Chelsea has only just graduated from the Auckland University Jazz School but she is already somewhat of a veteran performer about town.  I often spot her name in gig notifications and I have seen her in the role of leader at the CJC (Creative Jazz Club) at least three times.   Chelsea is popular, original and able to assemble good lineups.

I have avoided using the correct descriptor for her most recent band after Chelsea ran into an unexpected problem with the name. The band is actually called the Chelsea Prastiti sextet, but Facebook abbreviated it to read; Chelsea Prastiti Sex…….   As she later bantered with the audience, “If your here for that go home”.  There is a sense of easy-going effervescence that permeates all Chelsea’s gigs and audiences quickly warm to her.  It is a credit to her that this is so, because her specialty is wordless singing (or a mix of wordless singing and lyrics).   Thus following in the not so well-worn path of Eddie Jefferson, Norma Winstone and others.  This adventurous exploration of vocal sounds is not all that she does, but it is a hallmark of her repertoire.

Her style of singing moves the focus to the timbre of the human voice.  Using it as another instrument, adding colour, tight unison lines and performing solos much like a guitar or horn would do.   Like other young singers Chelsea often includes numbers from the likes of Sera Serpa, Gretchen Parlato or Esperanza Spalding.   At this last gig those influences were felt in different way, more as reference points.  Most of the material (if not all of it) was Chelsea’s own.  Her composition skills are developing fast as she reveals her own musical stories.  Modern in sound, touching on the history of Jazz singing, but above all communicating the intensely personal.

As with previous gigs she has drawn upon musicians from her own generation.  Friends from the Auckland University Jazz School and especially those she had been most closely associated with.  Matt Steele (piano),  Callum Passells (alto), Liz Stokes (trumpet & flugal), Eamon Edmunson-Wells (bass).  Newer to the line up was drummer Tristan Deck – this was his first appearance at the CJC and on the basis of his performance this night I’m sure we will see him more often.  Liz Stokes, Matt Steele and Callum Passells were all in good form, each delivering some great audience pleasing solos.  It was also good to see Eamon Edmunson-Wells, who is a bass player we don’t see often enough.  As friends they feed off each others energies and the familiarity works well for them.  The ultimate test will come when they plunge in at the deep end beside highly experienced ultra challenging musicians.

It was particularly nice to hear Chelsea’s composition ‘Bells’ performed once again.   The interwoven melodic lines and the lovely harmonies are deeply compelling.  I like her compositions and the CJC crowd certainly shared that view.

What: Chelsea Prastiti sextet

Where: CJC (Creative Jazz Club) 5th June 2013

Who: Chelsea Prastiti (vocals) (leader) (compositions), Matt Steele (piano), Eamon Edmunson-Wells (bass), Tristan Deck (drums), Elizabeth Stokes (trumpet), Callum Passells (alto saxophone).