Neil Watson Four @ CJC

August 21, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

I love any music that can be termed ‘Space Jazz’ or ‘Space Funk’. I have no idea if this is a real genre but I follow it anyhow. Living through the era of Sputnik and being caught up in the excitement that followed I was nudged in that direction by the events of the day. After that I zeroed in on space themed music. Some of it was corny (Telstar) and some was grandiose (Gustav Holst’s ‘The Planets’). Not long after this I stumbled across Jazz and the sonic explorations perfectly fitted my longing for a music that evoked the wonders of space while encompassing the quirks of our humanity. Music performed by artists who stood in awe at the edge of the universe and then stepped free of its limits.

The Neil Watson Four is a recently formed Auckland band who have no fear of galactic explorations. With the aid of a doogon (explained later), tenor saxophone, drum kit, upright bass and four overly fertile imaginations, they bent and pulled at the fabric of the universe. This is a band that defies the norms and swallows genres whole. There is no sense of deliberate eclecticism here and no self-conscious navel gazing. It is original and you get the sense that what happens sometimes surprises the musicians.

The feeling is often that of organised chaos, a loose organic vibe that works well because they have entered into a collective state of being. While Neil Watson pilots the ship there is no heavy controlling hand but his benign presence presides. He has gifted his vision and let the possibilities unravel as they may.

Neil Watson is not only a great guitarist but his sense of humour is original. A sort of postmodern Zen; dropping casual asides into the banter in ways that confound. The You Tube clip that I will post is ‘Renamed’. When Neil announced that tune he casually added, “I hated the original name”. This sort of humour leaves you momentarily confused and then laughing out loud. They also played a lot of tunes named after children, girlfriends or spouses. The tunes were all great and particularly ‘Renamed’ (Watson), ‘Eleanor’ (Dennison), ‘Rosie My Dear’ (Gibson) and ‘Theo’ (Allen). There were ballads and country fare as well. their rendition of ‘Danny Boy’ was so poignant that any Scots in the audience would have been fumbling in their sporrans for a tartan hanky.

Neil Watson is an original guitarist and he is at his best when a leader. He brings a rag-tag of interesting sounds and ideas to the bandstand and then knits them together. There is also something akin to Zorn in much of this material. Once the skeletal structure and the overall concept is in place the music is liberated. The interactions between men and machines are fluid and what the audience sees will never be repeated. For this to work well he needs the right collaborators and he has certainly struck gold this time.

Cam Allen usually plays alto but he is also a fine tenor player. I have also seen him manipulate a Moog to great effect. On Wednesday night he played a Buescher ‘Big B’ Aristocrat and it gave out an earthy, and slightly raspy sound. Word has it that it is a tricky beast to play but it sounded just right for this gig. I risk committing heresy here but a Selmer would have been too clean for this music. His interesting modal explorations and his flow of ideas mark him out as a gifted player. This is hardly surprising as he honed his craft on the highly competitive American Jazz scene. In this band he doubled on ‘doogon’. This is very much a ‘Kiwi’ thing and it is best described as an array of electronic and acoustic sound enhancements strapped to a hardware-store hand truck. Resembling a cross between a Dalek and an IED with its glowing blue lights, digital clock console and multiple knobs (many strapped on with duct tape); it can envelop the audience with shrieks that resemble a Banshee at a rocket launch.

All of the instruments including the drums feed into this machine and the effects are astounding. On upright bass was the respected Tom Dennison who used his arco technique to very good effect. This bowing worked well with the Doogon, which under Allen’s guidance resonated in ways that would have astounded the instruments makers. Dennison has a lovely rich tone and we heard plenty of that. What can never be overlooked are his compositional skills (See an earlier post on his ‘Zoo’ album). For this gig he contributed the lovely ‘Eleanor’ which he dedicated to his girlfriend. He seldom appears at the CJC these days and it was a pleasure to see him there again.

Perhaps the biggest masterstroke was adding Frank Gibson Jr into the mix. This inclusion of a drummer most known for his Post Bop chops may have raised a few eyebrows at first, but Gibson is no stranger to fusion. He demonstrated just how perfectly he can execute this material and he showed us all what free and imaginative drumming looks like. I heard a band member saying later that having Frank behind them, lifted the whole performance.

I am an unreformed devotee of music like this and whether you call it Space Funk, Space Jazz, Eclectic Fusion or just wild music I will be its cheer leader. This is an itch that just begged to be scratched and I am glad that Neil gave us a taste of it. Besides the wilder numbers there were one or two ballads to balance out the program. Overall it was a very satisfying experience.

It was somehow fitting that the band performed on the day that NASA verified that Voyager One had left our solar system and entered interstellar space.

Who: The Neil Watson Four. Neil Watson (guitar), Cam Allen (tenor, doogon), Tom Dennison (bass), Frank Gibson Jr (drums).

Where: The CJC (Creative Jazz Club), 1885 Building, Brittomart, Auckland.

Photographs by John Fenton & Ben McNicoll

Trudy Lile Quartet @ CJC

August 14, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 3 Comments

Trudy Lile has unerring radar when it comes to locating tunes from the lessor known jazz lexicon. Tunes that she skilfully transforms into glowing vibrant flute friendly arrangements. Her choice of ‘Steppin Out’ is a good example. Kurt Elling recently sung this wonderful (but difficult) Joe Jackson tune on his ‘At The Gate’ album. Not only was it a great choice and well executed but her new lineup rose to the occasion; giving her all the support she needed and more.

Trudy Lile last performed at the CJC about 8 months ago and she had a different line-up then. Last Wednesday she had assembled a particularly solid rhythm section in Alan Brown (piano), Cameron McArthur (bass) and Ron Samsom (drums). Trudy is often adventurous in her choice of material, mixing reworked standards, originals and virtually unknown tunes scavenged from interesting nooks and crannies. On Wednesday she held to this course and it paid off.

