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Komeda ~ A Private Life In Jazz

/ JazzLocal32.com

Komeda is one of the most intriguing characters in the European Jazz Pantheon. A man referred to as the Chopin of modern Polish music. So, who was he and why did a musician who only released one ‘official’ Jazz album have such an outsized influence on European Jazz? The book I review here answers many of those questions, but it also adds to the mystique. He was an exceptional composer and an innovator but merely a ‘good pianist’. He was shy and hated interviews so the story of his life is mostly fleshed out by others. And, as the narrative unfolds we enter deep inside the creative life and times of Soviet-era Poland. 

Komeda died at a tragically early age. A quiet and often distant presence; as if he had some premonition of the difficulties and tragedies that were dogging his every footstep. Functioning as a musician in Soviet-era Poland was never easy; functioning as a jazz musician during an era when jazz was either banned or discouraged all the more so. And the fact that he was closely associated with Roman Polanski and by implication the Manson murders, gives the story a stranger-than-fiction tinge. 

The first chapters of the ‘Komeda’ book begin with hilarious accounts of the first sanctioned Jazz Concert held at Sopot, Gdansk. Before the bands played, the compère had issued guidance to the audience; a how-to guide for jazz appreciation instructing the audience how and when to applaud. They were warned that the music could be challenging and offered various tips on how to react.

  ‘You are expected to clap, even while the band is playing, but no cat-calling… (You) are also warned not to be alarmed if the musicians walk about on stage during a performance, hum, or even talk to each other while playing.  

The narrator reports later:

  ‘The authorities are putting their support behind the festival. In mid-July, Komrade Roman Kosznik, chair of the Sopot town council confided in a Przekroj journalist: ‘Personally’, I’ve been interested in Jazz for a while. 

An official had suggested Swanee River as an excellent example of a Jazz tune and so it was played to open the festival. Years later the official was deeply embarrassed to learn that it was not a Jazz tune and that it was played by white men blacked up—the epitome of Western oppression and appropriation. (The tune opens Polish Jazz festivals to this day. It is played no doubt cognisant of the embedded irony.)

The running of the festival had been left to a tram driver, recently transferred to the Ministry of Culture and Arts and while the committee had planned for 10,000, an estimated 60,000 fans turned up. The word had spread like wildfire and soon there were no hotel rooms left in Gdansk and the tickets had sold out. What had been billed as ‘from Ragtime to Jitterbug’ was something else entirely and was getting badly out of control. 

After the repressive Stalin years the ‘Khrushchev Thaw’ let a cork out of the bottle and groups of unruly youths dressed in strange costumes converged on the event. There were alarming reports of semi-naked girls roaming the streets and drunken males carrying strange signs with DUPA emblazoned on them (the worst swear word in Polish meaning “arse”). Observing all of this was Komrade Zygmunt Wisniesky who had been sent by the central committee to write a report on the event. 

The festival ran for three days with Komeda’s band stealing the show; the audience had been wildly enthusiastic. Many of the other bands though, were not so accomplished. An official report states that one of the trombone players finished half a bar behind the pianist. 

Because the seating and tickets were sold out before the festival started, the fans who had missed out rioted. Fences were torn down and chaos followed. The officials soon gave up trying to bring about order and spent the next week writing official reports, each blaming the other. 

It is somewhat of a mystery why the festival was allowed to proceed in the first place as it was the same year that the famous Poznan Bread Rebellion occurred and a few months after Khruschev’s astonishing denouncement of Stalin in the Dumas. Perhaps they needed a distraction. 

The narrative jumps about a bit but it doesn’t matter. After the initial chapters on the first jazz festival, we start at the beginning and follow his life to its conclusion.

Krzysztof Trzciński was born in Poznan, Poland in 1931. As a child he contracted polio, and when the war forced his parents to flee the advancing Nazi army, they carried him on their backs. As a disabled child, he turned to music, taught by a Jewish piano teacher (until she was discovered by the Nazis and sent to a concentration camp where she perished). When the Red Army drove Hitler’s army out a few years later, the dangers remained and the family learned that the Russians could be as dangerous as the Nazis. 

Sections of the book will be of interest to those fascinated by postwar European history. I am. The Poles had long been accustomed to the liberators becoming the oppressors and what we learn in a fragmented fashion is drawn from first-hand accounts. Nevertheless, a vivid picture is painted. We know that Warsaw had been reduced to rubble and then rebuilt by determined Poles. Out of the countryside, they came, with wheelbarrows and picks. Proudly in charge of their destiny – until the Russians returned with their secret police and controlling ways. In those first two years following the war, jazz was allowed, and then, just as suddenly, it wasn’t.    

Because Krzysztof showed an aptitude for music, he was permitted to join a school music programme. Later, he applied to a music academy, but the communist authorities declined the application. Denied that option he studied to become a doctor, but he never wavered from his desire to be a musician, sneaking into the family living room when everyone was asleep and listening to Radio Free America (the Jazz Show hosted by Willis Conover). He and his friends would transcribe tracks by Coltrane or Miles, gradually teaching themselves Jazz.   

While Jazz had been forbidden under Stalin, attracting harsh penalties, after Kruschev came to power, things became less restrictive (at least in Poland). In August 1956, a miracle occurred, and a Jazz festival was held in Sopot, a beach suburb of Gdansk (the bulk of the Russian advisers had just departed). At that point, Komeda stepped briefly out of the shadows with his student jazz band. The bandstand was a wartime Nisen hut and the fire brigade was sent to neighbouring schools to grab all the chairs available.

Also at the festival is a school friend of Komeda’s, Andrezj Trzaskowski. His school days recollection is as follows. 

‘’I was suspected of being one of a group of conspirators at Sobieski high school where I was a student. Two of my school friends had been planning to rescue one of their fathers from prison… the first one died during the chase; the other boy was executed”. 

Andrezj Trzaskowski was released from prison after three months. He passed his exams that year but for political reasons, he did not get a place at the university.  

We don’t learn if the young Krzysztof was caught up in this horror.

Trzaskowsky later became a brilliant and original Jazz pianist and the author of books on musicology. He and Komeda would sometimes swap places at the piano during gigs. 

There is something mystical and otherworldly about Polish Jazz from the Soviet era. That vibe comes through in this book. It was a time when creativity was confined and perhaps because of that, forms of vibrant and original music (and film) flourished underground.  

The book describes the difficulties faced by Jazz musicians and the determination with which they were overcome. The popularity of the 1958 Gdansk festival appeared to have alarmed the officials, but after a year of testy, to and fro debating, they allowed the festival to continue. Jazz was not yet encouraged and the authorities’ tolerance proved to have limits. This is known as the ‘jazz catacombs’ period.

There were Jazz performances before that first official festival (in the years between Stalin’s death in 1953 and 1956), but it was strictly an underground scene. During this ‘catacomb jazz’ era, musicians honed their skills well away from the public gaze and held invitation-only gigs in their reluctant parents’ basements. Lookouts would be placed in the street and if a policeman approached, they would switch to the Polish version of happy birthday.

   “The number of guests is increasing as time went by, with as many as fifty gathering in small thirty square meter rooms. Now and then the doorbell (would) ring unexpectedly. Upon which the musicians would burst into ‘Sto lat’ (happy birthday). 

Komeda had recently qualified as a doctor, although he only ever treated one patient. During this catacomb period, the book introduces us to the jazz musicians and friends who would surround him for the remaining years of his life. Most importantly, Jerzy Milian, Jan ‘Ptaszyn’ Wróblewski, Andrzej Trzaskowski and his girlfriend Zofia Lach (soon to be his wife and referred to variously as Zofia, Sosia or Zoska). 

If the band sought permission to travel or lodged funding applications, the requests were usually declined. Zofia would then send a follow-up letter, co-signed by a senior party official (forged). The official who had initially declined the request would then hastily grant it. It was forgery and it was dangerous, but it worked.   

Komeda notwithstanding, Zofia gets the most attention in the book. Talented, beautiful and fascinating, but by all accounts troublesome. She managed most of the better Polish Jazz bands (and was on the board of several Jazz organisations). According to the musicians interviewed, she was a brilliant manager, brow-beating reluctant communist officials to get what she needed for the musicians (visas, tours, gigs etc). The musicians, however, were all scared of her as she could also be violent when drunk, especially if a female fan showed too much interest in Komeda. 

The book examines her traumatising childhood years during the horrors of the Nazi regime and this is offered as an explanation of her subsequent behaviour. That sort of childhood would scar anyone.

When the Rock era arrived in Poland, there was a clamour to experience it. Zofia had a plan, as she always did.

   “Zofia gets colourful shirts for the bands made out of curtains”, They still play Jazz. 

.We learn about concerts and festivals and the views of various critics, fans and musicians. There are more riots by DUPA hooligans and endless trouble with the officials, but against that background of poverty and struggle, Komeda is expanding his musical conceptions.

At one point, there was a cultural exchange festival in Moscow, but the band is denied permission to perform by the horrified bureaucrats. The students have other ideas and set up private gigs in the backstreets. Eager to hear the forbidden music the Russian fans mob the venue.

It is all worth reading, but I couldn’t wait to reach the chapter covering 1964, the year of the first Warsaw Jazz Jamboree, and most importantly, the year Astigmatic was recorded. I discovered Komeda through this album and it was love at first listening. I probably became aware of it as I browsed through the Penguin Guide to Jazz, my bible at the time.

   “We cannot recommend this album highly enough, and we can only envy anyone hearing it for the first time, and with no prior knowledge of Komeda”. 

It was awarded the essential-listening crown in the guide and lauded by others.

When Astigmatic was recorded, Tomasz Stańko had only recently joined, and Komeda had been gradually developing his unique free jazz style. While the tune Astigmatic has a basic structure, the piece follows its inner logic, vamps and recurring motifs, probing rhythms, slowing, speeding up and with long passages of ecstatic freedom. It was the beginning of a particular melodic approach to freedom that was very Northern European. Kattorna, the second piece is a model Slavonic masterpiece. Then Svantetic, named after the Swedish poet Svante Foerster (later an adviser to the ill-fated Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme).  

A couple of the tunes had been aired at the 64 Jazz Jamboree but with a different configuration.  

  “All of a sudden Polskie Nagrania wanted to record Astigmatic, Svantetic and Kattorna, right here and now, pronto”. 

Komeda frantically gets a band together. Those playing with him at the moment were Tomasz Stanko (t), Zbigniew Namysłowski (as) Rune Carlsson (d) and a bassist from Albert Manggelsdorf’s band, a visiting musician. Immediately after finishing their festival performances, the Jazz musicians dashed over to an improvised studio at the Philharmonic. 

   “There was no time for rehearsals, we learned it during the hundred minutes of recording. Astigmatic was pure Jazz”.  

This was the only ‘official’ jazz recording that Komeda was to release. There were of course lots of recordings but they were classified as Ballet, theatre or film music, probably to obscure the jazz content. At the time of recording Astigmatic, Polish musicians had only been allowed to travel out of the country for a year (and that was only to Sweden, a neutral country).

An official invitation from Sweden was sent via the ZSP (The Polish Students Organisation) and this made the trip more acceptable to the authorities as it was viewed as a cultural exchange. The tour was a great success and the Gyllene Cirkeln Jazz Club reached capacity every night, turning away hundreds. A leading critic in Sweden wrote:

   ‘Anyone who thinks that the Polish quartet are well received just because ‘they are Polish’ is badly mistaken. Komeda’s quartet is ‘really’ outstanding at an international level.

