowledgement of antony's contribution
he really does have a beautiful and unique voice well suited to these tunes
he presumably a fan of lou reed to avail himself for this (and other) concerts
as the tunes rolled on i found myself drawn into it quite completely
the visual spectacle, the performers, the music and the man all combining
at one point i recalled how much more satisfying was this show
than one done by mr jagger and co also using a famous director
here at least the music though quite vintage sounded fresh
and the lead singer had a certain elegance about his performance
assisted by some impressive arrangements of the material
the band letting fly at the end of the film as the credits rolled
sweet jane reminding us of lou reeds more popular tunes
a fine finale to a fine day of four films at this festival

the wave

part 3 of my film festival day was meant to be the orphanage
but the wimp in me was more than a little worried
psycho-horror-thriller-drama stuff always unsettles me
so when the festival program offered an alternative i went for it
the write-up of this german film was quite enticing
based on an real time experiment gone wrong in a californian school
though here relocated to a more appropriate german high school
the opening sees the teacher driving his french car to the school
ramones blasting out of the stereo with their anthemic school song
so an international feel to the film from the opening scene
the premise of the film is that he has freedom of cirriculum for a week
the week to be spent on a project and in his case teaching autocracy
so he very deliberately sets out teaching this in a practical way
this entails the students adopting an emblem, salute and uniform
already sounding a bit derivative but done fairly convincingly
the wave cleverly used as both a salute and emblem
indicating a crashing wave swamping all in it's path
by the middle of the week there's a strong sense of comraderie
and a pervasive sense of righteousness overriding all activities
this quickly includes the application of their emblem all over town
and the marginalising of any student not agreeing to partake
at times i thought the film seemed overly simplistic
possibly not helped by the rapid-fire sub-titles
required to keep pace with this dialogue-heavy film
but at the same time it was difficult to find any real fault with it
the various relationships explored in the film seemed quite plausible
students and teachers reacting unexpectedly as the experiment went on
mostly amongst the students as their personalities quickly evolved
particularly in one case of a previously shy and insecure boy
who's involvement with the wave gave him real meaning in his life
this all pointing very deliberately to how such movements can grow
and in the wrong hands can just as quickly grow out of control
it's no accident that this film is set in germany with it's history
and a mention of current problems caused by unchecked nationalism
in an update on this scenario the use of technology was a warning
with the internet used to spread information and obtain weapons
by the end of the week the teacher recognises the monster he has created
and provides a chilling climax where he addresses his students
firstly as a dictator with full control to make his point very clear
but a full shutdown of the project is not what everyone wants
making for a hugely powerful and disturbing final scene
even if there was no historical parallel it would be telling
but given that perspective and the world today
it's downright scarey what could happen
this one should be mandatory viewing
...especially in schools

the savages

part 2 of a 4 part day of film festival indulgence
the attraction with this one being 4 star ratings from david and margaret
for me a usually reliable guide to the type of films i enjoy
i'd just sat through a very impressive real life story (patti smith)
so even before the film started the fox corporation banner had me reeling
even more with the unexplained opening scenes of aged cheerleaders
but this is because we are in an aged care facility in sun city arizona
seems anything is possible including an old man having some bowel issues
he being the father of john (philip seymour hoffman) and wendy (laura linney)
they live on the east coast living their own struggling lives
she working in casual jobs, writing plays, accomodating a deceitful lover
he a bored english professor and refusing to commit to a loving polish woman
they are brought together with the need to relocate their incapacitated father
it's all a bit act by numbers stuff for these 2 experts i suspect
the first part of the film had me wondering why the rave reviews
and a sense of deja vu of a film that this one seemed to borrow from
a recall of a fine canadian film titled invasion of the barbarians
here too a man is in his final days and reconciling with his family
but frustratingly reconciliation does not take place
there's no doubt the director is no fan of nursing homes
the film is also about the 2 leads and their interaction
a quick falling back to their competitive childhood days
he the pragmatic bloke wanting to sort out his father quickly
she showing female emotion and aware of her past neglect
arguments erupt between the 2 even in the presence of their father
a deliberate and effective way of portraying the loneliness of the aged
the director also determines to introduce a theme of race
some old film footage (fox owned) shown in a nursing home
this film showing a white man applying makeup and a wig
it just so happens that most of the staff are african americans
who naturally take offence at this black and white minstrel show
but there's no development of this bad attempt at a separate theme
except to suggest that african americans make for compliant staff
even more so when one of them is singled out for special mention
he shares a few intimate moments with wendy over her cat
but he too is left in his place and left behind in the film
the cynic in me thinking i'm witnessing overbearing patronising
and so the film works it's way to the expected conclusion
the father also has enough of all this and moves on
leaving our 2 main characters to also return to their lives
though of course they are a little closer for the experience
possibly a little wiser also as each makes some life adjustments
me - well - not a lot to be taken from this film
nursing homes already give me the dreads
don't want to ever visit or live in one
thanks for the reminder