Among the other numbers performed was a beautiful rendition of ‘Niama’ (Coltrane), ‘Flute Salad’ (Lile) – I love this tune with its swinging happy vibe and another Lile original ‘Domestic Bliss’. Trudy explained that this number was somewhat tongue in cheek, as her own experiences of domestic bliss at times resembled the TV character Miranda’s.

Trudy Lile is well-known about New Zealand as a gifted flutist. While the flute is her prime instrument she also demonstrates impressive vocal skills. We saw both on Wednesday. I have always sensed a pied-piper quality to her work and as she dances and sways during the flute solos it is impossible not to be captivated. Dedicated Jazz-flute players have been rare over the years and some critics have been disparaging about the lack of expression in that horn. If they listened to Trudy they would shut up, sit down and recant. In her hands the flute has all of the expression you could ever want

I must zero in on Alan Brown here as he was just superb. OK, Alan always puts on a great performance but this facet of his playing is not seen as often. Alan is rightly famous for his soul infused Jazz funk. He was a power house of inventiveness on Wednesday,but more importantly he established beyond a shred of doubt that he is a stellar straight-ahead Jazz pianist. His playing is always strongly rhythmic and that is what we expect from Alan, but to see him as an accompanist in this context was revealing. Anyone hearing a Kurt Elling number such as ‘Steppin out’, notices his arranger and pianist Laurence Hobgood. Hobgood is a dedicated accompanist of the highest order. Alan communicated a special quality also. He supported vocals (and flute) in the way Hobgood does and it was pure gold. After seeing him in this context I would really like to hear him do a piano trio gig sometime, complete with a few straight-ahead standards.

Cameron McArthur has become the first choice bass player for Auckland gigs and every time he appears (which is often) he impresses afresh. He is gaining a substantial group of supporters about town and his solos always elicit enthusiastic calls and strong applause.

Ron Samsom is quite simply the best there is on traps and his tasteful underpinning of any band is inspiring. On this gig he alternated between quieter brush or mallets work and power house grooves which lifted the others to greater heights. Sometimes when I hear Ron’s drumming I can discern a pulse that goes way beyond the room. Perhaps it is the pulse of the Jazz tradition itself, the history and the future rolled together in a beat.

This band was the perfect foil for Trudy and she took full advantage of it.

Who: The Trudy Lile Quartet – Trudy Lile (leader, vocals, flute). Alan Brown (piano), Cameron McArthur (bass), Ron Samsom (drums).

Where: The CJC (Creative Jazz Club) Brittomart 1885, Wednesday 7th August 2013.

Reuben Bradley trio @ CJC + Mantis Album

August 6, 2013August 6, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

After the success of ‘Mantis’ and ‘Resonator’, Auckland audiences were keen to see a Reuben Bradley band perform again. Reuben is one of those musical drummers that Wellington seems to specialise in and he clearly has an eye for an epic project. For ‘Mantis’ he engaged some real heavyweights. Roger Manins (tenor), Matt Penman (bass), James Illingworth (piano), John Psathas (arrangements) and the New Zealand String Quartet. The tunes were all Drew Menzies originals, with arrangements by Reuben Bradley and John Psathas.

Mantis is a celebration of the works of Drew Menzies, a highly respected bass player in both the Jazz and Classical spheres and whose compositions had never been recorded before. What is well communicated during this project is the connection that the musicians have with the material and what also comes across is Reuben’s obvious affection for his departed friend. Reuben’s liner notes give us a fascinating account how the pieces came back to life, drawing us into a kaleidoscope of quirky lead sheets and a musicians world. In some cases the tunes re-evolved from embryonic beginnings, coaxed by Reuben’s pen. I urge everyone to buy the album. The tunes are fresh but at the same time strangely familiar and this quality anoints them as being timeless, potential local standards.

While no added incentives are needed to purchase ‘Mantis’, it is worth pointing out that the proceeds of the sale go to the Drew Menzies Memorial Scholarship for young New Zealand bass players. ‘Mantis’ was featured as a key event at the recent Wellington Jazz festival and this week it was a highlight of the Nelson Jazz Festival. Credit to Creative New Zealand for funding such an important project and to Rattle Records for the album. It is hardly surprising that musicians of this quality delivered so royally, but a nod to John Psathas and the New Zealand String Quartet is appropriate here. No matter how experienced a classical string quartet, there is always a challenge when playing Jazz compositions. The quartet’s unmistakeable chops and John Psathas airy charts took this exactly where it needed to go.

Having Matt Penman aboard was a huge coup. This expat Kiwi bass player is now one of the real heavyweights of the North American scene. His work with the San Francisco Jazz Collective, James Farm, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kenny Werner, Joe Lovano, Fred Hersch, plus his own ground breaking albums, mark him out as one New Zealand’s greatest Jazz exports. His Bass playing on this album is simply wonderful and no superlatives can do it justice. Drew would have been extremely pleased.

Reuben won the Tui Best Jazz Album of the Year with his ‘Resonator’ album in 2010. Roger Manins was also on that album and these two musicians work together whenever possible. Both of the above albums are adventurous and in their different ways lay down benchmarks for what’s good and original about New Zealand Jazz.

When Reuben came to the CJC on the 31st July, the working unit was pared back to drums, tenor sax and bass. On Sax was Roger Manins who has shown time and again that he can give of his best in any configuration. This sort of trio is wide open for possibilities and the lack of any chordal underpinning leaves the musicians open to risk, but completely free to explore melody and form. None of the trio were strangers to this format.

I have often watched Roger stepping free of the boundaries, like an anarchic motorist on some long empty highway who has just realised that the normal road rules will not apply there. I was also delighted to see Roger using his Radio Model, Cigar Cutter Selmer for the first time. A sleek silvery goddess of bygone years which oozes charm. In Rogers hands it purrs dangerously like an ancient vixen, brought back to life to seduce us all.