Their next gig is in the famous Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen, where the fans had been waiting expectantly 

  ‘A week before they arrived at the Jazzhus Montmartre there had been a seven-day screening of Polish Films. The club walls are still hung with posters for (Polanski’s) Knife in the Water and Innocent Sorcerers. The Danish Jazz fans are waiting expectantly for ‘Ballad for Bernt’ and ‘Crazy Girl’.

While in Denmark, Komeda records Ballet Etudes. He had been forbidden to record outside Poland but he ignored that instruction. The other event of note was the defection of the band’s bassist Roman Dyląg. Later the band purchases a diamond necklace with their performance fee as there was no ability to exchange Kroner for Zloty. When it was sold back in Poland, much of the money went to the authorities. On subsequent trips they purchased second-hand cars and recording equipment to ship home.

With a few months left on their visas, although forbidden, Komeda, with Zofia in tow, slips over the border and travels to Amsterdam, then Paris. He has received two film score commissions. This is an important focus in the book. Komeda’s film work offered him security.

He had once helped a second-year film student, who begged him to write a movie soundtrack. Unsure if it was something he could do, he cobbled together some music and the short film went on to win an award at Cannes. The student film-maker was Roman Polanski. He and Polanski remained close friends after that and Polanski repaid the debt many times over.  

Polanski: 

   ‘I was intimidated by him (at first), by his reticence. But he was a shy fellow, who spoke calmly. (He) didn’t make large gestures? He didn’t have a big smile but (it was) a gentle one. 

Komeda composed over sixty film scores during the remaining ten years of his life, and this cross-pollination enriched both genres. He worked fast and produced scores that made even average movies great. They were essentially jazz albums, often embedded inside well-written orchestral scores. 

Being a largely self-taught Jazz musician, I wondered if the book would cast a light on where he picked up these arranging skills. No one interviewed can recall him being tutored, it just appeared to come naturally. The one exception is Rosemary’s Baby, where he subbed out a small section of the score to a Holywood arranger, in order to meet a deadline. 

There is something extraordinary about Komeda’s compositions as they are endlessly amenable to interpretation. Edgy modern Jazz ensembles like EABS combine his Ballet Etudes with hip hop and it works perfectly well. Tunes like Rosemary’s Baby ‘Lullaby’, or Crazy Girl can be hummed and are appealing, but underlying that is a degree of complexity. Stańko played the Lullaby years later in his Komeda Tribute, Litania. He was surprised to find that there was an extra bar in the chorus that didn’t follow the form. It was not noticeable unless it was pointed out and slid by subliminally. This kind of device is where tension is created.

I would have liked to learn more from the mouth of Komeda but he hated interviews and seldom spoke to anyone about his creative process. In this, he followed Miles, remaining enigmatic and trusting the musicians to step up and stretch themselves. 

From that first meeting onwards, Polanski was always in his life whether at work or play. He relied on Komeda to create magic and the musician delivered. As Polanski’s star rose so did Komeda’s and the awards and growing recognition eventually took both to Hollywood. While there, two scores were written, several more were begun, and then tragedy. 

Accounts of Komeda’s final days are as eerie a sequence of events as it is possible to imagine. He rented a place in Hollywood Heights and while partying to celebrate the success of Rosemary’s baby, he fell and injured his head.  Soon after he slipped into a coma from which he never recovered.

Present at the fateful gathering were Roman Polanski, the actress Sharon Tate, Gabby Folger and Wojciech Frykowski. Tate, Folger and Frykowski were murdered months later by Charles Manson’s acolytes. Polanski would normally have been at home during the massacre but he was out of the country signing a film contract, in part to raise money for Komeda’s medical care.

The final short chapters deal with Komeda’s return to Poland by medivac flight and his death soon after. The flight was held up by authorities at the border and many believe this to have been deliberate. 

The joy of being a Komeda fan lies in the musician’s open-ended legacy, and it keeps expanding; as if the cosmos can’t contain it. New compositions come to light and previously unknown recordings emerge. Bands all over the world discover his works and each one interprets the pieces differently, be it hip-hop or with orchestra. His compositions are so well-constructed that the possibilities are endless. And now, thanks to this fascinating biography, we can further appreciate him through the eyes and ears of those who knew him best. 

Written by Polish author Magdalena Grzebałkowska and translated by Halina Maria Boniszewska. Published by Equinox Publishers – Series edited by Alyn Shipton for Royal Academy of Music London. All of the photographs are from the book with the exception of the Astigmatic cover art (one of two versions).

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, a Judge in the 7VJC International Jazz Competition, and a poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on other sites with the author’s permission

Goldsmith/Baynes ~ E Rere Rā

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This lovely album by Allana Goldsmith and Mark Baynes is timely because it arrives at a crucial historical juncture. For a long time after the period of colonisation the beautiful indigenous language, Te Reo Maori, was suppressed in Aotearoa/New Zealand. After determined efforts by indigenous speakers, the decline was reversed, but there is a long way to go. Albums like this are indications of a gathering momentum.

‘E Rere Rā’ has been well received by Jazz audiences (and beyond). It has received critical acclaim offshore. It is a Te Rao Maori journey which takes its place alongside genres as diverse as opera, hip hop and pop. It is a joy to see this flowering of our indigenous language. Te Reo Jazz vocals were earlier brought to audiences by Whirimako Black, who recorded Jazz Standards and performed at festivals. Goldsmith has also been a pioneer in this field, performing Te Reo Jazz for a number of years, writing many of her own lyrics in Te Reo and composing tunes as vehicles.

Goldsmith’s association with the respected broadcaster, educator, and Jazz pianist, Dr Mark Baynes goes back a number of years and the collaboration has been fruitful. They appeared about town in the clubs and bars and toured further afield. They recently appeared at the Wellington Jazz Festival. Baynes is constantly widening his repertoire and he’s a pianist willing to take on new challenges. The last time I saw him was with a Latin ensemble where he delivered compelling solos while effortlessly navigating the complex rhythms.    

The album is stylistically broad, with a generous nod to soul and funk. It evokes the vibe of singing late into the night; gathering friends and family close. Such events are a timeless Aotearoa tradition; evoking warmth and sometimes sadness. It is especially so with ‘Tipuna’ (grandparents and ancestors) and with the heartfelt ballad ‘Whakaari’ (a volcanic island off the North Island/Te Ika-a-Maui coast). The lament ‘Whakaari’ references the terrible eruption of the Whakaari Island volcano. When it erupted, many lives were lost or blighted. It is a sacred place for Maori, but a place with layers of sadness. This ballad captures that perfectly.

Allan Goldsmith (co-leader, vocals compositions/arrangements) Mark Baynes co-leader, keyboards, compositions/arrangements) Hikurangi-Schaverien-Kaa (drums), Riki Bennett (Taonga Puora), Dennson, Alex Griffith (5) & Will Goodinson (2) (bass), Kim Paterson (trumpet, flugel) (3,10), Cam Allen (saxophones) (5), Mike Booth (trumpet, horn arrangement (5), Jono Tan (trombone) (5) and Michael Howell (guitar) (4,8). The album can be purchased from music outlets, Bandcamp or accessed via streaming platforms. Please support local music and especially music that tells our unique stories. 

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, a Judge in the 7VJC International Jazz Competition, and a poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on other sites with the author’s permission.

Volume One ~ Darren Pickering Small Worlds

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New Zealand’s Rattle records contain a cornucopia of wonders and the recent release of ‘Small Worlds Vol One’ by Darren Pickering is the latest. Pickering is a Christchurch-based musician and this marks an important milestone on his musical journey. He has recorded in his own right, been a runner-up in national jazz awards and appeared in various ensembles as a sideman. Small Worlds Vol One sits nicely with the label as it has something special that sets it apart.

The Small Worlds quartet has a warm spacious sound that engages us with its subtle interplay and with beguiling textural riches. The first track, Simple Ballad, set the tone for me. Here, as in many of the album’s tracks, you are aware of a floating quality, the sort we hear from the Tord Gustavsen Trio, where every nuance is palpable and every note resonates deeply. Much like modern European keyboardists post-EST, Pickering uses effects, but you are not hyper-aware of this as he deploys them minimally and skillfully. 

Not all tracks on the album are ballads, but they are all informed by a minimalist and ambient-aware approach. Because of this the album rewards deep listening and draws you inside the music, rather than making you a mere observer.  Again, I can’t help but reference the similarity to modern northern European jazz stylings in this regard.

This is a unit that plays as one and at these slower tempos that can be challenging for musicians. No one crowds as they move seamlessly in and out of the mix. A guitar can easily dominate small ensembles but this is a masterclass of situational awareness. Playing in unison or carrying the melody lines but always appropriately modulated in regard to his bandmates. The bass playing and drumming are also superb, laying down a supportive cushion and challenging by subtle means. 

We live in odd times when the clamour outside tends to overwhelm us. In order to survive this cacophony of madness we must enrich our interior lives and find safe havens. Here you have such a haven and it is one that you will want to return to often. When I hear a New Zealand album like this I am encouraged. Hearing our musicians explore the diverse streams of improvised music and making them their own, makes me happy, that is where the future lies.  

Small Worlds: Darren Pickering (piano, Modular, iPad), Mitch Dwyer (guitar), Pete Fleming (bass), Mitch Thomas (drums) Out on Rattle Records NZ ( rattle-records.bandcamp.com )

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, a Judge in the 7VJC International Jazz Competition, and a poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on other sites with the author’s permission. 

Jaimie Branch Obituary

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Acknowledgment to International Anthem Label for the picture

I have all too often sat down at my computer to note the passing of a creative musical spirit. Mostly they have been musicians with a significant body of work to their credit and although there is always sadness, it is comforting to reflect on the memories and recordings they left us. The loss of a young and gifted musician is different, as it robs us of promise and leaves us with a circle uncompleted. That is very much the case with Jaimie Branch’s untimely death.

There is a lot of interesting new music in the world and so it is easy to overlook new arrivals on the scene. In the case of trumpeter Jaimie Branch, I got lucky. I was at a local Jazz Club when a friend emerged from the shadows and whispered, “you like adventurous music, so this album is for you”.  He had purchased it, enjoyed it and was happy to find it an appreciative home. I had never heard of Branch, but he was right. This was exactly the sort of album that I searched for when scanning the new releases; exciting adventurous music, living in the now.

Jaimie Branch came up through the Chicago scene, an epicentre of American free jazz and adventurous improvised music. She brought with her the sounds of her youth, the sounds of the tough streets and an innate sense of groove. She was American life with all of its complexities and contradictions, but also the voice of hope. She was the mouthpiece of a generation restless for change and impatient at the pace of it. She was an environmentalist and a hopeful dreamer. She struggled with heroin addiction like so many young Americans. 

Her breakthrough album was titled ‘FLY Or DIE. Her second, the one I was given, was titled ‘FLY Or DIE 11 (Bird Dogs of Paradise)’. It is rare to hear such potent music. It is confronting in a good way as it demands your attention and brings you aboard. There are lyrics, fiercely political lyrics, often anarchic, always telling truths, and you listen bewitched as the consuming vibe sweeps you into her reality. 

Her core quartet with its delightful configuration of multi-instrumentalists have all been with her for a while. The beating heart: trumpet & voice, double bass, cello, drums. Especially check out ‘Prayer for Amerikkka’ which throws down the gauntlet. An amazing and haunting piece of music, ‘this is warning honey, they are comin’ for your head’. I think that it is the honesty of her trumpet playing that gives this the ultimate bite and all the more so when contrasted with the arco cello. 