dream a life

patti smith - legendary and iconic american rock musician
i can name one album but couldn't name more than 1 or 2 of her tunes
another artist from the late 70's that i never really got into
largely based on lack of effort rather than lack of interest
she's back on the stage now at the behest of robert zimmerman
this film apparantly has been 10 years in the making
being part of a film festival made it a easy choice on the list
i had read and seen nothing about it prior to this viewing
expectations down to a bunch of old and new concert footage
the film opens with a voiceover from the lady herself
talking us through a list of men in her life that have died
including significantly husband and father of her 2 children
intentionally or not these deaths invoke an empathy with the lady
even more so as she takes up more and more screen time
allowing her sweet down-to-earth personality to be exposed
what is particularly striking with the film is the amount of material
there seems to be any amount of archive footage of the early days
most of the film is grainy black-and-white videocam (?) footage
later scenes and footage also presented in a similar style
so presumably a deliberate intention to make for continuity
35 years of her life is presented in no particular sequence
though a sense of building to a current day climax is always there
the other most impressive aspect of the film is a level of restraint
concert footage is quite minimal and is not strongly featured
in several scenes classical or electronic music plays over the scenes
which then magnifies the strength of the other actual concert footage
the impression being that the film is more about her as a person
so there is a lot of footage featuring her son and daughter
she also takes the camera into the house of her upbringing
a not insignificant amount of screen time spent with her parents
again gently reinforcing the impression that patti smith has a large heart
but she has also lived a unique and indulgent life which is also exposed
patti smith is as much a poet as a singer/guitarist/performer
in one memorable scene she is seen reciting an alan ginsberg poem
live on stage at the poets funeral with philip glass on piano
mr glass being the first of a large number of famous admirers
bob dylan, michael stipe, thom yorke, bono, flea all seen in the film
but most impressively without fanfare and often quite incidentally
though naturally again confirming her place in the musical world
she also uses her fame well - leading a public call for the indictment of g w bush
confidently and convincingly quoting the american constitution
i must admit i had always thought she was a dark almost dour person
but she laughs a good laugh and that also comes to the fore often
most memorably on a beach with flea swapping hilarious toilet stories
as the film headed to it's conclusion i knew i had seen a great film
a piece of art and also very educational and ultimately entertaining
as the credits rolled it occurred to me what the film was about
not so much a homage to an iconic musician from a past time
but more as that musicians homage to her own mentors
and so in that sense explaining her own belief system
one of the best music documentaries i have seen
better get the horses cd i reckon

third

it's been a bit quiet on the music listening front lately
actually have in my possession a bunch of donated/procured cd's
awaiting my listening pleasure so tonight a start is to be made
portishead put out an album in the early 90's that was well loved
though it mostly passed me by - but this one has had some glowing reviews
it comes with the hugely imaginative title for this the 3rd album from the band

silence
you gotta love lo-fi - sounds like a south american radio broadcast
followed by some off-key kind of electric guitar strumming
with some equally harsh sounding electronica, strings, drumbeats
quite a fast beat then in comes that voice - the one and only beth gibbons
did you know what i lost?- did you know what i wanted?

hunter
a slow, slow lead-in with her almost suicidal voice again leading
echo used in the production and some light instrumentation
then electronica cranked up and dropped in the mix for contrasting effect
nothing too original is my thinking but nothing too unpleasant either
after 2 tunes you would suspect they have picked up where they left off

nylon smile
it's all about the voice you see - it's the single obvious point of difference
there's some chaps in there having fun noodling away with electronica
maybe in this case also some real skins in the drum department
the intention is to keep things deliberately monotone-ous while she despairs
i don't know what i've done to deserve you - i don't know what i'll do without you

the rip
ok ease up on the electronica, bring forward the acoustic guitar
stick it in a large room with some echo and again let beth do her thing
then just when it seemed to be predictable wind up the melotrone-like sound
leading to quite a fast-paced tune with the electronica sounding very familiar
yes - there it is - someone with some influence is a joy division fan

plastic
ouch - this one is album-filler material if you ever heard it
get the impression someone has suggested improvisation is kind of cool
which is quite valid in the hands of those who have paradoxically practised it
but here it just sounds like a bit of a waste of time and a reason to avoid it
an out-of tune voice, annoying electronica, and worst of all it probably isn't improvised

we carry on
which is presumably not some tongue-in-cheek title for this middle track
but it is more of the same - echo-production, gibbons-voice, military-drums
joy division-ish guitar so obvious it sounds like a sample but is not
but it's the fingernails-on-the-blackboard electronica that really grates
not happy - i know someone will love this but it isn't me - next!!!!

deep water
oh cute - it's a strummed ukelele with beth laying in the vocals
i've drifted into deep waters - alone with myself - i try not to struggle this time
and then for a complete change a barbershop-quartet style vocal backing
i gotta remember don't fight it - even if i don't like it - deep waters won't scare me tonight
at 1 minute and 37 seconds it's a pleasant relief from what has gone before

machine gun
an obvious name for the rapid-fire fuzz-based electronica at the fore here
get the impression with this one that 2 composers have been at work
she provides the lyrics and the voice on this poem-song
he churns out a very monotonous and unappealing electronic noise-beat
it does sound analogue-ish but boards of canada are much better at it

small
acoustic guitar, echoes, plaintiff vocals - starts interestingly enough
then the monotonic electronic noise machine comes in again and takes over
though also with a real drummer and what sounds like a hammond organ synthesizer
which immediately conjures up memories of a group from the 60's who they are imitating
portishead setting controls for the heart of pink floyd from their early days

magic doors
which is another odd title considering the last tune also gave a huge nod to the doors
a real drum sound and cow-bell leads off on this tune before beth again steps in
some nice piano chords and a dirty production technique make it quite interesting
it's almost catchy except for some odd noise-bridging things happening in the middle
again it sounds like anything but a tune recorded this side of 1980 - intentionally so no doubt