Brett Hirst is a popular Australian bassist and a list his former band mates would read like the who’s who of Aussie Jazz. He has a big sound and an instinctive rhythmic feel which lent itself perfectly to this gig. In their usual fashion Australia has claimed him as their own but he is originally from New Zealand like so many artists doing well across the Tasman.

Reuben, Roger and Brett work extremely well together and so it was fitting that they should tackle the work of Drew Menzies from a fresh angle. While there was a tune or so from ‘Resonator’ in the set list, the bulk of the material played was from ‘Mantis’. It is Reuben’s hope that these tunes will become mainstays in the Kiwi Jazz repertoire and I hope that this comes to pass. I have heard at least one rendition of ‘Ladies Man’ played recently at a gig and so the trend may gather steam.

Who: Reuben Bradley Trio – Reuben Bradley (drums) (arrangements), Roger Manins (tenor sax), Brett Hirst (bass).

What: ‘Mantis’ (and ‘Resonator’) both available from Rattle.

Where: CJC (Creative Jazz Club) Brittomart 1885 Building downtown Auckland

Mike Nock + Roger Manins, Frank Gibson@ CJC

July 28, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 1 Comment

It was sometime in early June when I first heard the news. I was sitting with Roger, talking music and shooting the breeze about who we rated. Suddenly he half turned and said, “Mikes coming back to do a CJC gig”. The words hung in the air like a siren song and for me the impatient waiting began from that moment. If Mike Nock was coming to town there would be magic aplenty. That’s what it meant. That is what it has always meant.

The word seeped out, first to the music students and then to the wider world, like ripples in an ever-widening arc. The club would be full that night.

Closer to the gig Roger asked Mike who he wanted in the band. They quickly settled on a trio format, not your usual piano trio but one with piano, tenor saxophone and drums. Roger Manins on tenor, Frank Gibson on drums. Mike had jettisoned the anchor for this gig and he was quite definite about that, no bass. This is a challenging lineup for a pianist (and for the other band members) because no-one is there to hold the centre. If you slip there is greater distance to fall. In this different space wonderful things can also happen and they did. This was a night among nights.

Barely able to contain my impatience I rolled into the club foyer three-quarters of an hour early. The queue was already snaking back past the basement stairway and well into the upstairs bar. A seething mass of eager faces. When the doors finally opened there was Mike sitting sideways on the piano stool and Roger was blowing a few scales nearby. The music stand sitting to one side abandoned, an unnecessary distraction, in a free ranging gig going where the music took it.

Before the first set I caught up with Mike, talking about his various projects (he was playing with a New Zealand string quartet the next night). He told me that he was coming back to the CJC with his newest Australian trio in a few months. Next time bass and drums. We talked a bit about Jazz musicians from the past, Kiwi’s that he had played with and then the discussion shifted to the older pianists who straddled the swing to bop era. Like all great pianists Mike lets the entire history of Jazz fall under his fingers and so I asked him about players like Hank Jones and Mary Lou Williams. When I listen to them I hear such strong left hands, walking chords, syncopation, hinting at a time when ‘harlem stride’ was still an influence. “The newer and stronger bass players changed that” said Mike. “As the bass lines become stronger and pickups better the need for such dominant left hand work fell away. There was too much conflict”. As a non musician I had never considered that and it all made perfect sense. I marvelled all the more that Be Bop/Post Bop greats like Hank Jones kept a touch of this earlier style and even when accompanied by strong bass players like Ray Brown, George Mraz and Ron Carter. I wondered if we would ever see those strong left hand stylists again. I soon got my answer.

The set list was not really planned and it changed and evolved as the evening wore on. The numbers selected were all standards, but they were somehow fresh, as if revealed for the very first time. The first number was ‘When Your Smiling’ (Shay/Fisher/Goodwin 1889) and the second number was ‘Gone With The Wind’ (Allie Wrubel 1937). Those two numbers coming together had me wracking my brain as to where I had heard them, heard them played together. Then it came to me, they were both on one of the earliest of the Brubeck Quartet albums. ‘Dave Brubeck at Storyville 1954’ was a wild live recording that lacked polish but oozed soul and immediacy. Afterwards Mike announced that a Brubeck album had inspired him to play that number – bingo. These are the connections we love. If you ingest a large dollop of Jazz history the memories will reward you.

As they played through the first set I realised that the lack of a bass had not impeded them at all. There it was, that strong left hand of Hank Jones, working the mid lower register while wonderful modern chords and runs flew from his darting right hand. This was a master class for the senses to grapple with, giving us an unparalleled taste of Jazz piano mastery from an oblique angle. No matter what Mike threw his way Roger matched it as they danced in and out of reach like well matched prize fighters . These two have an uncanny level of communication. It was even more evident later when they played ‘Softly as a Morning Sunrise” (Romberg/Hammerstein). They had been considering what to play next when Frank Gibson suggested it. Heads nodded in agreement and Frank set the number up nicely with a melodic intro on his traps. “We will just see where this goes” said Mike, “could be anywhere”and he proceeded to pick at the bones of the melody. Where it went was somewhere wonderful. This is where the magic truly occurred, a moment to be savoured by all present.

They had begun the number, sparingly at first, soon more purposefully. The level of interplay increased as they unpicked the tune. Soon all three were working and pulling at the tune like it was a joyful game. As Roger soloed I watched the trio inching up the intensity by degrees. At first Roger had tapped out time with his right foot as he played, now he was pawing at the ground like a bull about to charge. Mike was rocking madly and then standing and dancing some crazy dance. Frank too was rolling with the beat. By now they were way outside – blowing free of all constraints. It was a moment to savour. The moment.