To truly grasp, the extent of her powers, go to Bandcamp and grab a copy of EPISODE 3. Flick down to ‘Birds Dipped In Oil’ and take it in. On this track, you will hear her as she takes on Trump, screaming and mocking his endless stupidity as he intones regarding matters of the environment, Branch contrasting splendidly. Her family are reported as saying that they don’t want our thoughts and prayers, just reach out and show kindness to somebody and support her many left-wing causes.   

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on other sites with the author’s permission. 

Jim Langabeer Remembered

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Jim left us in January, and the shock of his unexpected passing robbed me of the right words. In the following weeks, I mulled over my inaction, wanting to do justice to his story? Then I caught covid and more time passed. While it is usual to post an obituary within days of someone passing, I paused and reflected. And as I deliberated, I could sense his presence, knowing that he would approve of my waiting until the right words appeared. Jim’s life was a Zen koan, and you can’t rush a koan.  

We had spoken on the phone a week before he died and arranged a ‘hang’ in a nearby coffee bar. It was sometimes hard to catch him on the phone, but when he picked up you could feel the warmth radiating from the handset. The conversations were slow grooves. He would speak softly, radiate peace and intersperse his comments with periods of reflective silence. Jim seldom rushed his words, and the silences felt all the more weighty for it. He spoke as he played because he understood the power of space between sounds. 

I had known him for over a decade, but I wished I had known him for longer. He was a musician’s musician; the term used to describe a player of significance but one who is scandalously under-acknowledged. He had been on the Jazz scene his entire adult life and had played alongside some of the greats, but his natural habitats were in the Spiritual Jazz and avant-garde scenes. Many assume that the music of the avant-garde is strident. In Jim’s hands, the music was reflective, spiritual and embedded in indigenous culture.

He could crack open a note and let it breathe in multi-phonic splendour. He could whisper into a flute and then unexpectedly send forth a flurry of breathy overtones. He had great chops and visionary ideas, but he was not egotistical. Jim was about the music and not about himself. He was an educator and an empowerer. It was about transmission – telling the story, enjoying the moment and passing on the flame.

He had written the liner notes for one of the first American Spiritual Jazz albums incorporating his Buddhist name (Tony Scott’s ‘Music for Zen Meditation). He’d recorded with poets and acolytes and played alongside Dave Liebman and  Gary Peacock. He also had a presence on many New Zealand albums but seldom as a leader. At first, I put this down to modesty, but now I think otherwise. His musical journey inclined him towards humility; he possessed that in the best sense. Gentle souls leave softer footprints. 

He gave more to music than he received; to understand why you should know something else about Jim, his long involvement with Zen Buddhism. It was a particular connection that we had. Each of us had connected with Buddhism in our youth which informed our attitude towards in-the-moment music. Although I meditated then, mine was of the Beat variety of Zen, remaining a lazy ‘psychedelic’ Buddhist. Jim took his practice seriously, spending time in Zen Mountain Monastery, Mt Tremper, upper New York State. 

While on that scene he performed with other spiritually engaged Jazz musicians like Gary Peacock, Chris Dahlgren and Jay Weik. And amazingly, performed with famous Beat poets like Alan Ginsberg and Anne Waldman who had an association with the centre, and together, had set up the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at the Naropa Institute. In New York, he connected with Tony Scott and Dave Liebman. Later, Jim established a New Zealand Sangha in the ZMM lineage and brought out their first teacher.

I recall messaging him when I was last in San Francisco to tell him I was seeking the forgotten Jazz Clubs, the homes of lost poets and the San Francisco Zen Centre. Names leapt across the cyber-void, Black Hawk, Kerouac, Kaufman and DiPrima. Back and forth we messaged during that week. He, tapping out fragmentary reminisces of his Dharma experiences in America and recalling some of the Jazz musicians he’d encountered (eg. Jaco Pastorius, Rashid Ali, Arthur Rhames, Gary Peacock, Dave Leibman).

I, responded with pictures of a priceless Rupa as I stood in the Zen Centre Meditation room; buying a new translation of Han Shan’s Cold Mountain poems and sending him a picture of the cover. And me, reliving Ginsberg’s visions of Moloch as I wandered the corridors of his trippy nemesis, the Sir Francis Drake hotel. Buddhist practice, poetry and improvised music are old acquaintances. It was our instinctive connection.

I would bump into Jim at gigs. And he would say, “I hoped you’d be here, I have this for you” passing over a booklet on Finnish Jazz or a CD. He would press them into my hand without explanation and carry on talking about other things. These were Zen puzzles for me to unravel. I realised what treasures they were only later. 

He came to my seventieth birthday, a house party where he enjoyed the young musicians playing. He was photographed, deploying his best smile as he posed among us. On that occasion, he handed me a bag of goodies, a limited edition double album – a live concert featuring Arthur Rhames, Jaco Pastorius and Rashid Ali. Handwritten by sharpie was the cryptic inscription ‘jimjazz ⅕’ – another koan to solve. Did he record this?

Important chroniclers like Norman Meehan have written about him, but I’m sure there is more to say. His family and musician friends will create a fuller discography, preserve his charts and update his filmography. It is important. Because he was not a self-promoter, he could surprise you when he appeared in line-ups. With Indian vocalists like Sandhya Sanjana, Tom Ludvigson & Trever Reekie’s Trip to the Moon band, at the NZ Music Awards, at numerous Jazz Festivals and on movie soundtracks. And he played and contributed to daughter Rosie Langabeer’s various out-ensembles. He played the flute on the ‘Mr Pip’ soundtrack and saxophone on daughter Rosie Langabeer’s soundtrack for the indie film GODPLEX

He released at least two notable local albums as a leader, but perhaps there are more? Jim’s Africa/Aroha album with Barry Young (SUPERBREW) was released as an LP by Ode in 1984 and re-released in 2007. It has remained popular with jazz lovers. Prophetically, his composition Aroha cropped up on the hospital Spotify playlist during his last hours. The album broke fresh ground in New Zealand with its freedom-tinged Afrobeat and World Jazz influences. It is gorgeous. 

Around 2016 Jim undertook a research and performance project at the Auckland University Jazz School, where he was awarded a Masters’s Degree with first-class Honours. Out of that came his finest recording Secret Islands (Rattle). After recording, Jim phoned me and asked if I would write the liner notes and I was pleased to be on board. He also used my photographs.

I am an enthusiast of avant-garde music and a fan of Jim’s approach, so it was a labour of love. Secret Islands is one of a select group of albums that tells a New Zealand Jazz story. It could not have come from anywhere else. I had heard the band play a preview of the album and loved what I heard. The recording took things to another level. It featured an all-star lineup. With Jim’s vision and Rosie and the other player’s contributions, it was sure to hit a sweet spot. Later a live performance was reprised at the Audio Foundation with Jim on flute and tenor, Jeff Henderson on drums, Rosie Langabeer on Piano, Neil Feather on an experimental instrument and Eamon Edmundson-Wells on bass, with Roger Manins on Alto. It was a superb performance. I will never forget it. The Secret Islands album (clip above) featured Jim Langabeer on winds and reeds, Rosie Langabeer, piano and Fender Rhodes, Neil Watson, guitars, Eamon Edmundson-Welles, bass, Roger Manins, alto saxophone and Chris O’Connor, drums.

One last album that deserves mention is One Way Ticket – Daikajo.  Released in 1995 by ‘Dharma Communications’ Zen Mountain Zen Monestry NY and produced by Jim. On it, he leads the ensemble on alto saxophone, silver flute and shakuhachi. Like most of Jim’s albums, it is Spiritual Jazz. A subgenre of improvised music that is experiencing revival worldwide. 

Just before the first lockdown, I visited him at his Farm Cove home as I wanted to record an oral history. I switched on my recorder while the conversation ran for two or three hours. It often veered into the esoteric. When Ī played it back, I realised that I needed another session with a greater focus on Jim’s achievements. I can usually keep an interview on track, but in Jim’s case, words were like pebbles in a pond. A series of moments setting off ripples haiku-like.  

Before I knew it the pandemic had arrived. I had lost my window of opportunity. Jim passed at the height of the second lockdown, and much as I wanted to attend his funeral, I couldn’t. I participated online and remembered him in silence, a copy of Secret Islands beside me and his tune Tangi playing softly in the other room. We loved Jim and mourn his untimely passing.

Footnote: The Rupa (Buddhist image) is an antique statue located in the San Francisco Zen Centre. It is likely the Bodhisattva Kuan Yin or Maitreya in Bodhisattva form. The video is Jim’s tune Ananda’s Midnight Blues which I filmed at CJC Jazz Club, Auckland. I have also included the clip ‘Tangi’ from Secret Islands. Lastly, I would like to fondly acknowledge Jim’s daughters, Rosie, Catherine and Celia Langabeer, and Jim’s partner Lyndsey Knight, who together, acted as fact-checkers.

JazzLocal32.com is rated one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on other sites with the author’s permission. 

The Inflatable Ram ~ ShekBand Ukraine

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Some stories play out quietly while others are thrown into sharp relief against a tapestry of upheaval. ShekBand is from Ukraine, and as missiles fly about them, it is tempting to place their project solely within the context of the unprovoked invasion. That would be a mistake. While the horror is inescapable, there is a bigger story at play here and ShekBand tells that story eloquently through their music. It is not usual to see musicians this young touring and recording, but their achievements are a testament to their dedication, a supportive home environment and the quality of a Ukraine Jazz education. Wars destroy, musicians create and the human spirit is bigger than war. This is an album to inspire; it is a beacon of hope.

Yesterday I wished Shekband’s drummer Maksym Shekera a happy birthday. He turned 12 years old. Along with his sister, Anna (14) and Artem (16) they are about to leave Ukraine. Their first album The Inflatable Ram has just been released and they have a tour of Europe ahead of them. The itinerary will take them to Warsaw, Berlin, Leipzig then back to Warsaw and on to Lithuania. They have been looking forward to getting on the road. Attend a gig if you can.

The album is filled with delights and as the respected bass player, Jeff Ballard commented, “All the compositions are well thought out. They are full of invention and cover a very large range of expression – very dramatic and sensitive qualities. Great stuff.”  Among the 9 tunes on the album, you will hear original compositions, Ukrainian folk references and their arrangement of a Wayne Shorter Standard.

Having fled Kyiv without their instruments they sought practice instruments along their escape route: old drums, town hall pianos, gaffer taped double bases. Emerging from air-raid shelters they focused on the tunes and to tweaked the arrangements. They eventually found a haven in the southwest, but they must now undertake some perilous journeys. Last week they drove back to Kyiv and were able to retrieve some instruments. It was a dangerous place to be. Today they face the missiles again as they drive towards the Polish border. 

Credit is also due to Patricia Johnston, co-owner of Taklit Artist and Concert Management in France. She came across these musicians during the 7VirtualJazzClub competition and her company awarded them an honourable mention. That company is behind the release on HGBS Blue/Black Forest Sounds. Patricia and I are fellow 7VJC judges and so I offered my assistance. The English version of the official press release is my small contribution. Yours will be to listen to the album and when physical copies are available please purchase one. From today it will be available on all major streaming platforms. Search for The Inflatable Ram or ShekBand on Spotify, Tidal, AppleTunes etc. Give likes, share and post comments. With our help, this will be the first step on a long and rewarding journey.

Anna Shekera: piano, chant – Artem Shekera: contrabasse, chant – Maksym Shekera: Batterie, chant 

For more information on the plight of Ukrainian musicians during the invasion, refer to my two earlier Ukraine posts which are available on this site.