threads
the album closer - could/should be interesting to leave a warm and fuzzy feeling
restrained, slow, melancholic, organic, beth again sounding close to tears
this one again proves that portishead are a trio of very distinctive parts
she on vocals, one he in charge of traditional drums/percussion, other he making noises
this tune almost works thanks to the dominance of drums and held-back electronica

summary
for fans only - not an album to warm to quickly and therefore to be handled with caution - a lot of analogue electronica mixed with an unmistakeable voice

married life

i was swayed by some very favourable reviews of this film
had seen the trailer and thought i'd give it a miss
pierce brosnan as a sauve womaniser seemed a little obvious
late 1940's white middle-class america was just as unappealing
but even more so was another night of olympics saturated tv
and so it was that i sat alone in a little theatre to take in this film
it opens promisingly enough with a song and appropriate graphics
before the real action begins in america half a century ago
first impressions are of the amazing attention to detail
great suits, classic decor, fine furniture, cigarettes everywhere
mr brosnan in the film from the word go as narrator
then lending an ear to his old friend of his infidelity
harry (chris cooper) has surprisingly fallen in love
despite a seemingly happy and loving marriage
but he's a romantic and yearns for true happiness
his new love kay (rachel mcadams) is then introduced
a classically beautiful marilyn monroe-ish lady of class
at which point pierce brosnan delivers the appropriate body language
and so the scene is set for some interesting testing of friendships
harry's wife pat (patricia clarkson) completes the foursome
she is set up as the innocent, loyal and doting wife
fooling everyone on both sides of the camera i suspect
this is a very clever story told in a very convincing way
several times i recall thinking how simple the plot was
but told with such restraint and style in a classic way
no expert at all but hitchcock came to mind several times
especially with murder, the law and suspense all introduced
there are several twists and turns and nothing to assume
but all the time plenty of room for the film to breathe
allowing the actors space to make the roles their own
clever direction meant that the actors seemed very well cast
chris cooper playing to perfection the man you loved to hate
pierce brosnan totally convincing as the world-wise cad
patricia clarkson the loyal wife but with her own needs to fulfill
rachel mcadams the naive girl-woman trying to figure it all out
director ira sachs with a very clear vision and delivery
including a mantra repeated several times by different characters
is it really right to build happiness on the unhappiness of others
in the end this film could have had any number of conclusions
but the everyone-lives-happily-ever-after ending seemed unlikely
and possibly a bit of a quick wrap and exit for the film
but a minor quibble in an otherwise fine period piece
the late 1940's certainly come across as a fine old time
though everything else about it seems contemporary
married life - and all that goes with it

the dark knight

been looking for an excuse to pan a film for a change
and along it comes in the form of this current blockbuster
the fact that it is setting all sorts of records should have been a deterrent
seems there's a morbid fascination in seeing heath ledger's last effort
that and the power of his performance are the big drawcards
add in there that it's a batman movie and in rolls the cash
i'm also blaming the lack of options in the town of current domicile
but that's just a poor excuse for my own poor choice of film
it opens interestingly enough with a bank heist in progress
but this is all about introducing the sadistic joker (heath ledger)
along the way various baddies get blown away in a ruthless manner
which is about where i realised my mistake - and lowered expectations
there are 6 other main characters played by big name actors
christian bale plays bruce wayne and batman - mr carisma-not
aaron eckhart is the new d a in town and is frustratingly silly
maggie gyllenhaal is the gorgeous love interest of both but appears quite bored
gary oldman hides behind glasses and a mo hoping no-one will recognise him
morgan freeman continues to oblige with his vununcular (thanks wm) roles
michael caine does his usual role as the happy-go-lucky geezer
then there's a cast of thousands of other ubiquitous vanilla characters
the whole thing is built on the premise that batman is now redundant
the new d a has taken a tough approach and cleaned up the city
but the joker is not going to have anyone spoil his fun
and somehow manages to outsmart everyone and keep at it
appearing all over the place and setting up large and complex traps
in one scene we see a complete building (an empty hospital) blown up
no computer animation here so that explains a few million in the budget
with little in the plot (a generous word) to explain the need for this
though typical of everything that happens throughout the film
there's the mandatory car chase with armoured cars and trucks
huge vehicles upended, flipped, rolled, pranged, drowned, destroyed
technology as expected is used to impress and confuse us
batman has eyes (or fittings) that see through walls (move over superman)
so the director has fun putting us behind those eyes and laying it on
many sequences of computer animation depicting such views
another scene with a bank of computer screens used to track down the baddy
with a very dubious explanation of how they are used to do this
but hey it looks impressive enough so forget the technicalities
in the end it's just too silly to be taken seriously
which is another mistake considering it's comicbook origins
but i was hoping for some darkness, edge, scary reality-possibility
everyone is raving about heath ledger's oscar-likely performance
he really is the most credible thing about the whole film
his blackened eyes (and pupils) making for a convincing evil-doer
i'm sure i could detect other actors squirming in his close presence
though i'm not sure that his few excellent scenes are oscar material
but given that universal studios are rolling in the cash based on it
it seems only appropriate that hollywood lays on an honour
cause it would be a stretch to give it to best film, director, etc
and there is no oscar for the biggest box-office success
so go heath - your performance at least warrants it
not like the rest of this very silly film
what a waste of time
damn