As I watched these three, so attuned, a thought struck me, Mike Nock is originally from Ngaruawahia, Roger from Waiuku. These two small country towns are close to each other. What are the odds that rural New Zealand would produce two musicians of this quality. Maybe it was something in the upper Waikato water supply?

When Jazz musicians are enjoying themselves there are always moments of hilarity, but on this night the best moment came from an unexpected quarter. The CJC was full, so full that dozens of people were turned away at the door due to the fire regulations. Outside it was winter, but inside it was hot as hell. Mike by now stripped to his T-shirt asked if there was any talcum powder for his hands, which were slippery from the exertion. Caro Manins duly produced a talcum powder container. Mike wrestled with the lid for a few minutes and then handed it to someone else to unscrew. Bigger and younger blokes stepped forward in turn, each saying that they were up to the task, but none could dislodge that damn lid. “Take it back to the shop” said one, “it’s a faulty product”. At this point a diminutive young woman took the container from the frustrated men, gently flicked off the child proof lock and opened it. Men often forget the golden rule in these situations, ask a woman.

During the second set Kim Paterson and Brian Smith sat in for a number or two. Kim and Brian go back a long way with Mike and both have recorded with him.

As the enjoyment washed over me I could hear the words of Sean Wayland from a month earlier as he announced his gig. “New Zealand I would like to thank you for Mike Nock”. With you on that brother.

Who: Mike Nock with: Roger Manins & Frank Gibson Jr.

Where: CJC (Creative Jazz Club) 24th July 2013

And a clip by Jen Sol from the same gig:

Caitlin Smith @ CJC (with Kevin Field trio)

July 23, 2013July 24, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 4 Comments

Caitlin Smith is well-known to those who follow the Auckland music scene, where she is highly respected as a vocalist and voice coach. Scrolling down her resumé reveals just how active she has been over the years and just how far-reaching her influence is.

She sits comfortably on the Soul to Jazz spectrum, often occupying a stylistic space similar to that of Joanie Mitchell or Ricky Lee Jones. Her material’s drawn from a mix of originals, standards and pop covers but all interpreted in her own unique way. She has an impressive vocal range and she can captivate an audience with incredible ease. She is a true performer and her elegance and professionalism are immediately evident. It takes years for a performer to look this comfortable in front of an audience and many never achieve it. The fact that she has a severe vision impairment just adds to her allure.

The set list was mainly from her latest album ‘Stories to tell: The Thorndon Project’. Sponsored by The Disabilities Commission and PVINZ (Parents of Vision Impaired New Zealand). Caitlin and the drummer on the album Mark Lockett (also vision impaired) had pulled together an impressive lineup for the session. Caitlin (vocals), Alan Brown (organ), Paul Van Ross (saxophone, flute), Mark Lockett (drums). The purpose of the album is to raise awareness around disability issues and to highlight the dedication of the parents caring for those with disabilities. This hit me right where I live, because my granddaughter has cerebral palsy and I know just how incredibly hard it is for her. I am also hyper aware of the sacrifices that her mother (my daughter) lovingly makes each day.

The creative arts are often at the forefront of such campaigns and this one is personal and special. The personnel assembled for the album are all renowned musicians and while three hail from New Zealand, they are a truly international lineup. Paul Van Ross is from Melbourne, but he is currently in New York. Mark Lockett is originally from Wellington but he recently moved to New York. Alan Brown has a legendary status on the New Zealand music scene and works, performs and teaches around Auckland.

Caitlin had a different band when she appeared at the CJC. Kevin Field, a regular accompanist for Caitlin had just returned from recording in New York (I am particularly excited about that, as he recorded with Matt Penman and Nir Felder). Kevin is an extraordinary pianist and leader but he also knows how to accompany a singer. Anything involving Kevin Field will be worth hearing. On bass was Vanessa McGowan who bowled me over with her sound and musicality. I have heard her before but with bigger groups, where she had blended into the mix as a good bass player should in such situations. In this trio setting she shone. Her lines were great, but it was the fat warm sound that really captivated me. She can sing as well. More of her in trio settings please. The remaining member was Ron Samsom and he can bring out the best in any band. Whether on mallets, sticks or brushes, Ron is the person you want in your band. He is simply one of the best traps drummers in New Zealand.

Caitlin’s own composition ‘In Between’ was impressive and her interpretation of ‘I Don’t Want to Waist my Time on Music you Don’t Really Need’ (Over the Rhine) was edgy and soul infused. I have chosen a video clip from her CJC band to post; Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’. When I panned to the audience, what the camera failed to pick up out of the darkness was Trudy Lile coming in on the chorus. Vanessa McGowan also sang beautiful harmony on the chorus. Jazz singing is evolving and while perhaps this was not Jazz singing in the traditional sense it was a pleasure to hear. The feel good factor should never be overlooked and Caitlin delivered this.

Dedicated to those with severe disabilities and to their support networks – for Mala and Jennie especially

Who: Caitlin Smith (vocals, leader, composition), Kevin Field (piano), Vanessa McGowan (bass, vocals), Ron Samsom (drums).

Where: The CJC (Creative Jazz Club), 1885 Building, Brittomart, Auckland.

Album: ‘Stories to Tell: The Thorndon Project’ PVINZ imprint – available from www.caitlinsmith.com

Conner McAneny @ CJC (+Nacey/McArthur/Samsom)

July 16, 2013July 17, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

Conner McAneny has played at the CJC on previous occasions, but this is the first time that he has done two sets as leader. He was ably abetted by the Dixon Nacey trio (with Ron Samsom and Cameron Mc Arthur). The sets were a mix of standards and originals. It was particularly nice to hear the fabulous Dixon Nacey composition ‘The Lion’ played again and even better to hear Connor tackle the Lennon/McCartney composition ‘And I love Her’.