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites.

Jonathan Crayford Trio Christmas 2021

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After a hundred and seven days in isolation, five days of equivocation and an anxious twenty minutes hunting for a parking space, there I was in the front row of the CJC Jazz Club; poised expectantly as the pianist’s fingers were about to descend. It was not as if I had been deprived of music during lockdown because my ears had been exploring a mélange of sounds. In fact, my noise-cancelling headphones had become such a fixture that I felt awkward without them. So what had I missed? I had missed sitting with friends, the hushed buzz of conversation before a first set and that feeling of joy as the lights lower. Live Jazz in an intimate setting is a unique experience, and for me, an addictive one. As Nietzsche said, a life lived without music would be a mistake.

I approach Jonathan Crayford gigs with high expectations and I am never disappointed. Even the occasional gigs in crowded streetside bars yield gold; but in a listening venue with a nice piano, you get the best of him. All good musicians feed on an enthusiastic audience, but with Crayford, there is a discernable x-factor, something quite beyond the ordinary. It is difficult to put into words, and I have approached this on previous occasions. You can see it in his gaze as he leans toward a piano, but it is also in his verbal engagements with an audience. When he talks and plays he is reaching beyond. Beyond a room, a city, a country. Gazing into the cosmos for inspiration.

His talk is peppered with a sense of place, or with improbable events and observations as he weaves them into intimate and odd narratives. A park bench in Central Park, a book read in Paris, a philosophical discussion with a homeless person. Pavement tee-shirt manufacturing — bikes in space! He talks as if new worlds and indeed the cosmos falls easily under his gaze and that is reflected in his music. To make extraordinary music requires seeing beyond the mundane. The interesting thing, however unexpected, is that for a moment, we hear through brand new ears. That is his gift. 

The gig featured a selection of Crayford’s compositions and all were extracted from his acclaimed New York Trio albums on Rattle. Anything from East-West Moon or Dark Light will please and fresh interpretations with a newly configured trio are always welcome. All three musicians were obviously pleased to be gigging again and I know that drummer Ron Samsom and bass player Cameron McArthur relished the opportunity to tackle these works. All three dug in and delivered as I knew they would.

If by some unfortunate oversight you have not heard East-West Moon or the earlier album, Dark Light, you need to remedy that over the Christmas break. I would urge you to bypass the streamers and purchase the album, or at least download it in WAV from www.rattle-records.bandcamp  Support Kiwi music. 

The CJC live trio: Jonathan Crayford (piano), Cameron McArthur (bass), Ron Samsom (drums) 

The NY album trio: Jonathan Crayford (piano), Ben Street (bass), Dan Weiss (drums) – Rattle Records (Rattle Jazz)

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer.Some of these posts appear on related sites. 

Kevin Field Supergroup

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So, here we are again, in lockdown, after 160 days of freedom and live music. In fact, unlike most places on earth we had been free to roam safely within our borders for 361 days since the lockdowns began. Because of our shifting  realities it is important to savour each gig and especially those immediately preceding each lockdown. These gigs are important markers as the sound of the music outlives the silenced bars and clubs. On Wednesday 11th August, days before the recent lockdown, the Kevin Field Supergroup appeared at Anthology.

Any Field project is a magnet for improvised music lovers and many of his tunes have become local standards. His Supergroup project is a developing story and we saw the first airing of this interesting new configuration late last year. For me, that particular gig was extra special because my son and his partner had recently returned from San Francisco and had attended the gig with me. Now, nine months on, there are new compositions and new arrangements to enjoy.  

Fields tunes have delicious hooks and all are memorable, but as several musicians have confessed, they can also be tricky. To do the tunes justice good players were needed and that’s what he got, a supergroup, ‘true to label’. With musicians like this a challenge lifts their game and consequently they tore it up on the bandstand. 

Where Jazz Lives (NY)

Field is somewhat of a raconteur and possessed of sharp wit. In true Kiwi fashion it is usually delivered deadpan. His enigmatic and obliquely referencing tune titles and his on stage introductions reveal this to the attentive. It would therefore not surprise me at all if the term supergroup, while perfectly accurate, was selected with his tongue firmly in his cheek. The dictionary definition reveals the following meaning;  an exceptionally successful rock group or one formed by musicians already famous from playing in or leading other groups. E.g. The Beatles were not a supergroup but Led Zeppelin were.  

This is an inside joke where Jazz is concerned, because virtually every lineup of established players fits the bill. Successful Jazz musicians spend their entire careers moving from one acclaimed lineup to another. Supergroups therefore form night after night in a kaleidoscope of perpetually shifting parts. 

Two of the tunes were from his recent ‘Soundtology’ album, High Crane Drifter and Good Friday; the latter a Kiwi Jazz standard that first appeared on Field of Vision.  With the exception of Where Jazz Lives (Matt Penman) the rest were new Field originals. I missed a few of the titles but among them was Mahi Tahi (working together as one), B’s River, Unconditional, Manhattan and Hullo Jesus (the latter describing a moment in lift when he suddenly came upon a large religious poster). The new tunes are worthy of inclusion on a new album and I have no doubt that that will occur sometime.  

I have posted a tune written for the band by bass player and composer Matt Penman, an important musician who has always been supportive of New Zealand Jazz endeavours (and Kevin). ‘Where Jazz Lives’ is a fine piece of writing and the instrumental configuration gave voice to the tensions and timbres that underlie the composition. The other track posted ‘Manhattan’ (Field) is a ballad (trio only). This is a very beautiful tune and the ideal vehicle for Field’s rich harmonic ideas. The trio sounded like they had been playing together for years. Field, Thomas and McArthur interacting in such a way that they felt like a single entity. There were some great solos, especially from Field, but the nicely crafted ensemble sound and the quality of the compositions wowed us most. 

Manhattan

Nathan Haines is one of New Zealand’s best known improvisers and he doubled on saxophones and flute, his melodic inventiveness very much to the fore. Beside him on bass clarinet and alto saxophone was Lewis McCallum. The bass clarinet is a gift to a medium sized ensemble and the resonant woody tones added depth and weight to the arranged passages. Having Keith Price on board counterbalanced the deeper and mid registers, his tight ensemble playing rounding out the colour palette nicely.   

   

The Kevin Field Supergroup: Kevin Field (piano, compositions, arranging), Nathan Haines (flute, soprano and tenor saxophones), Lewis McCullum (bass clarinet, alto saxophone), Keith Price (guitar), Cameron McArthur (bass), Stephen Thomas (drums).  That’s a whole lot of fire-power  

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites. 

Bonita ~ July 2021

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The Bonita Project is fueled by good compositions, nice arrangements and above all by the exuberance of leader Chelsea Prastiti. It is the second time that Bonita has appeared at the CJC in recent times and people returned for more. It is a worthy project as it reimagines a time and rides on a powerful vibe; the sort that the world needs right now. There was always an easy-going breezy quality to post-war Brazilian music and that quality could beguile. Underneath, however, there is a powerful engine, as the melodies float over a plethora of complex rhythmic structures. 

It is impossible to listen and to keep your feet still as the urgency underlying the beachy vibe captures you. It is also true that in this golden era there were dangerous political undercurrents. Out of that dashed hope came a flowing of art forms and the authoritarian colonels who tried to snatch it all away could not silence the music. Many of the musicians like Elis Regina were harassed, but the music never faltered.

There were three arrangers credited on the gig, Prastiti, Sinclair and Passells. The compositions were by Prastiti (and with one co credited to Kenji Hollaway). Some of the tunes we had heard before, including the lovely ‘Cassandra’ (posted as a video last time). There were also new tunes and among them ‘Peter Pan’ was especially appealing.  The band had changed slightly from last time, with Connor McAneny replacing Crystal Choi. McAneny had been out of the country for a few years and his return is welcome. His piano playing has a muscular quality to it, which was less evident before he left. 

The opportunity afforded by a diverse sound palette was well utilised by the arrangers; bringing out the best in the music without overwhelming melody. This was achieved with three vocalists, an acoustic guitar, piano, double bass, percussion, kit drums, trumpet + flugelhorn,  clarinet + flute, tenor saxophone and a second flute. It was pleasing to hear a 12 piece ensemble perform in this way. A configuration like this allows an arranger to impart a degree of airiness out of a large ensemble sound. This was achieved by having the instrumentalists or the vocalists moving in and out of the mix as required. The tunes had lyrics, but just as often there was wordless singing. I love to hear the human voice used as a (non-verbal) instrument. Perhaps because of my ongoing enthusiasm for Winston/Wheeler/Taylor in their ECM ‘Azimuth’ days. This was a nice project and all the more so because it was presented with infectious enthusiasm.

Bonita: Chelsea Prastiti (vocals, arranging), Eamon Edmondson-Wells (upright bass), Ron Samsom (percussion), Tristan Deck (drums), Connor McAneny (piano), Michael Howell (guitar), Roger Manins (tenor saxophone), Elizabeth Stokes (trumpet/flugelhorn), Ben Sinclair (clarinet, flute, arranging), J Y Lee (flute), Rachel Clarke (vocals), Gretel Donnelley (vocals), Callum Passells (arranging). 

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites. 

Lost Ships ~ Duni/Luft

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Lost Ships on ECM is an album that rewards deep listening. It is deliciously spacious and unbelievably beautiful and the powerful images and exquisite stories will remain with you long after listening. It speaks in many languages, as disparate as Albanian and English. The Romance, Germanic and Balkan tongues unified in improvised song form. The album is a collaboration between UK Jazz guitarist Rob Luft and Albanian born Jazz vocalist Elina Duni. Together they have crafted a rare and precious document. It is especially relevant for current times while gently referencing a fading past. 

Like many ECM albums, originals, traditional folk tunes and jazz standards are approached with a Euro-Jazz sensibility. An approach where less is much more and an almost preternatural clarity is realised  Everything sounds fresh and the album achieves this by breathing new life into what we recognise and by delighting us with the unfamiliar. As always with ECM albums, the recording quality is impeccable, and the musicians take full advantage of this.  

The first number ‘Bella Ci Dormi’ (Beauty, You Sleep) is a traditional Italian song conveying intense longing. It opens with the piano and guitar setting up the tune for Duni; her voice, caressed by the delicacy of the arrangement. Duni has an extraordinarily beautiful voice and Luft has gifted her the perfect arrangements. The next tune ‘Brighton’, an original by Duni and Luft is sung in French (with the flugelhorn as another dominant voice). 

There is a songbook standard, ‘I am a Fool to Want You’ (Sinatra/Wolf/Herron) and a loved chanson classic ‘Hier Encore’ (Charles Aznavour). This establishes the pattern throughout. Songs from many sources sitting comfortably together. The song ‘Wayfaring Stranger’ (trad USA) was made famous by Johnny Cash, but it has previously been recorded by Jazz musicians (Charlie Haden and Shirley Horn).  The two traditional Albanian songs are a rare treat. In ‘Kur Me Del Ne Dere’ or ‘N’at Zaman’, it is not hard to discern the eastern European flavour.  

Among the originals are some wonderful tunes, ‘Flying Kites’ is stunning as are ‘Lux’ and ‘Empty Street’. As lovely as the rest are, my highest praise goes to the title track ‘Lost Ships’. The song pays tribute to the migrants who lost their lives in the Mediterranean; gently but powerfully urging us to take action on environmental and humanitarian issues before we find ourselves lost ships on an empty sea.     