in the shadow of the moon

i do enjoy seeing a good documentary on the big screen
especially one such as this with footage best seen in large format
this is a nostalgia trip into deep space during the 1960's
documenting the various apollo trips and moon landings
the film opens in the early 1960's with some background footage
firstly introducing the various crew members as test pilots, etc
and importantly also showing footage of john f kennedy
making the pledge to congress to land a man on the moon
this before the end of the decade a few short years away
bringing to mind failed pledges of u s presidents since then
(i.e. just about everything promised by the incumbent president)
but in the early 1960's earnest optimism seems to abound
not to mention an almost sycophantic loyalty to the main man
and so nasa responds to the challenge and goes to work
the film documents a few failings along the way but not much else
for it's then a fast forward to the end of the decade
there are 10 talking heads featured in the film
each one an astronaut who went to or walked on the moon
they are seen in close-up then and now as they tell their stories
slightly disappointing is the omission of the reclusive neil armstrong
though he is spoken of in reverential terms by his peers
the historical footage used in the film is of an amazing quality
we see in great detail the launch of the apollo 11 mission
in itself a mind-boggling test of physics and engineering skills
then once free of the earth's atmosphere the film also changes
for now it is a very gentle journey of discovery with the astronauts
these quite humble men then describe their feelings of what they see
adding a whole new dimension to some familiar photos and footage
michael collins description of the fragility of earth is quite moving
as is the on-board talk as they watch the earth rising over the moon
as they descend to the moon's surface it becomes quite tense
we know the outcome but for me this is a new adventure
a sense of travelling with the astronauts to this strange place
then comes footage of the armstrong and aldrin on the moon's surface
including of course the most famous lines quoted by neil armstrong
footage of subsequent lunar landings by other missions is mixed in
just incredible scenes in amazing detail of a quite eerie place
then in equal detail we see the departure and return to earth
again highlighting the sheer scale of the physics involved
e.g. they return to earth at 39,000 feet per second
again we know the outcome but it's easy to sense the elation
as the 3 astronauts in apollo 11 become heroes on earth
and subsequently travel the world on a goodwill mission
deliberately reinforcing this human (not american) success story
fulfilling john f kennedy's pledge but now with nixon in power
a bit of footage of the vietnam war making for a sobering comment
and for me pointing to a time when the world changed forever
this film also has a beautiful and totally appropriate soundtrack
just the most amazing film that everyone should see

sima piano fundraiser night

sima - sydney improvised music association
piano - a brand spanking new yamaha c7 grand piano
fundraiser - they now need the funds to pay for this $50,000 item
night - 6 local pianists playing in solo mode on this stunning looking instrument
it's a full house tonight with a buzz of anticipation in the air
the piano centre stage under the spotlight looking the part
a couple of quick and appropriate speeches and into the music
andrew robson (sans saxophone) playing mc for the night

judy bailey is first up and announces her nervousness at this responsibility
i've not seen or heard her but understand she is well respected
particularly amongst her peers and the jazz fraternity
her first tune sounds like a scott joplin ragtime piece
which sounds out of place to my ears in this venue
but at it's conclusion judy informs us of her intention
tonight she is going to play a sample of tunes from the greats
ellington, waller, monk, corea some of the names quickly mentioned
30 minutes of lovely music which sets a fine standard for those to follow

chris abrahams is next and for me one of the likely highlights of the night
i'd got there early enough to have a choice of seat and so well positioned
looking directly onto the pianists and able to clearly see their hands at work
which is the most striking thing about the playing of chris abrahams
his body remains largely motionless throughout his performance
tonight his hands and fingers flutter continuously across the keyboard
this piece of improvisation totally beguiling in it's form and presentation
building to a climactic and familiar sounding conclusion (the necks?)
chris quietly exitting the stage to rousing applause from an engaged audience

mark isaacs is then introduced - he being the instigator of the purchase of the piano
so this his first performance on it is of special significance for all concerned
in contrast to those who have gone before mark isaacs is a visual performer
legs stomping, head swaying, sitting/standing, voice and mouth at work
and in one part of his improvised performance his head resting on the piano
while his hands continued to be used to demonstrate his dexterity as a performer
one of his favourite tricks is to stand and manipulate the strings in the piano's body
which had me thinking this piano is now well and truely inducted into the sound lounge
his performance providing another example of the diversity of the local talent

matt mcmahon provides another contrasting performance for the evening
choosing to stand at the microphone before each piece to explain it's source and inspiration
so back into compositon rather than improvisation for his time under the spotlight
matt explains that unaustralian of the year has been written for the ocassion
thereby demanding complete attention from a quiet and respectful audience
there's a very strong sense of melody with his lightness of touch on the keyboards
this and every other tune highlighting the beautiful tones the piano is emitting
his music to me not far removed from the george winston windham hill 80's sound
which may be an unfair comparison for this accomplished contemporary performer

mike nock would hold a senior position on the board of trustees for jazz music
a much loved and admired musician, composer, mentor and entertainer
tonight he is on stage and giving his verbal blessing to the significance of the new piano
essentially providing a guarantee that it alone will be a major drawcard
he then tentatively takes his position and gives us a sample of his own skills
in a way providing a summary of all that has gone before in this evenings performances
he is a confident improvisor, but his sense of tune and melody is also apparant
so in a very short time he is well in command of the instrument
but it's all over very quickly - perhaps things are running late - we settle for quality