For me these two tunes stood out, but for very different reasons. ‘The Lion’ is from Oxide the second Samsom/Nacey/Haines album and it is a great composition. The tune moves through several distinct phases, drawing the listener ever deeper as the melody unfolds. The structure lends itself well to improvisation. Conner took a different approach to that of Kevin Field (who appeared with Dixon, Ron and Kevin Haines on Oxide) and it worked well. I like to see local compositions being taken up by other local bands , especially if they are compelling. We must create our own standards, because we have musicians with good writing skills in our midst. Having two of the Oxide band in his support group made this an obvious choice.

The Lennon/McCartney composition ‘And I Love Her’ worked very well as a Jazz ballad and if the arrangement was Connors particularly big ups to him. I can clearly recall the Diana Krall version (2009), arranged beautifully by John Clayton. There was also a John Abercrombie version from around that time. Both were terrific in different ways, but the Sarah Vaughn cover of 1969 sits very awkwardly in her repertoire. As much as I love Sarah Vaughn, this particular rendering sank like a stone.

I think time is the vital ingredient here. It was as if there was a musical ‘Wallace Line’ that separated older players from younger in this regard. For my generation (those alive when the Beatles arrived on the scene) the idea of their material ever becoming jazz standards was strange. When musicians of the 50’s and 60’s attempted Beatles or Rolling Stones tunes there was an awkwardness and a self-consciousness about what they were attempting. This is not at all evident in a younger generation of musicians like Uri Caine whose ‘Blackbird’ (McCartney) from the 2001 album ‘Solitaire’, stands up perfectly against any Tin Pan Ally tune. In my view only a Brad Mehldau could pull off a version of ‘Hey Joe’ so convincingly. He is young enough to see the tune for what it is and what it could be. My generation saw such massive hits as the enemy of Jazz; brilliant, compelling but still the enemy. Perhaps Gil Evans was the exception.

Connor works hard at his craft and each time he appears we see a more rounded artist. I have often written about the skills of the other band members and suffice to say, where they go good improvised music follows.

What: Conner McAneny (piano) with Dixon Nacey (guitar), Cameron McArthur (bass), Ron Samsom (drums).

Where: The CJC (Creative Jazz Club), 1885 Basement, Auckland July 10th 2013

Aaron Blakey (Sydney) @ CJC

July 10, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

Aaron Blakey is someone you warm to instantly. He communicates with ease and has a relaxed manner about him. The same applies to his approach to music. I have heard pianists who feel that they must astound with every note and while that is all well and good, it can be exhausting for everyone. The more experienced musicians understand that performance is not only about original ideas, but also about communication. The latter involves working with an audience while you tell an interesting musical story. I would place Aaron in that category.

Aaron left Auckland for Japan in 2008 and he gigged regularly around Tokyo. After a few years he returned to study in Auckland before moving to Sydney in 2011. On this gig his accompanists were Roger Manins on tenor saxophone, Cameron McArthur on bass and Adam Tobeck on drums. Roger Manins is at the peak of his powers and after his very successful stint with the JMO in New Zealand and Australia, he is more on fire than ever. He is one of the best saxophonists in Australasia and so having him in any group lifts their game. Putting him with a fine musician like Aaron Blakey produces especially rewarding results.

Anyone who has read these reviews or spent some time at Auckland Jazz gigs in the last six months will know just how swiftly Cameron McArthur is rising through the ranks. He is one of a small handful of must-have bass players when visitors come to town. Adam Tobeck is fast becoming a regular at the CJC and his abilities were evident at this gig

With two notable exceptions Aaron played his own material and the compositions were all named after people he knows. With each song, we were ushered into Aaron’s private world. A world peopled by close friends, eccentric waiters, babies and delightful dancing children. At the end of the two sets I felt that I would recognise these people if I saw them; so convincing was the imagery. Live improvised music creates shapes and forms which you can almost grasp, but which evaporate and dissolve in unpredictable ways. What remains is a series of impressions, a filigree journey imprinted on the ether.

A good example of this was a tune called ‘Sinclair’s Routine’. Aaron named this after a waiter who worked at a busy Surrey Hills restaurant. He was using the establishments piano to practice one morning and trying out a few ideas, when the waiter said, “I like that, it helps me to go about my routine” . Not your usual musical commentary but it ended up as great tune and gave us a window into that particular moment in time. It worked for me on several levels but primarily because I could picture and hear the event in my mind’s eye. There was a song ‘Jonathan B’ dedicated to an old friend from New Zealand. As Aaron was explaining the origins of the tune he looked up and said, ” Oh there he is, he just walked in – hi man”, Once again we connected the song to time and place and this gave added weight to the number.

The track that I have recorded on video is “One for Steve”, which is a dedication to the much admired Steve Barry. This was certainly a connection that hung in the air as the band played through the number. Steve (another ex-pat Aucklander) had been playing that very piano only a few weeks earlier and the echo of his gigs was relived through the tribute.

The first of two standards was ‘My Song’ (Keith Jarrett). It amazes me that ‘My Song’ is hardly ever performed. There is a view that Jarrett’s three recorded versions are so contained, that musicians shy away from it. More is the pity because most jazz lovers rate it highly. During the introduction Roger Manins helpfully suggested that Aaron would actually be doing the Elton John “My Song’. This was a solo performance and you could have heard a pin drop. It was great to hear it done and great to hear it done so well.

The second standard was the Cole Porter tune ‘I Love You’ from the musical Mexican Hayride, placed squarely in the Jazz Lexicon by John Coltrane (Lush Life album). While Coltrane’s version was with Saxophone, Bass and drums, The version on this night was a duo featuring piano and tenor saxophone (Manins and Blakey). That these two have been friends for years and that they have worked together many times before, became evident on this number. The sensitive interplay between them was truly extraordinary and although they took quite different approaches to the task in hand the synergy was uncanny. It was one of the wow moments which Jazz audiences live for and to my annoyance I had run out of HD video-tape just a moment before it started. I am sure that they will play it again sometime, as Aaron has promised to return. We hope that he will not leave it two and a half years this time.