The trio accompanying Duni is not of a typical alignment. It has two chordal instruments and the pianist doubles on drums. Then there is the flugelhorn. Such sensitive players all. And Luft is on every track and he is a powerful presence without being overt. It is his astonishing voicings and delicately placed runs; none intruding on the vocalist but never-the-less conveying a quiet strength by exploiting timbre and speaking whisper-soft. This was a perfect match and I am not surprised that ECM picked them up.   

    The last time I encountered Luft, was at Ronnie Scotts, playing a gig with Kit Downes, and it was there that he told me of this ECM project. At the time I had not heard of Duni, but a few months later and back in New Zealand, I posted enthusiastically on the Norwegian avant-garde vocalist Sidsel Endresen. Luft messaged me immediately to say that there was a connection between Duni and Endresen. Intrigued, I kept an eye out for the album, and then the pandemic hit. 

I was determined to grab a copy, a real copy, complete with brooding artwork and an outer sleeve. ECM has the imprint of artistic integrity and I avoid listening to any ECM recording in a compressed format if I can. I badly wanted to hear the album, but I waited. I was informed that it could take two months due to pandemic shipping delays, but it took much longer. It finally arrived as winter approached and I took it out of the letterbox as dusk fell. I put it on as darkness fell and let the sounds wash over me. I loved it from the first note. It had been my lost ship, and now it was found.

Lost Ships: Elena Duni (vocals, compositions), Rob Luft (guitar, compositions), Fred Thomas (piano, drums), Matthieu Michael (flugelhorn).

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites. 

Andy Sugg NZ Tour

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With the opening of borders between New Zealand and Australia, it was hoped that improvising musicians could begin touring again. Apart from three returnees and several stragglers who chose to shelter in place, we had not seen an international for fifteen months. Unfortunately, the pandemic reestablished itself in Australia and that window closed within a week of its opening. There was, however, one musician who timed it perfectly and that was saxophonist Andy Sugg. 

He flew out of Melbourne just days before another lockdown was announced and we were very pleased that he had slipped the net. Sugg is a gifted saxophonist with broad appeal and there was no better way to break the tour drought. The tour was billed as an album release but the setlist also included earlier compositions and two tasty standards. The album titled Grand & Union was recorded in New York in mid-2019 and released last year. For obvious reasons Sugg was unable to take to the road and certainly not with his New York-based bandmates. 

Grand & Union is a rail hub in Brooklyn but it is also a metaphor for the album. ‘A musical intersection where styles and motifs merge before moving somewhere else’. It is an album of diverse stylistic influences but the musicians’ craft a tasteful amalgam from the underlying base metals. In the liner notes, the leader mentions Stravinsky as a prime inspiration and ‘The Rite Stuff’ with its deep propulsive groove is the most overt reference; a stunning piece, which evokes the now without jettisoning the history underpinning it.  

Sugg is a particularly coherent improviser who takes a listener along as he tells his ear-catching stories, and his tone is particularly arresting. Warm as toast and seldom straying into the lower registers. On the soulful ‘Ruby Mei’, his sound reminded me of the great melodic improviser, Ernie Watts. Much credit is also due to his New York bandmates who are seasoned musicians all, and who worked as a tight cohesive unit. 

His Auckland gig featured a local rhythm section and they also acquitted themselves well. The first set opened with the title track Grand & Union and was followed by Ruby Mei and other tunes from the album, Then came a more expansive offering in several sections. This enabled Sugg and the band to stretch out. This was a gig of highly melodic offerings and as an added treat, the second set featured two popular standards. A musician said to me recently; playing a popular standard to a discriminating audience, means, that you must play it extremely well and you must insert something of yourself into it. They did. The standards were the gorgeous ‘Someday My Prince Will Come (Churchill/Morey) and the much loved ‘In a Sentimental Mood’ (Ellington). The audience shouted their approval, obviously delighted.  I have posted a YouTube clip from the Auckland gig. 

While each of the local musicians has experience playing with offshore artists, considering how long that has been, they were very much on form. Of particular note was Wellington drummer Mark Lockett. I could hear people commenting enthusiastically about his drumming between numbers. They were right to comment as he pulled one out of the bag that night. He and Sugg go back a long way and the connection was obvious. 

The gig took place at Anthology for the CJC Creative Jazz Club on 14 July 2021. I recommend the album and it’s worth checking out Sugg’s earlier album also. To order physical copies, download or stream, visit AndySugg.Bandcamp.com    

The album personnel: Andy Sugg/tenor saxophone. Brett Williams/piano & keyboards, Alex Claffy/acoustic & electric bass, Jonathan Barber/drums.

Gig personnel: Andy Sugg/tenor saxophone, Keven Field/piano, Mostyn Cole/acoustic bass, Mark Lockett/drums

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites. 

O’Connor/Derrick/Johnson

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Last Wednesday’s CJC gig brought us a feast of truly adventurous music and it was beautifully executed. It was ‘free’ and ‘experimental’ and although within the improvised music spectrum, it is probable that many in the audience would not have encountered a prepared piano before. At the heart of the trio was the critically acclaimed pianist Hermione Johnson with drummer Chris O’Connor and reeds player Reuben Derrick. Anyone unfamiliar with a ‘prepared piano’ trio performance could not have wished for a better introduction. 

The beauty of experimental music is that you can put away the straight jacket of preconception and bring your imaginings to bear. New and unexpected worlds can be crafted out of the fragmentary detritus of the old. This is surely the ultimate purpose of improvised music. Freeing us from the tyranny of the obvious. 

This performance dove into the heart of sonority; creating sounds not generally associated with the instruments that made them. The piano had been prepared before the audience arrived and I wish that I had seen it. I have been lucky enough to witness this ritual on previous occasions, and ritual it is. There is a concentrated delicacy required in instaling the objects which muffle or extend the range of a piano. It is an installation and the precursor of new music. Items like chopsticks are inserted precisely between adjacent strings or perhaps a metal bowl is positioned. Few if any in New Zealand exceed the artistry of Johnson in this regard. 

Excerpts from concert

And it was not only the piano that reached for new sounds. No one thinks twice when they hear an instrument’s range extended by electronic means, nor should they when this is achieved acoustically. O’Connor, the drummer’s drummer is the most familiar to CJC audiences. He is one of Aotearoa’s best-loved and most adventurous drummers as he sits astride many genres with deceptive ease. During this performance, he added colour via fingers, mallets, sticks, gongs or rims, and no available surface or drum position was left unexplored. And he underscored the deep pulse emanating from the piano, tapping out some passages with surprising delicacy. 

Completing the trio was Christchurch based reeds player Derrick. The last time I saw him perform was in 2013 with his ‘Hound Dogs’. That particular unit performed a Monk heavy set that was well-received as I recall. Since then he has travelled extensively to places like Warsaw, Colombo, Vienna and Ljubljana. He is a noted composer and has collaborated across many cultural traditions. His fluency on the clarinet automatically singles him out, as the instrument is famous for punishing anyone who takes it up half-heartedly. On this gig, he doubled on tenor saxophone and his uncanny ability to locate the acoustic possibilities on both was evident. It’s a pity that he doesn’t live closer, I am up for more of what he has to offer.

Derrick, O’Connor, Johnson

This was music but it was also performance art of the highest order. It stretched us as improvised music should. It was wonderful. The only way that I can begin to do it justice is by abandoning written syntax. Filigree, texture, tropical thunder, raindrops, gamelan orchestra, quasar, delicate motifs, deep pulse, sighs, dance, hot tiles, exquisite, exotic. It reminded me of the first time that I heard Bley/Giuffre/Swallow’s Freefall.  My ears were realigned after that experience.     

Hermione Johnson (prepared grand piano), Chris O’Connor (drums, percussion), Reuben Derrick (clarinet, tenor saxophone). The gig took place at Anthology, for the CJC Jazz Club, 7 July 2021

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites. 

Henrique Morales Sextet

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As pandemic upheavals continue, in New Zealand we count ourselves lucky. Not only are we one of the safest nations on earth at present, but we have also been experiencing more live music than most. Over recent months various streams of Latin music have come our way and last week we heard the Brazilian born Kiwi Henrique Morales at the CJC Jazz club. 

Morales has just released his first New Zealand album as leader ‘Alô Brasil’.  He has long been the frontman for the funky Batucada Sound Machine and Santiago Soul Stars and his current band is increasingly popular around town. His musical journey began at a young age in South Brasil, soon bringing him into contact with the most respected musicians of his region. This grounding proved fortuitous as it enabled him to become familiar with the many styles of Latin American music and in particular the regional variations of Brazilian music. 

While the music of central America frequently sheds sparks, the Brazilian musical styles are generally associated with a different vibe. They feel like a warm embrace.  Once the Jazz world had encountered Yao Gilberto, Elis Regina and the towering twentieth-century genius Tom Jobim, the linking of the two swing based styles was conjoined forever. Brazilian music in all its forms remains popular throughout the world and western influences like reggae and Jazz have readily been adapted and absorbed. Morales interprets the many styles of his home country including Brazilian popular music and Latin Jazz fusion. The material was mostly original compositions by Morales.

He appeared at the CJC with a slightly different lineup to that on the album. The saxophonist Thabani Gapara had been replaced by Daniel McKenzie. The remaining band members were Mark Baynes on the keyboard, Gustavo Ferreira on the bass, Jono Sawyer on drums and Fabio Camera on percussion. I liked the arrangements as they never overwhelmed the warm rhythmic pulse and the melodicism, both of which are so central to this music. 

After a long absence from the club, it is good to see Dr Mark Baynes back (twice in a month).  He has been concentrating on Latin musical styles for some time now and I can think of no one else locally who is better fitted to accompany South American artists on piano. He also brings his Jazz credentials to the music. His playing was a highlight for me with his Jarrett like vocalisations (freeing the spirit) and his Latin swing feel. Another treat was hearing the soft rich tone Morales evoked as he plucked the strings of his Godin A6 Ultra, a prince among guitars and perfect for Morales’s music. For a copy of the album check out a local store or best of all catch the band around town. 


JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites.

NBQ Album Release

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I first caught the New Bop Quintet (NBQ) a few months ago, and since that appearance, they have had considerable success; playing at the Wellington Jazz Festival, appearing in large venues and touring. Now after months on the road they have an album out. An album that could best be termed, a love letter to Hard Bop; that accessible blues-infused genre that quickly became a touchstone for Jazz lovers of all stripes. Outside of the Great American Songbook, the Hard-Bop era produced the best-loved Jazz standards. Many of them are featured on the album. 

Putting out albums of familiar Jazz standards was avoided for a time as it invited comparisons with the originals. Now seventy years later there are fresh ears and enough distance to evaluate equitably. It is a well-recorded album and the musicianship is of a high standard. In addition, the more traditional stylists sound comfortable playing alongside modern conceptionalists like pianist Field. It has always been a feature of Jazz that the older styles influence subsequent developments. This is the perpetual two-way dialogue that keeps the music relevant. 

I have never heard Mike Booth sound better, and Pete France, who we wish we heard more often. Both played beautifully, that tone. As they played there was the pervading sense that an essence had been captured. The most experienced of the quintet members is undoubtedly Dr Frank Gibson Jr. He is a versatile drummer and one of the most recorded artists in Aotearoa. He always sounds great but he absolutely killed it on this date. With rhythms like that pulsing underneath them, the band must have felt that anything was possible. His ability to carve up time and urge others on is his gift.

Graduating from the UoA Jazz school in 2012, Cameron McArthur was the youngest band member, but since graduating he quickly established himself as one of the pre-eminent bass players in the city. Lastly, on piano, Keven Field. His rhythmic and harmonic approach is unique and forward-looking. He is undoubtedly a modern stylist and most at home alongside the likes of Matt Penman, Julien Lage or Mike Moreno. Having him on board gave the album a strong post-millennium foothold.  