rai thistlethwayte has been included on tonight's bill in a touch of genius
i'm sure there would have been a few sneers in the audience - a pop singer!
but this chap is also an accomplished jazz pianist with his own large audience
so he is more capable than most of moving sima and it's music to a bigger place
tonight he set the scene by striding on stage and reciting a poem from his blackberry
then proceeded to belt out 2 long pieces of stunning rock-infused jazz piano
i spent most of the time looking on in wonder at his skills and sense of timing
thinking that being lead singer of thirsty merc must be like a day job
providing the necessaries to indulge himself as tonight in some serious piano-playing

all in all a very special night - musically sensational - hopefully financially so also

mongol

there's been some very mixed reviews of this epic film
i'd seen the trailer a couple of times and was drawn to it's scope
some stunning looking scenery shots highlighted in the trailer
the opening scenes confirming the intention to capture scale
so that sprawling shots of outdoors mongolia are quite beautiful
drawing the viewer into a sense of another time in a healthier world
it's a slow and gentle start with genghis khan as a 10 year old child
travelling by horseback to a village to select a future bride
and already displaying some strong character traits
the return journey sees the murder by poisoning of his father
meaning the young boy becomes the khan of his tribe
grown up before his time and forced into various violent confrontations
at this stage of his life there is hostility between neighbouring tribes
in the first of many on-screen battle scenes the brutality is evident
even if the effects used to portray the bloodletting are dubious
but the point is made - he lives in a very violent time and place
similarly the director is at pains to point out his virtues
a noble leader, a loyal and doting husband and father
which surprised me as i had always thought he was a total despot
and so it was that i resigned myself to this being a good yarn
though thankfully from a russian director so subtitles were required
meaning the sense of authenticity in the language at least was preserved
and on this night thankful for subtitles with a long outage in the theatre sound system
during this period i did sense a strong lord of the rings deja vu
particularly looking on at the big climactic battle scene
with a huge massed horseback mounted army of masked warriors
outnumbering genghis khan and his forces many times over
the final scene a battle of epic scale between the 2 opposing forces
including a resurrection of the dodgy effects used earlier in the film
genghis khan is shown to employ cunning battle strategies
to finally emerge the victor and then move on to expand his empire
my impression of the film overall was that it was almost grand
a unique story, a great setting, some fine acting and directing
the soundtrack at times featured some appealing throat-singing
but the desire to be a hollywood-style blockbuster came through
sanitising and somewhat glorifying the main character
trying to match the scale and granduer of other epics
but not quite getting there - and then the final straw
heavy-rock music playing as the credits rolled
just seemed so out of place to me

up the yangtze

a bleak winter's sunday afternoon seems a good time to see this one
not much to go on except a review by david and margaret
both of them giving it 4 stars and so the promise of a rewarding viewing
the film opens with a voiceover by the director yung chang
explaining he lives in canada and has returned to china on a visit
but that's about all we hear from him as he steps back
in a very deliberate way to let the images tell the story
being the effect of the 3 gorges dam project on the yangtze river
that will lead to the displacement of 2 million people
the facts surrounding the film in itself are quite impressive
200 hours of film shot over 12 months editted down to 90 minutes
all done discreetly without official permission or funding
the film is centred around 2 young locals working on a cruise ship
this ship carrying mostly american tourists up the yangtze river
there are a lot of scenes on the ship focussed mainly on interaction
as the workers are trained, then seen dealing with the passengers
there's the expected patronising of the workers by the tourists
some front of house shots of the crew entertaining the passengers
and various scenes on and off the boat as the crew are off duty
some finding their way in riverside cities offering mostly shopping
jerry is a teenage boy confidently entertaining and fleecing the tourists
cindy is all of 15 years old and works in the kitchens on the boat
she has been sent to work on the boat at the insistence of her peasant family
who come to visit at one point in some quite heart-wrenching scenes
her parents are well out of place and there seems little affection
there are also various scenes of the parents in their own hut and at work
making preparations to relocate as the river level rises
peasants are also shown working like slaves on the riverbank
high above the waterline laying tiled slabs of concrete
the significance of these scenes obvious later in the film
showing the river's level now up to that much higher point
i'm not sure that i would rate this film as a must-see
it does show a lot about a people and country not normally seen
but intentionally it is up to the viewer to form connections
rather than lazily expect that a narrator will be doing that
for me i felt i had not learnt much from the film about the project
which was something i should not have been expecting
for really it is all about gently showing the situation at hand
the heavy hand of can-do attitude and the insatiable need for energy
having a direct and quite sad effect on those living off the land
there really is no happy ending in this quite gentle film
no lectures or posturing or protestation
just a quiet resignation to the march of progress