For those wanting more there was a Roger Manins gig down at Frankie’s Bar in Wyndom Street two nights later. This was a similar lineup, but with premier drummer Ron Samsom at the kit. For this gig Aaron had brought his Fender Rhodes along. They swung mightily and as I listened I could hear Ron pulling back on the beat. There is some fine music around Auckland. All it needs is our continued support.

Who: Aaron Blakey (piano) with – Roger Manins (tenor sax), Cameron MacArthur (bass), Adam Tobeck (drums).

Where: The CJC (Creative Jazz Club) Auckland 3rd July 2013

Mike Nock – albums reviewed

July 2, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 1 Comment

Mike Nock: Hear & Know / Kindred

Mike Nock is always capable of surprising and this has long been his hallmark. A restless innovator and improviser who never settles on his laurels, Nock is surpassing himself yet again. ‘Hear and Know’ was recorded in 2011 following his aptly named and deeply satisfying ‘Accumulation of Subtleties’ album.

On ‘Hear & Know’ he is again accompanied by brothers Ben Waples (Bass) & James Waples (drums). There is an unmistakable synergy between these three and so adding Karl Laskowski (tenor sax) and Ken Allars (trumpet) had its risks. While there is a different dynamic and altered textural qualities, the magic of intimacy is maintained. It carries over much of the subtle interplay of the earlier album but creates a different range of moods as well.

I was always impressed by the subtle and profound sub-divisions of mood in the ancient Japanese Haiku. The almost untranslatable ‘wabi-sabi’ are the moods invoked when we can almost touch something profound, sense it and appreciate the mood, but know that it will be forever illusive. A further subdivision is ‘yugen’, which is the sense of mystery which underpins profound moments. To define them more accurately is to lose the moment. Mike Nock has achieved this for me compositionally and through his recording. The moods are profound invoking deep and somehow unnamable emotions.

I felt this most strongly on the beautifully named and wonderfully crafted ‘The Sibylline Fragrance’ and later while listening to ‘After Satie’. In the former piece there was an obvious reference to memory and our sense of smell, which is closely aligned with that. Beyond that was something else, a sense of the history of this music. Touching briefly on the past but rooted firmly in the now. When music achieves this it is especially satisfying. I have seen the trio performing and I have seen Ken Allars with the wonderful Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra. Karl Laskowski was not previously known to me. All of these musicians must feel pleased with this album.

‘Kindred’ is the more recent album and one with a pared back line up. Featuring just Mike Nock on piano and drummer Lorenz Pike, this album seems denser in texture and more introspective. Lorenz Pike is an interesting drummer and well-chosen; he is obviously colourist in tendency and that is the only choice for this music. Once again Mike Nock has made a virtue out of contrast. First impressions are often deceptive though and there is a degree of space and subtlety if we listen. The stories unfolding are at times free and open but there is always an underlying thread. The titles also fascinate me as they refer (as with the previous album) to a mixture of things past (references to the classical world), nature untamed and various private worlds. I am a strong believer that improvised music benefits from narratives, not to define, but to augment the journey.

Mike has created subtle narratives out of the whole, which sit in the consciousness like Haiku. There is something special about these two albums and I am certain that only Mike Nock could tell these particular stories.

What: Mike Nock – ‘Hear & Know’ and ‘Kindred’ albums FWM Records or visit http://www.mikenock.com

Where: You be able to hear Mike Nock in Auckland on Tuesday 23rd July 2013 at the CJC (Creative Jazz Club).

Pretty in Blues – Molly Ringwald @ The Tuning Fork

June 17, 2013June 18, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 2 Comments

A month ago an LA based Jazz Journalist friend emailed me to say that Molly Ringwald was coming to Auckland. I learned that she would be singing a selection of Jazz Standards from the ‘Great American Songbook’. He suggested that I should hook up with her arranger and pianist Peter Smith and we duly made contact. After that I watched for the promotional material to hit the papers and I was not surprised to see that there was a heavy focus on Molly’s former life as an actress. It is almost a reflex action for the print media to pose the question; yes she is a Hollywood celebrity and we loved her in this and that role,but can she sing? I determined from that point on that I would focus solely on the music and leave the Hollywood trivia to the experts.

There are a number of things that can make or break a vocal artist and foremost among these is their ability to connect emotionally with an audience. Their choice of material and arrangements and the quality of the supporting musicians is also paramount. It should not surprise anyone to learn that Molly Ringwald can sing well, because she has been singing all of her life. First as a child with her Jazz Pianist father Bob Ringwald and later in big Broadway productions. Being multi-talented is not that unusual in the acting fraternity. Singing Jazz however is a riskier path and one that is not embarked upon lightly. It is seldom if ever the road to riches and the audiences are filled with armchair critics. Especially if the vocalist is a movie star.

Molly can sing beautifully. She also found ways to connect with her audience by telling a mixture of personal anecdotes and engaging stories about the songs. The choice of material was also solid, as it mixed the well-known with the lessor known ‘songbook’ standards. All of the material suited her voice but some especially so.

She opened with Dorothy Fields ‘exactly like you’ but it was the second number that really caught my attention. It was Hoagy Carmichael’s ‘I get along without you very well’. I pride myself on knowing the stories behind standards, but this ‘songbook’ story as told by Molly was quite new to me. Evidently a woman in the audience had thrust a poem into Hoagy’s hand after a concert. He forgot about the poem and then rediscovered it months later. After reading the poem he felt that he had to record a version and so he wrote music for it. The problem that then presented itself was how to find this unknown lyricist. That’s where broadcaster Walter Winchell came in. The woman was eventually located and it turned out that the poem was not about a relationship that had gone sour, but about dealing with loss after her husband died. After this poignant story the song took on a new life for me and Molly managed to convey that well.