While predominantly featuring much-loved standards, there were also four originals. One each was penned by Gibson and McArthur and two by Booth. The compositions all referenced the Hard Bop style and did so convincingly. Gibson’s tune ‘Beaver Fever’ was irresistible. The last time HBQ played I singled out ‘Speak no Evil’ (Shorter) and Soy Califa (Gorden) for comment. During Wednesdays live gig, the arrangements of Green Dolphin Street (Kaper Bronislaw) and Stablemates (Golson) stood out. The arrangements were by France and Field respectively. Booth is also a fine arranger (watch out for the AJO’s new release.

Gibson

The gig lineup differed from the album personnel in one respect, Wil Goodinson had replaced McArthur. He was the youngest band member by a wide margin, but he gave a great performance. His solos were melodic and inventive and he is already nipping at the heels of the more experienced bass players. Lastly, credit must be given to the producers David Innes and Terrance O’Neil-Joyce. They poured heart and soul into this project and should take a bow. 

Mike Booth (trumpet), Dr Frank Gibson Jr (drums), Keven Field (piano), Pete France (tenor saxophone), Cameron McArthur (bass), *live gig Wil Goodinson (bass). The album is out on the Manu 6022 Label and available from stores.
JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites.

Trioglodytes

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The Jeff Henderson Trioglodyte project came into being during a period that future anthropologists might well dub the neo-geographical isolation era. The Trioglodyte name evokes an image of cave-dwellers, of waiting out a storm and sheltering beside a roaring fire as the icy wind bites at their door. Like all of Henderson’s projects, this one was memorable and full of surprises. It was guaranteed to clear the cobwebs from a listeners brain and it did so by cunning means.  It had three drummers, THREE DRUMMERS.

Humans are hardwired to look for familiar patterns in the world about them. It is how they have survived. But when those patterns become too familiar inertia sets in and complacency follows. This is especially the case with music. Free music confounds some listeners but if they listened, really listened, they would find the familiar. Umberto Eco the Italian semiotician and philosopher pointed out the following. “All music has rules, it is just that some listeners fail to recognise them. When a decision is made not to adhere to any recognisable form, as in avant-garde music, that is a rule”.       

The Trioglodytes took us on a journey and although it seemed to traverse unfamiliar territory, in reality, it did not. What we experienced was largely primal and it triggered parts of our brain that we have been conditioned to ignore. The gig opened with a long passage of hypnotic drum beats. From three drummers who were in sync and yet communicating with each other. The usual tune forms had been abandoned but delineations existed to guide us between the sections or mood changes.

Henderson is the master of this type of performance art and because he was performing in front of a Jazz audience he placed Jazz totems throughout the 90 minutes. The first such totem was the opening line from Bags Groove. It was played a number of times, elided, and suddenly abandoned. It was totemic because it demonstrated the power of a familiar melodic line, which has embedded in its essence the unuttered form. 

We heard many such references throughout the gig and none were resolved in expected ways. Humans may be hard-wired to seek out familiar patterns and forms, but we are also devotees of puzzle-solving. If we were never challenged atrophy would set in. The references touched on loved Jazz standards through to mystical Albert Ayler lines. My favourite was the powerful phrase from Sun Ra’s invitation to depart via Spaceways Incorporated. ‘If you find earth boring, just the same old, same thing’ (June Tyson memorably sings this in the Sun Ra movie ‘Space is the Place’). I have posted three excerpts and one of those contains that reference.     

Others may have reacted differently and there is no right or wrong way to experience a gig like this. I left the gig with a smile on my face and an appreciation of the journey. And the freer sections brought fourth an unexpected memory of an old black and white film. Of Berber reed players dancing about a campfire in the desert and playing brief squealing phrases over endless hypnotic drum beats. 

Trioglodytes: Jeff Henderson (saxophones), Eamon Edmundson-Wells (bass), Chris O’Connor (drums) 

Guests: Kathleen Tomacruz (guitar), Julien Dyne (drums), Larsen Taylor (drums), Neva Tekela-Pule (Moog synthesizer).  

The gig took place at Anthology, CJC Jazz Club, 16 June 2021

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites. 

CTI All-Stars Tribute

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Jazz Funk is a subgenre of Jazz and although it draws on R & B and Soul it is a distinct niche. While it draws on many sources, it never completely overlaps them. It is a black American sound. it is accessible with a strong backbeat, good arrangements and shorter but tightly focussed solos. Above all it is danceable and that brings joy. Back in the seventies, it received a measure of grief from both sides of the spectrum. Jazz purists complained that It was not cerebral enough or too reliant on electric instruments while some in the broader music press complained that it was too much like mainstream Jazz. 

From today’s perspective, such nonsense is laughable. When Jimmy Smith, Gil Scott-Heron, Herbie Hancock, George Benson and Freddy Hubbard started releasing stunning Jazz Funk albums the naysayers were left with album sized chunks of egg on their faces. 

A few days ago Ben McNicoll brought his popular Jazz Funk unit to the CJC. His unit is called the CTI All-stars Tribute band and the reference is a potent one. The original CTI Allstars were leaders who came together for a large California concert: George Benson, Freddie Hubbard, Hubert Laws, Stanley Turrentine, Hank Crawford, Johnny Hammond, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham and Airto Moreira. The CTI label was the brainchild of record producer Creed Taylor. 

Povo

A man whose legacy is incalculable. He worked at Bethlehem Records, ABC-Paramount, Verve, Impulse and A&M before founding CTI (and its imprints). He signed John Coltrane for Impulse, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz to Verve. He signed Oliver Nelson, Gil Evans, Bill Evans, Wes Montgomery and many more. His last great project, the CTI label captured a moment in Jazz history, bringing with it those warm funk-infused albums and for a time, a wider audience.  

Crab Apple

McNicoll is a musician who puts in the hard yards and he captured the CTI vibe perfectly. While featuring a gig of covers is not a CJC thing, this was much more than that. Yes, CTI covers were aired, but only in the context of an over-arching project. McNichol’s band offered us a valuable window into this epoch and his selection of overlooked standards captured the vibe to a tee.  It was great to see these numbers aired as they are often left languishing in the shadows. 

The tunes were infectious and they soon brought people to their feet and on a chilly winters night, what could be better? They were tunes redolent of an era and they were happy tunes. For those in the audience around during the seventies, they brought back fond memories, for the rest, the joy of discovery. Among the tunes played were Freddy Hubbards ‘Red Clay’, ‘Gibraltar’ and ‘Povo’. The ‘Taxi’ theme, Herbie Hancock’s ‘Hornet (a funky tune written around two notes), A Bob James and a Wayne Shorter tune and very pleasingly Idris Muhammed’s ‘Crab Apple’, a Louisiana funk classic. This is the music that you can hear in the New Orleans clubs. A unique sound that rides a groove to the moon and back. 

McNicoll

I have put up the ‘Povo’ and ‘Crab Apple’ cuts. The band featured Ben McNicolls on baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone and tenor saxophone, Joe Kaptein on Rhodes, Mostyn Cole on electric bass, Kurt Dyer on percussion, Andy Keegan on drums and special guest Jason Herbert on guitar.  The gig was at Anthology, CJC Jazz Club, 9 June 2021.

I would also like to acknowledge McNicoll for his tireless work on behalf of the Auckland Jazz scene. Most know him as the person who introduces the gigs each week, but the observant will be aware that he also helps set-up and pack-down; he does the sound checks and sits at the ‘desk’ and on top of that he frequently organises gigs for other musicians. He is a prime example of how a not-for-profit organisation remains functional. In short, he us the archetypal (unpaid) A & R person.


JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites.

Steve Barry Quartet

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I clearly recall the first time I heard Steve Barry. It was around eleven years ago at the1885. He was not long back from Australia, bringing with him bass player Alex Boneham and drummer Tim Firth. At that time the Creative Jazz Club was located in a dark atmospheric basement; an ill-lit venue bordering on gloomy and perfect for a Jazz club. You would grab a drink, sink into a well-worn leather armchair with broken webbing and wait for the band to begin. 

The music that night was unforgettable. Somewhat denser than I was accustomed to at the time, but never-the-less fully engaging and exciting. When the second tune was announced I pushed record on my iPhone because I knew that I was hearing a piece of music that merited further attention. It was a tune that he was working on and it would appear on his first album a short time later. That was the year of Aaron Parks and his Invisible Cinema, and Barry’s tune was titled ‘Parks’. I listened to that phone clip an awful lot over the following months and I could hear the future. 

Each time Barry has appeared in New Zealand he has showcased fresh ideas. He is a forward-thinking and innovative composer/pianist and as such he never rests on his laurels. Although born in New Zealand, Australia claimed him long ago. He is popular there, has obtained a doctorate and awards there and teaches at the Sydney Con. As expected, he brought us new compositions this visit, but as I listened I was also reminded of that first gig. While he moves on constantly and is not composing or playing in the way he did back then, there is still a hint of that younger player. Of past learnings gathered and picked through as he builds fresh iterations, crafted in part from the bones. I am not surprised that he studied with Craig Taborn.

His compositions are no doubt demanding and require good responsive players. He had assembled just such a crew for his CJC Anthology gig. Callum Passels on alto, Cameron McArthur on bass and Ron Samsom on drums. Local musicians of the highest quality. Passels has a gorgeous tone, but what sets him apart is his ability to push at the boundaries. His best work occurs when playing compositions that afford him certain freedoms and these compositions worked well for him. At times he would run over the lines which contrasted nicely with his tight unison playing. The sort of advanced musical thinking I associate with Warne Marsh. Perhaps because this was a quartet, the music also felt more spacious. The density and serialism were still evident but as always with Barry, there were fresh vistas revealed at each turn. 

The gig took place at Anthology K’Road for the (CJC Creative Jazz Club). 2 June 2021. For Barry’s album visit Rattle Records or stevebarrymusic.bandcamp.com

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites.

Gjazz5 ~ Olivier Holland

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Olivier Holland’s GJazz5 Album release (NZ) was bound to be a significant event as Holland doesn’t do half-measures. When he commits to a project he gives it his all and this project was no exception. Sometime in 2018, he and fellow Auckland musician Roger Manins flew to Germany to record 13 new compositions. Joining them, a formidable lineup of internationally acclaimed musicians and their destination, the renowned Fatorria Musica Studios in Osnabrück.

Holland’s compositions are always engaging and these ones, especially so. To give them their best airing he had engaged a number of Jazz luminaries; Geoffry Keezer pianist and educator (USA), Terreon ‘Tank’ Gully on drums (USA), Denis Babel on tenor saxophone (Germany), Roger Manins tenor saxophone (NZ) and guest artist Joscho Stephan guitar (Germany). Holland was formerly from Germany but he is now a senior tutor at the University of Auckland Jazz School.

When you put good material in front of good improvising musicians you can expect good results, but sometimes, that little bit extra is extracted and then the magic. This is a marvellous album and deserving of acclaim. It traverses a range of moods without ever detracting from the overarching mellow vibe. This is a recording you will want to play over and over, and each listening will yield fresh gold.  

The first track ‘$10 Per Rat’ has both edge and humour. Holland is known for his throwaway verbal lines on stage and this bleeds through into his writing. He will quickly tell an audience that they shouldn’t read any particular meanings into his tune titles, but then he will follow up with an improbable story to the delight of all present. Good musicianship and good banter are happy bedfellows in my experience. 