ten part invention

woo-hoo - second sydney show this year for this ensemble
a full house tonight confirming the respect they command
we early-birds treated to a late sound-check come rehearsal
seems the logistics involved means that private rehearsals are rare
though probably hardly necessary with the skilled musicians involved
and possibly even adding an edge to their performance
early arrival meant for the best seat in the house again
centre, close, p.a. pointed directly at me, easy path to the bar
and most importantly every musician in eyeshot
the first tune providing instant rapport on and off stage
putting the music aside this is the great thing about them
the sense of enjoyment and mutual respect is there for all
so a few bars of music in meant it was like a homecoming
some amazing acts seen in the sound lounge of late
but it's always a good feeling to be in the company of old (ahem) friends
john pochee in fine form tonight as drummer, leader and storyteller
his foil tonight being long-time collaborator bob bertles on baritone sax, etc
john explains he and bob have been on a whiskey diet to force a loss
and this week they lost....tuesday, wednesday, thursday (boom boom)
thus typically providing laughs all round for band and audience
but of course it is the music that we are all here for
tonight they started confidently and got better and better
7 brass musicians harmonising or contrasting with ease
making for a sound quite unique in my limited listening experience
sandy evans rightfully centre stage as usual giving her all
in particular while soloing in her own piece titled rendezvous
putting all her energy and focus into her saxophone
while we looked on in awe at the physical effort she exerted
her fellow musicians equally appreciative of her playing
and presumably inspiring them as they took the spotlight
james greening on trombone is another one who excels
relatively quiet tonight in voice but big on noise contribution
i doubt there is another trombone player around of more significance
especially when teamed up with master trumpet player mike bukovsky
or for that matter anyone else in the band at any point in time
which is what is so compelling about ten part invention
in a live format there is just so much to look at and enjoy
not the least being the support given for each other
as they give and take various hand and mouth signals
particularly charlie watts lookalike and saxophonist ken james
he providing the sharp-dresser component of the group
but it is their music that is strikingly complex and adventurous
the tune titled tall stories in particular with a unique timing change
the brakes being applied then released very effectively
the sign to me of a good band is the loss of the sense of time
and so it was that before we knew it the big finale was upon us
blues for clancye is their traditional closing masterpiece
one listened to on high rotation on the mp3 player
but tonight in all it's live glory right there in front
affording a moment or 2 of closed eye reflection
confirming that musically this is as good as it gets
a rousing rendition, wildly enthusiastic applause
and unusually for this venue demands for an encore
but time limits denying both audience and band
hardly an issue though the deed had been done
all involved seemingly well satisfied
now looking forward to the next one

gest8

a clever name for this 8 piece ensemble lead by sandy evans

she is one who always enthralls with any outfit she plays in

here she takes the role of sax/clarinet player, leader and composer

her partner tony gorman on the sidelines as co-composer

gathered around her are a bunch of eclectic musicians

including stage left greg white on imac contributing electronica

stage right is satsuki odamura on the more traditional koto

sandy is centre stage and flanked by her fellow brass players

phil slater on trumpet and paul cutlan on bass clarinet

back of stage is ring-in cameron deyell on electric guitar

the imposing steve elphick ready to lock it down on double bass

the prolific and versatile simon barker on drums and percussion

that's me down the centre front ready to be overwhelmed

a gentle start with cameron deyell doing some solo noise-making

providing a pointer to what is likely to follow from the band

then into the first tune proper and some glorious brass sounds

a rich, harmonious, melodic combination from the 3 players
the whole band quickly into the groove and the moment

plenty to look at and listen to from this large ensemble

a quick dismissal of prior expectations of 10 part invention-ness

with instead a recognition of wanderlust styled adventure seeking

sandy herself stating their desire to explore and integrate

demonstrated here with the amazing sounds of the koto

a strong harp like sound with the obvious asian twang added

worked beautifully into the mix of all the other instruments

and so providing a unique and absorbing aural experience

in both sets the band worked through tunes from their cd

each piece offering a different mood, sound, arrangement, feel

all complex pieces played with precision and obvious enjoyment

sandy counting in movements and directing her fellow musicians

and informing her audience with pride about the tunes
there's also a great on-stage comraderie that informs the music
so that each musician seems to want to do their absolute best
such is the respect for the music and their fellow musicians
totally unfair to single out one member of the band
so best summarised as a sum of the parts experience
in this case the sum exceeding the excellence of the individuals
and tonight the experience matching the publicity -
seeing and hearing them live is a sensory delight
absolutely, totally, unquestionably so
my feeling is gest8 are in a unique place
a compelling mix of originality, diversity and skillset
they totally deserve a much larger audience
may their sound travel far and wide

20th century dog

interesting name for what promises to be an interesting band
the pre-show publicity also tantalising in its enthusiasm -
one of the most revolutionary bands to have emerged in australia in the last decade
i'd previously seen sax player matt keegan and guitarist james muller
for me the stars of the mark isaacs resurgence band
drummer simon barker also a known force
cameron undy tonight on electric bass and leader
these 4 started the evening tentatively with a warm-up tune
though leaving no doubt that tonight would be different
the promise of some big noise possible with this lineup
for the second tune their keyboards player joined them
the quintet complete with gerard masters on pianos
yamaha grand c5 and rhodes electric both set to go
a quick shuffling through of sheet music and off we go
another tune with a very definite nod to electro-jazz
a very solid and fluent bassline with other splashes of noise
with guitar, sax and piano featuring at various times
otherwise all 5 musicians independently filling out the sound
which is about where i started getting a bit suspicious
a reminder of a recent conversation bemoaning this scene
some wonderful musicians and eclectic combinations
maybe in fact too many of them with too much cross-membership
meaning combinations are often under-rehearsed
and therefore relying on skills rather than connection
but we the (lack of) audience no doubt are also a factor
tonight we were all trying to get to musical nirvana
this band happily heading off in a electro-jazz-rock direction
with a distinctive 70's/80's funk sound mixed in
the first set over quickly and not entirely convincingly
even cameron undy promising a bigger and better second set
after a long break the band re-assembled on stage
gerard masters leading off on a long solo piano piece
very well played too on the yamaha grand
reminding me of locomotive breath by jethro tull
and similarly followed on by an all-in rock-out tune
what happened next though was beyond belief
lack of material, rehearsal, ideas and possibly enthusiasm
meant for the longest, most mediocre, embarrassingly bad tune
a jam session with no leadership, direction or spontaniety
gerard masters trying to wig-out with some electronica
cameron undy justifying things by telling us they are jazz musicians
as though that means anything goes - nope - sorry not here not now
i'm feeling a bit sorry for them all as i suspect they want it to work
but by now the damage has been done and the weak material exposed
the big ballad with matt keegan on sax also fell mostly flat
and not through lack of trying by one of the best sax players around
but...all is not lost - as he and james muller step it up
one of the final tunes of the night sees them finding a connection
harmonising brilliantly and effortlessly on a quite melodic tune
each of them also soloing most convincingly on their chosen instruments
at times such as this the band seems capable of it's promise
the rhythm section providing all that is needed for the stars
but in the end it's all too patchy and inconsistent
the audience were mostly polite and gracious
but certainly no demand for an encore
which was just as well really
cameron undy tells us they hadn't rehearsed one
thereby summing up my impressions of the performance

