Dixon Nacey always exudes enthusiasm.   He is one of those musicians who you cannot think of separately from his music.   He is articulate, a family man and a thoroughly well-rounded human being, but music never the less defines him.  He is one of New Zealand’s great guitar talents and so people trip over themselves to attend his gigs.  Dixon appears in a variety of contexts: teacher, composer, sideman (to the likes of Alan Brown and sometimes up & coming musicians like Rebecca Melrose) but most often as leader or co-leader.   This is the guitar go to guy.

We tend to associate Dixon with the more up tempo pieces where the changes are gleefully eaten up, but like Marc Ribot he can surprise with thoughtful acoustic offerings.  When this occurs there is a hush because the nuanced story telling and the rich voicings take us to warmer place than we ever imagined possible.   We heard both facets during the Zauberberg IV sets and the contrast spoke volumes about Dixon.  A number of originals (composed by  he and Oli Holland) were reharmonised versions of standards.   ‘Gutted and Gilled’ could only have come from the pen of Ollie Holland the obsessive fisher.   It is a metaphor for what this band can do with a tune; paring it to the bone.  Dixon’s red Gibson was no where to be seen and he playing another brand of guitar during the 13th February CJC gig.  He was trying out a handsome looking custom-made guitar (the name alludes me).   This was a wonderful instrument with the warmth of a Les Paul and the bite of Strat.

‘Day and Night’ made references to ‘Night & Day’ but they emerged as glimpses arising from a darker tapestry.   ‘Conversations with Dr Small’, (another great title) had quirky adventurous twists and pointed squarely at Dr Stephen Small (pianist), who I presume this number was referencing.  ‘If I Should Lose You’, ‘Recordame’, ‘Everything Happens to Me‘, ‘Softy as a Morning Sunrise” and ‘Have You Met Miss Jones were a sampling of the standards played.  ‘Softly as a Morning Sunrise’ was played with such high-octane and at such a velocity that we were pulling ‘G’ forces.  On the other hand the beautiful ballad ‘Everything Happens to Me’ was approached in a loving and respectful manner.  Jason Jones has a gorgeous tone and when Dixon comped behind him with warm soft chords the mood was perfect.   It is right to place such numbers in juxtaposition, as contrast is a vital ingredient of any rich palette.  

Oli Holland on Bass has long occupied an unassailable position on the Auckland scene.  It was a good day for New Zealand when a long sea voyage washed him up on our shores.  He is increasingly providing compositions for the more experienced musicians about town.   Compositions which both challenge and please.   I have often witnessed band members commenting, “Oh this is challenging”, but the results speak for them selves.

Andrew Keegan on drums may be a relative newcomer to Auckland but he has made his mark already.   He brings with him a wealth of experience (including from offshore).  CJC audiences are always pleased to welcome him back.  His posture when drumming is compact and that makes him great to photograph.   It is as if he is drawing all of his energy into a circumscribed arc before unleashing its power.

Jason Jones is the last member of the group and he is somewhat of an enigma.   People who have been around the scene for a while remember him well, but his public appearances have been scant in recent years.   He teaches at the Auckland University Jazz School and was Berklee Trained.

There is often an interesting back story to a band and so I asked Dixon hoping to get gain a few insights.  His reply was typically self effacing but actually yielded rich pickings.  Many years ago Oli had been in a band in Germany named the ‘Zauberberg III’ and they had recorded several times.   This gig was actually booked over a year ago as the ‘Alain Koetsier Quartet’s’ second appearance.    That particular line up was Alain, Dixon, Pete France and Oli (see earlier review).  As the time got closer Alain unexpectedly found himself booked for a week of recording for the second Nathan Haines Warners album.  Pete France had to drop out suddenly and that left Oli Holland and Dixon Nacey with a week to go and short by two band members.   When in doubt re-invent yourself and above all improvise.   The new name came from Oli, Jason Jones was coaxed back into performing and the often complex set list (typical of Dixon and Oli) emerged in the nick of time.

Jazz line ups are often conjured out of thin air and I have witnessed quite a few such manifestations.   It is my observation that flying by the seat of your pants can  often yield the best results.   This is how humankind has always moved the paradigm: our advances over the millennia have always come from risk taking.  In life and Jazz improvisation is everything.

I have posted the Matt Denis tune because it is so beautiful that I even managed to shed a tear through a very bad cold.

Where: Creative Jazz Club Auckland

When: 13th February 2013

What: Zauberberg IV