Track two, ‘Mrs Bombastic’ is the perfect vehicle for Keezer who sets the mood with his evocative intro. There is nothing bombastic about this tune which is reflective, spacious and beautiful. Following that is Morse Code, a tune true to name, dancing over compelling rhythmic patterns with an insistent ostinato bass line. The next tune ‘What?’ appeals to me enormously with its Afro Cuban feel and its funky danceable street vibe – Gabel, ‘Tank’ and everyone, killing it.

‘For Heidi’ was written for Holland’s partner. An achingly beautiful ballad and wonderfully realised by the musicians. The first album is rounded off by ‘EasyAz’. No Kiwi needs to have this term explained, but for the benefit of others, it’s a laid-back vibe that we value so much in this country.  The musicians at the live gig told me that playing the tune was far from ‘easyaz’. The old adage about Jazz holds true here, complex music made to sound easy, ‘easy as’. 

The only tune not composed by the leader is the first number on the second disk, ‘Tanktified’ by ‘Tank’ Gully. This is a cleverly constructed groove piece and it ties the album halves together nicely. On ‘Dog’ we hear Manins at his best, navigating the warp and weft of the bass lines and beats as he rides over the stop-start segments effortlessly. Another great solo from Keezer as well. Guitarist Joscho Stephan appears on tracks (1), (6) and 13) and his fluid delivery is tightly focussed, enhancing the vibe. ‘EasyAz’ drops into a nice swing feel which soloists Manins Stephan, Gabel, Keezer and Holland, power through as easy as – pumped by ‘Tank’s high octane fuel. 

There are no B side tunes here — Venus Fly Trap (a gorgeous solo by Gabel), ‘Bad Tuesday’ which made me smile (Kiwi Jazz fans will get the reference immediately as it is a big nod to Hollands friend and colleague Kevin Field and his delightful composition ‘Good Friday’), ‘Don’t Worry’ (has that dreamy Pharaoh Sanders like vamp), ‘Van Dump’ (tasty unison lines and forward momentum riding on top of a flurry of heart-stopping beats, and those two blistering tenor solos), Lastly ‘10c A Fly’ a joyful tune co-credited to Holland and his son David. What a treat, and as with all of these pieces, carried on Hollands impeccable bass lines and his gravity-defying compositional architecture. None of the musicians can be set apart from the whole because all of the musicians stand out, this was truly a meeting of musical minds.

Following the recording, Holland made several trips to the northern hemisphere, nurturing the project to completion. Then, COVID happened and the American and German musicians were unable to travel to the album release. It would take more than an international pandemic to put a crimp in Holland’s style though and a release was planned using Auckland musicians (colleagues and former pupils). 

The New Zealand gig was well signalled on social media with album teasers and a commitment to donate part of the album proceeds to a marine sanctuary off the coast of Africa. On top of that Holland generously forwent sales profits above cost. $5 from each sale plus a generous contribution from his own pocket was destined for Avaaz, a well respected oceanic environmental cause. If anyone is surprised at this generous turn, they don’t know him. His environmental interests are well known and based on first-hand observations as a diver and a blue water yachtsman (he originally sailed to New Zealand from Europe). 

I have posted several numbers from the New Zealand gig and they are a small sampling from a superb nights entertainment. Beside Holland was Roger Manins, the only two from the recording band. Filling in for the internationals and killing it, were Dixon Nacey on guitar, Thabani Gapara on alto saxophone, Joe Kaptein on keys and Malachai Samuelu on drums. I am sure that these tunes were challenging, but you wouldn’t know it. More guitar parts were included in the charts and why not with Dixon in the mix. Roger was on top of his game as always and the other three were marvellous. The University of Auckland Jazz School alumni and tutors under Holland’s leadership did the University proud.

In addition to the Auckland clips, I have included some clips from the album. The local gig took place at Anthology for the CJC Jazz Club on 26 May 2021.

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites.

Mireya Ramos

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Mireya Ramos was an unexpected musical treat because our borders, with very few exceptions, have been long closed to all but Kiwi returnees (and most recently Australian tourists). Ramos is from New York. Very few international musicians have managed to cross the border, and only if they obtained an exemption and subjected themselves to a strict quarantine. 

With the Australian Bubble just opened I assumed that Ramos must have come from Australia, but in fact, she arrived here with her acclaimed Flor de Toloache all-female Mariachi styled band to perform at WOMAD 2020. Within days of arrival, the borders had closed behind her. For many pre-lockdown international visitors, the border closure proved to be a silver lining as visas were extended and they could avoid the horrors unfolding elsewhere in the world.  

Mireya Ramos is a multi Grammy-nominated (and winning) artist and although the rest of her all-female mariachi band members returned home, she and her partner Andy Averbuch did what creatives do best, they got busy. During the year she has recorded and toured the country and her gigs have attracted enthusiastic audiences everywhere. Her CJC gig featured a variety of Latin and Central American styles with the addition of popular standards.   

Her music draws on many genres, but all coloured by a stylistic uniqueness. She is both a vocalist and a violinist and that appealed as well. The violin is not unknown in improvised music, but sadly it is still uncommon. I am fond of the violin in Jazz and Jazz fusion styles and particularly so with Argentinean music. 

Listening Jazz audiences are always eager to hear traditional and blended South American music. A good example was the version of ‘Fever’ which morphed into an Afro-Cuban groove. Of all the tunes, that appealed to me the most. It is not often that we get to hear the many and varied Latin styles and whenever we do, we are left wanting more.   

Guitarist Andy Averbuch and Bass player Alex Griffith had opportunities to stretch out during solos and they made the most of that, but when Dr Mark Baynes and Lance Bentley locked into a Clave, the magic happened. Ramos has been received enthusiastically in New Zealand and after the pandemic recedes, I am sure that she will be encouraged to return. The band: Mireya Ramos (vocals @ violin), Andy Averbuch (guitar), Dr Mark Baynes (piano, keys), Alex Griffith (bass), Lance Bently (drums).

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites.

New Dog Extra Strength

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The genesis of DOG goes back a long way as I first reviewed them in 2012. Over that period they have gained various accolades and awards. They are Dr Lonnie Smith in reverse because the group began their journey as Dr DOG but then ditched the title to better accord with their egalitarian street-dog ethos. Their reputation extends well beyond New Zealand shores and their second album was recorded with guest Australian guitarist James Muller. They have two albums out on Rattle and both are exceptional. 

Their first album featured the core group, and each of them contributed compositions: Roger Manins, Kevin Field, Oli Holland and Ron Samsom, The second album followed the same pattern, but with James Muller contributing as well. These are all exceptional players and the albums have allowed them to place a deeper focus on their writing skills. When musicians of this ability come together they are better able to push past arbitrary limits. 

Ten years on there is a new guest in the lineup and as always there are new compositions from everyone. I hope that this recent gig is the prelude to a third album because together this iteration is crackling hot. With guitarist Keith Price on board, they moved into fresh territory and alongside the burners, there were touches of big-vista Americana. No wonder the gig was billed as the New Extra Strength Dog. At times it was Industrial strength.

Although the group is co-led, Roger Manins is the compare. Any gig that he fronts will have X-factor and this was no exception. The first set opened with a tune by Price and it was blistering. From the front row, it was like being in a jet-stream but it was not just bluster. Price is a terrific composer and this tune rode a freight train of tension and breathtaking harmonic shifts. It was initially titled #3unnamed, but now titled ‘Karangahape’ (a nearby street with interesting tensions). That set the pace. 

With one exception (the encore), these were all new tunes and each complemented the other. This was a feast of good writing, tunes played and written by musicians at the top of their game. In spite of their long association, it is obvious that these guys enjoy playing together. The respect and warmth shine through the music. They are in sync because they respect the music and each other. The large club audience picked up on that, thus completing the virtuous circle.

I  have posted the first and last gig tunes as YouTube clips. ‘Karangahape’ (Price) and ‘Schwiben Jam’ (Manins). Both of the DOG albums remain popular and they are available from stores or directly from Rattle (and on Bandcamp). If you don’t own copies grab one now, and if you do, buy one for a friend. We are lucky to have artists of this calibre in Auckland and if we show our support, more albums will surely follow. www.rattle-records.bandcamp.com 

Keith Price

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites.

Lerner / Pipes

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Ben Lerner Quartet

With the borders between Australia and New Zealand open again, visiting musicians are slowly returning to the CJC. One was Ben Lerner, a saxophonist who had utilised his time in lockdown to write some new music. While he played only one set, it was satisfying and complete in itself. We heard two stand-alone tunes and an extended composition in four parts titled ‘The Vocare Suite’. 

Ben Lerner

Lerner left New Zealand a while ago and his time in Sydney has seen him further mature as an artist. His sojourn there has been productive as he has performed alongside some well-known musicians such as Mike Nock and Steve Barry. It is good to see musicians of Lerner’s calibre returning, and perhaps we will keep him here long enough for some repeat gigs.

His sound is distinctive, even and beautiful, and can convey a variety of moods with his carefully controlled modulation. Perhaps this is a thing that alto players focus on more than tenor players? The approach served his compositions well, for his ability as a musician extends beyond performance. Strong compositional skills were evident that night, ‘The Vocare Suite’ especially. I have posted part four of that suite in a YouTube clip.  

Accompanying him on Wednesday was Kevin Field (piano), Mostyn Cole (bass) and Andy Keegan (drums). All are superb readers and each contributed something of themselves to the project. The sort of musicians you’d hope for in a pick-up band. The gig took place at Anthology K’Road on CJC night.

Alex Pipes Quintet

It’s the second time that I have seen Pipes perform, but the first time as a leader. A recent graduate of the UoA Jazz School and at present completing his postgraduate studies there. It is unusual to see such a polished performance in an emerging artists gig. He plays well, very well,  and he writes well also; but perhaps the most surprising thing to witness is how comfortable he looks while performing. 

Alex Pipes

A first-time leaders gig before a large discriminating Jazz audience must be daunting. If that was the case last week, Pipes didn’t show it. I have seen students perform who have an abundance of good ideas (and the ability to carry them out) but they sometimes lack the confidence to commit to them fully. I suspect that is the norm. Pipes gig was the counterfactual.

Pipes’ tunes were brimming with interesting ideas. They were melodic and engaging. Certain phrases reminded me of middle-eastern rhythms and whether intentional or not, enterprising. Today’s players absorb ideas from all over and so they should. Improvisation (like poetry) is the fine art of appropriation and above all, it is stealing from and modifying your own best ideas. And to do this and not sound derivative is laudable. Exciting to hear. 

The other ingredient, a solid and sympathetic line-up. Pianist Joe Kaptein has appeared at the CJC often and he is increasingly in demand. Like Pipes, he is relaxed and confident on stage. On one gig he will play fusion, on another, straight ahead, or he will dial it down as an accompanist. He is a player who feeds off a room’s energy and he gives back more than he receives. 

Upfront, alongside Pipes, was saxophonist Daniel McKenzie. An emerging player and a strong improviser. The flow of his ideas revealing a narrative quality. Bass player Wil Goodinson has appeared many times at the club. He has a solid reputation and he never disappoints. Lastly was drummer Rhohil Kishore. While the older drum styles are implicit,  he always reaches for a fresh modern sound. The gig took place at Anthology K’Road on CJC night 5 May 2021

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites.