ned rothenberg trio

saxophonist ned comes all the way from new york u s of a
as does collaborator phillip johnson on clarinet and sax
chris abrahams is a local hero on piano with this outfit
tonight is a very special night for sima at the sound lounge
sima = sydney improvised music association
this is the first time their new piano is used in performance
so it seems appropriate that chris abrahams has that honour
a brand-spanking new yamaha grand piano complete with price tags
i walked into a full house which rather surprised me
though thankfully another lone fan had taken over a table in front
so i had a great spot initially for the induction of the new piano
then the introduction of tonight's highly revered performer (it seems)
ned started out on a solo piece on clarinet that set the tone
fairly obviously he is a highly skilled and inventive musician
within a few bars of music he had some amazing sounds happening
significantly throat, instrument and fingers working in unison
so there was a melody, a drone and percussion all concurrent
completely absorbing to listen to and to watch for all concerned
the second tune sees the arrival on stage of his collaborators
which then just added even further dimensions to the sound
chris abrahams doing what he does best with this deftness of touch
adding flourishes of sounds mostly from the upper end of the piano
phillip johnson providing complimenting sounds on clarinet
apparantly he and ned rarely play together though are longtime friends
but for me it sounded like they do this habitually
sheet music was present but so too was an amazing connection
pre performance the lack of rhythm section had concerned me
but as with nearly every performer seen at this venue recently
a trust in the performers judgement and choice pays dividends
so tonight it was to be a virtuoso display of an unusual combination
ned several times credits new york saxophonist steve lacy
indicating this now deceased musician has had a major influence
ned himself moved comfortably between various instruments
but one in particular was quite visually and aurally stunning
a long-neck silver saxophone complete with a prong for support
so it is played quite comfortably while seated on a stool
one solo piece played using this instrument was particularly impressive
again using fingers, throat and instrument for multiple sounds
in this case working into a rapid and repetitive motif
sounding very much like the looped track from dark side of the moon
but done completely solo and with no electronica in sight or sound
throughout both sets he had both his peers coming and going
another highlight being a beautiful melodic piece with chris abrahams
by now seemingly enjoying working sounds from the new piano
in the end this turned out to be a great night at the sound lounge
a treat of a performance in front of a large and receptive audience
plenty of local musicians also spotted at various times
which always confirms the merit of the performer
plenty of cd's on display also in reception
confirming his standing in the musical world
yet again - a totally rewarding outing

the band's visit

the band being an egyptian police band
the visit being a journey into israel for a ceremony
but things go wrong at the airport and they are on their own
then a mix-up in the spelling of their destination sees them quite lost
it's a very spartan landscape in historically hostile territory
so i'm feeling a little uncomfortable about what may follow
but it doesn't take long before those feelings are dispelled
for this is a human story - no politics, no religion, no hatred
the town the band ends up in takes them in as their own
there's a striking resemblance to middle america
and some scenes jim jarmusch could put his name to
but also a feeling that the location is quite irrelevant
as the connections between strangers are developed
the band has 8 members and are hosted in 2 homes
band leader tawfiq seems very stoic but has a sad story
which he reveals to dina his host who is equally lonely
trumpeter and violinist haled is a huge chet baker fan
on the lookout for a kindred spirit in this unlikely place
he also has great life-coach skills that are put to use
assisting an under-confident local hook up with his admirer
the scene providing multiple laugh-out-loud moments
and a maybe unintentional nod to a classic monty python line
during the film i kept wondering if we would see the band in action
a feeling that the director was deliberately holding out on that
though the importance of music highlighted in discussion
so there is hope that we would see the band take up instruments
in the penultimate scene they bid farewell to their hosts
with an aching moment we want to see an embrace
they finally get to their intended destination
the final scene seeing the band performing
our melancholy leader conducting and singing
the music being nothing that was expected
this police band uses cellos, ouds and violins
meaning their sound is both sombre and rich
and hence in line with the whole film
beautiful, emotional, organic, real
i already want to see it again