Next up was ‘They Say Its Spring’ (Marty Clark/Bob Haymes). Blossom Dearie absolutely owned this song and while this version was not a slavish copy of Blossom’s , it clearly alluded to that version. I loved it. As the sets unfolded we heard; ‘My Old Flame’ (Johnson/Coslow), Don’t Explain (Billie Holliday), ‘Mean to Me’ (Fats Waller), ‘I’ll Take Romance’ (Rogers/Hart) , ‘It Never Entered My Mind’ (Rogers/Hart), ‘If I were a Bell’ (Frank Loessor), ‘The Very Thought of You’ (Ray Noble), ‘Just You Just Me’ (Greer/Klages), and ‘Ballad of The Sad Young Men’ (Landesman/Wolf). Not from the songbook was a carefully arranged version of ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’ (Simple Minds)

I like many versions of ‘Ballad of the Sad Young Men’, but Anita O’Day, Roberta Flack, and Keith Jarrett’s versions are particularly fine. Molly Ringwald’s version compares very favourably with these. This is not a torch song but a world-weary reflection on the emptiness that consumed the lives of many young men after the war (like ‘Lush Life’ in sentiment). Delivering such a powerful song to an audience expecting a lighter fare requires courage and skill and Molly nailed it.

Behind these songs were some very clever arrangements and with charts written specifically for the album and tour. These are the work of the respected LA pianist/arranger Peter Smith. Peter has worked with Molly for some time and so he understood exactly what is required. He is a talented pianist with great chops but he followed the most basic rule of all. An accompanist must never get in the way of the singer. It is matter of utilising just the right voicings and the chord placement must accent the singer’s performance not dominate it. Whether comping or taking a brief solo Peter was always tasteful. Not every accompanying pianist knows how to perform their duties so skilfully. The next night I invited Peter to a newly opened Jazz venue and he sat in with local musicians. In this situation he was able to let loose and he did, keyboards not withstanding.

Two well-known Auckland musicians completed the rhythm section for the Auckland leg of the tour; Tom Dennison (bass) and Frank Gibson Jr (drums). Tom has worked with many international artists and his fulsome rich tone and perfect base lines added enormous value to the performance. He often works with vocalists. Frank is also very experienced at working with offshore visitors and like Tom he has worked with many vocalists over the years. His brush work on this night was especially fine as it whispered and propelled in equal turns. Together they made for a good swinging lineup.

For just a moment I had a window into that glamorous world long past where the likes of June Christy mesmerised audiences. And yes Molly Ringwald is still stunningly beautiful. The 16-year-old Molly with the red hair and the alluring smile still shines through her more mature self. Her stage presence won’t hurt her Jazz career a bit, but it is her ability to keep singing at this level that will keep her recording and us listening.

What: ‘Except Sometimes’ by Molly Ringwald

Where: ‘The Tuning Fork’, Vector Arena Auckland 13th June 2013

‘The Grid’ off the grid at the CJC

June 16, 2013June 17, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

Tim Jago

This band shakes all conceptions in the known musical universe and they do it by pillaging pieces of reality and cunningly re-assembling them into new and abstract forms. They are as brilliant as they are disarming. Getting under your skin with outrageous banter and constantly evolving story lines. Perhaps this is the future, laughing back at us, as we live in our bubbles of musical complacency?

It’s a little hard to define ‘The Grid’ by using existing musical terminology, so I will do so by drawing upon disparate references. If you were to add a pinch of Marc Ribot, Dvorak, R2D2, Kraftwork, Radiohead, Andre 3000, Willie Nelson and John Zorn into a crucible, you might create something approximating this band. In spite of the bands modernity, they have embarked upon a musical odyssey of classical proportions. Like Odysseus they’re building strange narratives as they navigate Siren’s and Cyclopes. Ever drifting into uncharted waters.

The first number up was ‘Commodore 64’ from their first album. Since its inception this story has evolved into a saga (see video clip). The setting is somewhere in the future at a time when humans are replaced by robotic machines. The cyber children of these evolving machines have become bored with life and in order to alleviate that boredom they start copying human pop culture. A hipster culture develops and the young male machines start attending nightclubs in order to pick up cool hipster machine chicks. The goal is locating their ideal, a female robot dressed as a ‘Commodore 64’. I don’t think that Phillip K Dick could have bettered that storyline and the music is machine referencing, freaked out cyber nostalgia.

Some other outrageous story-lines were as follows: Ben Vanderwal; “Don’t you just hate it when people make pretentious statements like – If Bach were alive today he would be an improviser” or “If Charlie Parker were alive today he would be in a ‘metal’ band“. He proceeded to say how distasteful and silly this sort statement was and then with a straight face announced his next tune as Dvorak’s third Symphony, the scherzo movement. Pausing before launching into their digitally enhanced heavy-metal tinged phantasy he added, “Of course if Dvorak were alive today he would be playing in this band”. Another tune intro was; “I am proud to relate that UNESCO has just voted this the tune most likely to bring about world peace”. They also told us that they would be playing a number from Ellington’s occult period ‘Satan’s doll’. It took a minute to sink in but when we heard the opening chords of Satin Doll we fell about laughing.

There is much more to this band than outrageous humour, there is also outrageous music. They can slip between Willie Nelson and thrash-punk hardcore in ways that defy logic and in spite of the yawning stylistic chasms it all makes perfect sense at the time. It is later when the enormity of what you have just witnessed sinks in and you find yourself sitting in a confused state on the edge of your bed that you mutter WTF.

There is electronic wizardry aplenty at their disposal but that is not what stays with you. It is their musicality, their ability to connect and their cleverness. This band really can play and they impart strangely apposite history lessons as they go. The music can also turn on a dime, moving from the outer reaches of sanity to a gentle jazz ballad played over clever loops. I am absolutely certain that this sub genre of guitar trio will soon become more mainstream. Marc Ribot (Ceramic Dog) and Australia’s Song FWAA tread similar paths.