Keith Price Double Quartet 2021

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Jazz and Cinema are natural bedfellows and there was no better proof of this than with Keith Price’s Double Quartet gig. A few days ago the CJC held the New Zealand premiere of Price’s ‘New Improvised Soundtrack to The Good the Bad and the Ugly’ and what a rare treat that was. The two art forms have complemented each other since the early twentieth century. Even before the talkies, a pianist would sit watching a flickering screen while he or she would churn out improvised music. In the cinemas segregated for coloured audiences, there were aspiring Fats Wallers, and in the white-only theatres’ grandiose theme music was conjured out of thin air. 

While seldom defined as Jazz it was never-the-less reactive to the moment and the first talkie was a (now) controversial film called ‘The Jazz Singer’. Soon after came some iconic Jazz themed movies and in the era of the Neo Realists, a Jazz soundtrack or an incidental jazz segment was indispensable: Elevator to the Scaffold (Miles), Breathless (Martial Solal), Blow Up [Herbie Hancock). 

It is not always obvious that a Jazz musician has composed a movie soundtrack but a surprising number of films can lay claim to this connection. John Williams who wrote the Star Wars soundtrack (plus ET Jaws, Schindlers List etc) was a Juilliard trained Jazz pianist (who once worked as a Jazz musician in New York bars). We have Jazz musicians in our own community who often appear in the credits (Crayford, Langabeer etc)

In the case of Ennio Morricone, the reverse is true. He was never a Jazz pianist but his compositions have become jazz standards. I mention Morricone because he composed the original soundtrack to The Good the Bad and the Ugly. This work by Keith Price is not in any way based on Morricone’s score. Price has turned the concept on its head and created something vital and new, and in this case, drawing on the film images to blaze a new trail. 

Here, the images are subordinate or equal to the music and there is no incidental music to enhance the segments of dialogue. And because there is no spoken narrative something extraordinary occurs. We feel the music and absorb the images in new ways. It comes to us through many senses, through ears, body and eyes. 

This is a through-composed work, but with space and opportunity for the musicians to react to the images (and to each other). It features group improvisation, but there is nothing aimless about the work. Each segment is built on what proceeds it with the charts guiding the ensemble forwards as they interact.  

Excerpts from the concert

The ensemble was a double quartet and this doubling up of instruments required skilful playing and very good writing. Luckily we got both, and although the gig was loud, the intensity never tumbled into chaos. Each musician took on agreed roles, resulting in a heady, textural mix. There were two keyboards (piano and digital), two drummers, two basses (one upright, the other electric), a tenor saxophone and a guitar.  

Price was on guitar and guiding the music with prompts. In a semi-circle facing the screen and keeping an eye on the leader were, Ron Samsom (drums), Olivier Holland (electric bass), Mostyn Cole (upright bass), Malachi Samuelu (drums), Kevin Field (piano), Ben Gailer (keyboards) and Roger Manins (tenor saxophone). 

Ben Gailer, Malachi Samuelu, Mostyn Cole & Eli

An unexpected plus for me was having the cinematography of Sergio Leone untethered from the screenplay. A new piece of music to a timeless movie. He was a towering genius of the cinema and it was nice to be reminded of that as we appreciated the preternatural framing of each shot. Leone drew on Samurai tales for his Dollar Trilogy and in doing so he reached beyond genre. These are ancient archetypes reframed and more profound than the faux wild west of John Wayne or ‘Hopalong’ Cassidy. The function of archetypes is to live on through reinterpretation and thanks to Keith Price, this story lives on.

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites.

Mark Lockett Quartet

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The Spirit of Ornette Coleman hung in the air last Wednesday, manifesting itself in the form of the Mark Lockett Quartet. It was a quartet devoid of chordal instruments. It was Coleman, not Mulligan. It was original music and an example of Coleman induced Lockdown creativity. The inspiration may have come from Coleman’s approach, but Lockett is a true original. He drums musically and tells stories at every turn. His tune titles, his solos and his announcements are tales from a true raconteur. He is a storyteller with an open vocabulary.   

I am always enthusiastic about a Lockett gig and with Lucien Johnson in the line-up, it was a sinch. I have reviewed several of Johnson’s albums, the last one, Wax///Wane, was especially fine. Like Lockett, he is adventurous and his musical fearlessness was an asset here. While Lockett composed the tunes (excepting two Monk tunes), Johnson was the principal arranger. 

The resulting gig was a tribute to freedom. The sort that shocked in 1959 and doesn’t know. Colman never abandoned the rules, he just invented new ones. His hard to nail down theory of ‘harmolodics’, an evolving rearrangement of hierarchy, with harmony, melody, speed, rhythm, time and phrases jostling for equality. I think that he would have enjoyed this gig as he never wanted followers. What he wanted, was fellow travellers and he found that with this band.

I can’t recall when I last saw a trumpeter, Oscar Laven. He was smokin’ last Wednesday and his forthrightness and bright tone, balanced out the thoughtful and softer toned explorations of Johnson on tenor saxophone. Everyone took solos and the notes they blew added something worthwhile. Behind them and pounding out meaty basslines was Umar Zakaria. We saw Zakaria recently when he fronted his own gig. Here, he was at his best, a Mingus like figure powering the music to greater heights. He was just the right anchor and the others benefitted from his solid earthy cushion.   

As the tour progresses throughout the Islands, the audiences will find much to enjoy, and as a bonus, they will hear Lockett’s tall tales of New York and elsewhere. His banter is worth the ticket price alone and if you add to that the joy of fresh sounding music, it’s a bargain. 

Mark Lockett Quartet: Mark Lockett (drums), Lucien Johnson (tenor saxophone), Oscar Laven (trumpet), Umar Zakaria (upright bass). The gig was at Anthology, CJC Creative Jazz Club, 22 April 2021.

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites.

Michal Martyniuk Trio + Dixon Nacey

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The old adage ‘good things are worth waiting for’ proved correct last Wednesday. After two lockdown cancellations, the Michal Martyniuk Trio (+ Dixon Nacey), finally performed their long-awaited CJC gig. There had been much anticipation as the band is popular, and when the gig finally happened, everyone was excited. The European continent is a long way away and so we don’t hear many European bands live. The Martyniuk Trio (whether playing alongside Kiwi or Polish musicians), always manages to capture a piece of that northern vibe for us. 

I have previously reviewed Martyniuk gigs and they never disappoint. I like them because they are uplifting. I like them for their melodic and harmonic richness. Martyniuk is a gifted pianist, but his compositions and arrangements are real standouts. The Awakening, The Opening’ Jazz Dance etc. His tunes feel like modern standards and I never tire of hearing them interpreted afresh. He doesn’t rest on his laurels either, bringing memorable new tunes to the bandstand with each gig. 

A case in question was a soulful tribute to Lyle Mays (For Lyle). A reflective ballad, celebrating a creative giant now lost to us. The tune, captured the essence of Mays the musician while evoking sadness at his untimely passing. It was also somehow fitting that Martyniuk’s own tunes should be bookended by two Metheny tunes. Metheny’s and Martyniuk’s had been the last gigs I attended in the hours prior to the first lockdown. When tours stopped I recall wondering; when will I ever hear live music again? I listened to both Metheny and Martyniuk over the turbulent months that followed and recaptured the joy of those events. We are lucky to have live music again, and especially when so many others are deprived of it.

Another obvious reason for adding Metheny tunes to a programme of originals was the inclusion of Dixon Nacey in the band. Nacey’s interpretations of Metheny tunes are standouts. During recent gigs, he has introduced many of these into his repertoire and to much acclaim. He was very much on form last week and his soaring smooth as silk delivery filled the room. His warm sound also complimented the richness of the Martyniuk compositions. One of Nacey’s own compositions was also played.

Videoing this gig proved extremely difficult, as the room was dark and the sightlines impossible. It was also a packed house and so capturing the sound from a suitable location was compromised Those who want to hear more of the group should buy an album or go see them live.

The remaining band members, Cameron McArthur (bass) and Ron Samsom (drums) have long been part of the Martyniuk trio (NZ), having played with him for years and having appeared with him at ‘Java Jazz’. They are highly experienced musician’s and familiar with the material so they can explore its facets.  

Dixon Nacey

My recommendation is to buy Martyniuk’s records and to check out some of the recent YouTube vids captured in his native Poland or Auckland. I don’t know how long he will remain in New Zealand as his career in Poland is on the rise. While he remains here, do check his band out.  It’s a treat you should not deny yourself – from michalmartyniuk.bandcamp.com

The gig was at Anthology, CJC Creative Jazz Club, Wed 14 2021. Michal Martyniuk (piano), Dixon Nacey (guitar), Cameron McArthur (bass), Ron Samsom (drums).  

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites.

Wouldland ~ Michael Gianan

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Michael Gianan’s ‘Wouldland’ gig caught my attention immediately.  First off, was that wonderfully evocative title (and accompanying poster), suggesting a balm to ease our way through troubled times. For a lover of forests and explorative sounds, it was irresistible. I was hopeful that this event would hit the mark because I have kept an eye on the leader’s trajectory since he graduated with honours from UoA Jazz School two years ago. During that time he has been associated with some diverse and interesting bands. This was his second CJC gig as a leader and the proof was to be in the pudding. 

The gig title suggested an elemental offering and in many ways it was. While it referenced many ideas and styles, all were distilled to their essence. Out of this, Gianan had forged a clear vision. It was a surprisingly mature offering and his strength as a leader became apparent as the sets progressed. He knew exactly what he wanted from the musicians and he signalled his intentions as the tunes progressed. The compositions, while structured, did not confine the musicians. They were pieces written with the ensemble in mind.  

It was particularly evident in the head arrangements, which were anchors for the developments which arose from them. Brief exchanges between guitar and saxophone, momentarily broke free of the structure, and this contrasted with the steady bass lines and drum pulses. There were burners and ballads, and every twist and tune seemed to balance what had preceded it. 

Gianan’s guitar can be either nimble or deliberate, but he never tries to make it just about him. His comping is supportive while the flurry of exchanges with the other musicians are to the point. Gianan’s Jazz school alumni Lukas Fritsch was the perfect foil for him here. His alto lines tight in the heads, and stretching during exchanges. His lines are often elided and I like that, he can say a lot with what he leaves out. Knowing when to leave space is important and again this says something about the quality of the compositions. 

Completing the line up were two experienced musicians, Bass player Mostyn Cole and drummer Ron Samsom. Cole’s electric bass work has appeal. There were fragments of vibrato-tinged melody, played in unison; at other times a pumping groove. He was a late addition to the lineup and a good choice. We expect much from Samsom and we are never disappointed. He seemed to relish playing alongside his former pupil. He was on fire. 

I have put up a clip titled ‘Manara’. Unfortunately, the battery on my Rode mic gave out, so the filming relied on the camera mic. It is not ideal, but the music shines through. All of the compositions were Gianan’s. The tune titles were intriguing and added something to the vibe. Often Jazz musicians pay scant attention to titles, but not so with Gianan ( Wouldland’  ‘B B Tressler’  ‘Maegraeneous’ ‘Astigmatisn’ Manares etc). Enigmatic titles can add value and these felt like they belonged to the tunes.

It is noticeable when a gig flows naturally. Afterwards, something remains with you, an essence, not just a tune, but a sense of what the musician is communicating.  At times, this gig evoked a wistful feel, but it mostly suggested what could be. I for one will wait for what comes next with interest. 

The gig was at Anthology, CJC Jazz Club Auckland 7 April 2021 Michael Gianan (guitar), Lukas Fritsch (alto saxophone), Mostyn Cole (electric bass), Ron Samsom (drums). 

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association. Some of these posts appear on other sites by arrangement.