tim bruer quartet

i thought i was running late for this one - hate walking in on shows
but things are a bit behind schedule at the sound lounge tonight
so bum hit seat as the first note was struck in front of me
i'd taken the empty table again centre front
all but on the stage with the 4 musicians
and so a push back required to best take it all in
tim bruer stage right tickling the ivories
sean coffin under his baseball cap blowing on the sax
brett hirst leading the dance with his double bass
and surprisingly simon barker on drums stage left
last time i had seen him was with his duo showa 44
making an amazing improvised noise with guitarist carl dewhurst
so tonight in a much more conventional line-up
first impressions - hmmm - could be a long night
all a bit loose, held-back, under-rehearsed possibly
sheet music being the main focus for some
drums overwhelmingly loud in my position
tim bruer back-announcing his compositions
which kind of saved the day for me - all originals
3 or 4 tunes played capably but not convincingly
my mind unfairly harking back to the last visit to the lounge
when the aaron goldberg trio dazzled with similar material
and on that ocassion demonstrating an unbelievable connection
tonight the skills were there but the clocked up hours were not
though in the last tune for the first set things got much better
tim bruer introduced side-step as a funky number new to the band
here they let go of the disciplined approach and indulged
the 4 of them obviously enjoying a new found connection
the audience also responding appropriately with enthusiasm
though not explaining the dwindling of audience numbers during the break
something i do find quite common with the jazz set
see and be scene then high-tail it out of there
though a well-known reviewer makes a habit of that also
odd behaviour really as typically the best music comes in the second set
as with tonight after the band were back on stage
picking up where they left off and playing much more confidently
sean coffin in particular really making his sax sing very nicely
with the whole band now sounding like something very familiar
closest i could come up with was dewey redman a-la 80/81
a very melodic, up-tempo, balanced sound coming from the stage
by now i had also figured out why simon barker was there
improvisation is his gig i suspect but structure must also appeal
he himself referring to sheet music at times
and clearly enjoying his role in this band
tim bruer is not a flashy or hugely impressive pianist
seems content to write and play for and with a full band
which probably was a standout feature of the entire night
the emphasis being on group performance more than soloing
so that when they hit a groove their sound was just fine
allowing for self-indulgent, eye-closing, no-better-place enjoyment
another successful outing to the sound lounge

keep your silver shined

devon sproule is a 26 year old canadian-american singer songwriter
pictured centre of the album cover for this latest cd virgin review
not heard anything of her before that i recall but am aware of the name
her wiki bio makes for interesting reading - she has hippie parents
was born and raised in a commune and has fond memories of that time
her music apparantly shares elements of folk, country and jazz - hmmm

old virginia block
kicks in with a strummed banjo and what sounds like a tea-chest bass
so we are in real folk/country territory here - love it or.....
then her voice comes in - oh so sweet, lucid and natural sounding it is
violin (fiddle) joins, the pace picks up and it's a bit of a knees up
all sounding very authentic, natural, and kind of contemporary

keep your silver shined
lovely picked acoustic guitar and bit of slide in the background
a slow number with her stunning voice once again the focal point
this one demanding a read/re-read of the lyrics as the song builds
i want to land in a tugging hand - a youthful bed with a youthful plan
i want to wait and take my time - all my time, to keep my silver shined

1340 chesapeake st
there's an instrument mentioned in the credits for this tune - a trash kit
which may explain the tom waits-ish beat and feel to this ode to home life
her lyrics are so evocative of time and place - this one seems quite nostalgic
jeff romano plays all sorts of instruments on various tracks and also produces
great job on this one as he brings in a fine mixture of vibes, guitars, etc just right

let's go out
a clarinet sets the tone here closely followed by an accordian in this little ditty
so easy to identify with her as she tells a simple story of desire to go out
there's nothing in the fridge, nothing in the cupboard, there's nothing on the tv
i'm sure there's a a jazz band playing in one of the bars downtown - honey let's go out
swings along just so nicely and has just a most lovely romantic ending - sigh

the well-dressed son to his sweetheart
hmmm - now moving into a more identifiable country sound/lyrics
that middle america country sound with a straight beat and electric guitars
so probably not my favourite genre and this one doesn't change that much
but someone will think this is the best song on the album
kind of trite lyrics too that suit the feel - the only one so far not repeat-played

eloise and alex
husband paul curreri the writer of this one and in charge of acoustic guitar
very low key and simple instruments and vocals/lyrics to match
not sure who eloise and alex could be - quite possibly favourite pets
she really does have a gorgeous voice that stands out in the quieter tunes
hubbie providing backing and harmonising vocals - loverly really

does the day feel long?
her voice is the main instrument here - closely followed by clarinet
a really nice combination together with an acoustic guitar played very well
proving she is also a talented guitarist - she writes, she sings, she plays
such a laid-back groove here allowing the clarinet to seduce as it can
in a way such a loose sound but hanging together as in the hands of experts

dress sharp, play well, be modest
yes well another one that kind of just is and not much else to be said
the lyrics don't seem so cohesive either and give no clues to the intent
electric and pedal steel guitars in there doing their thang adequately
the term album-filler springs to mind but again someone will love this
i just find it quite lazy - composition, playing, delivery - not my favourite

stop by anytime
jazz influence coming through here as the drummer taps out a beat
her voice lending itself very well to this departure in style
can easily imagine her using this to demand attention in a jazz club
there's also a standup bass which gets a bit of prominence at one point
this tune absolutely proving her versatility and the promise of what will follow

the weeping willow
choosing a traditional song as the album closer is not a bad idea
mary chapin carpenter lending her voice to provide great harmonies
a bass harmonica played by producer jeff romano making an unusual noise
get the impression everyone is having fun on this head-bopper
but it's all over just as it cranks up a gear - which is a shame really

summary
this young lady proves in this album that she will become revered by folk/country/blues/roots fans and those just liking a beautiful voice and authentic, organic musicianship