This is intelligent music and it requires mastery of the instruments plus mastery of a bewildering array of pedals, rattly things and clips. Making drums imitate machines or making guitars imitate an angel or a banshee is not a job for amateurs. All three band members are highly regarded on the world scene where they have gathered a multitude of accolades, awards and scholarships. Individually they have accompanied the cream of American artists such as Terrance Blanchard, Chris Potter, Chic Corea, Victor Wooten, Joe Lovano and others.

The Grid is primarily known as a Perth Band, but the USA could also claim them. In reality the band members now live in three cities and two countries. Ben Vanderwal (drums) is originally from Perth and so is Dane Alderson (electric bass) but Tim Jago (guitar) is from the USA where he lives and works at present. He has recently been working on a doctorate and teaching in Miami. Ben Vanderwal (who told the stories at the CJC) regularly plays with top US musicians and our own Frank Gibson Jr is credited as being his original teacher. Dane Alderson is the son of a jazz drummer and the winner of various prestigious awards. He plays an Aryel 5 string bass and like Tim Jago conjures up a world of wonderful sounds. My final comment on The Grid is; I hope that they comeback….soon.

Both of these clips are from earlier gigs – the stories and the instruments have evolved since then. The music is great as always.

Where: The CJC Creative Jazz Club 12th June 2013

What: The Grid

Who: Tim Jago, Ben Vanderwal, Dane Alderson

Chelsea Prastiti band @ CJC

June 12, 2013June 14, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 3 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

What: Chelsea Prastiti sextet

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

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

Sean Wayland & David Berkman @ CJC Winter International Series

June 6, 2013June 10, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 1 Comment

Sean Wayland

We don’t get many offshore Jazz pianists visiting New Zealand, but we have seen quite a few over recent weeks. This particular gig comes hot on the heals of hearing Sean Wayland appearing as featured guest artist with the marvellous Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra. Sean had impressed me at the JMO gig and so I really looked forward to hearing him play at the CJC (Creative Jazz Club).

Before he had played a note Sean Wayland won us over with his easy-going banter. Especially when he thanked us for Mike Nock and mentioned band mate Matt Penman. These are two of Auckland’s best-loved sons and I suspect that Kiwi’s, like Canadians, enjoy our worth acknowledged by the big country next door. This generous acknowledgement by a respected New York based (Aussie born) pianist reveals an interesting truth about Australasian Jazz.

There may be a struggle to meet the financial realities, deal with lack of good pianos and the paucity of gigs, but the two scenes continually produce world-class Jazz musicians. The Scenes are in fact so intermingled that it is often hard to know who is an Aussie and who is a New Zealander. Steve Barry and Mike Nock illustrate this perfectly as they live and work in Australia. Roger Manins lives in New Zealand but gigs across the Tasman every other week.

In spite of the difficulties there is no lack of great music coming out of Australasia and the main problem is that of distribution. An upside of this changing business model is that bands travel more. For the keen Jazz fan live music is once again king. We don’t have to wait for a multi-national recording label to tell us what we should or shouldn’t like, we can explore ‘You Tube’ or ‘Bandcamp’ and hear from the artists directly.

Sean Wayland is a hugely respected figure on the Australian scene and in New Zealand as well. He is a very modern pianist, as he moves in circles where new approaches are constantly being explored and new sounds developed. After listening to his compositions I was not in the least surprised to find him supported by the likes of Matt Penman, Jochen Rueckert, Will Vinsen, and James Muller. This is essentially the Rosenwinkel generation. While he speaks that language fluently he is unmistakably an individual stylist. No one sounds quite like Sean.

Sean’s tunes are very melodic. Often unfolding over a simple bass line as with ‘eenan’ off his ‘Lurline’ album. What sounds catchy and accessible can actually be quite complex as his approach to rhythm gives the tunes that unique feel. This is tension and release at its sophisticated best. I have put up a version of ‘eenan’ as a ‘You Tube’ clip which unfolds in subtle and beguiling ways. So beguiling in fact that I dreamed the tune two nights in row. Such powerful hooks are not accidental but the result of careful craftsmanship. There is a strong sense of pulse or swing to his tunes, but approached from a different perspective to that of the more traditional pianist.

This intergenerational shift is one that I hear more often as the changing of the guard occurs. Other tunes played to great effect were his, ‘Trane plus Molly equals countdown” and the solo piece ‘Little Bay’. Both of those tunes are found on the ‘Expensive Habit’ album. ‘Trane plus Molly equals countdown’ hints at McCoy Tyner, but you quickly realise that the voicings have very modern in feel. I can however certainly imagine Kurt Rosenwinkel doing the tune. It is an extraordinary composition where the left hand continuously punctuates the flow with oblique accents. I was left wanting more than the single set and I certainly hope that we get to see Sean again on his next trip back to Australia.

Accompanying Sean were Cameron MacArthur (bass) and Jason Orme (drums). Both accomplished musicians who quickly slotted into the challenges of supporting a world-class and highly inventive pianist.

The next artist up was David Berkman. He has been to New Zealand before and anyone who saw him last time would have jumped at the opportunity of seeing this top flight New York Pianist in action. There is a fluidity to his playing and above all an impeccable sense of timing. This hard-driving post bop fluidity and the big bluesy chords is what most characterises his work.

The Kiwi members of the quartet were Roger Manins (tenor), Olivier Holland (bass) and Ron Samsom (drums). Together they formed a powerhouse of inventiveness and Roger in particular seemed to benefit from this grouping. His solo’s were so incendiary as to cause gasps of surprise and from an audience who are used to such pyrotechnics. While we expect Rogers high wire acts he is always able to surprise us and this night saw him really on fire. David Berkman certainly knows how to amp up the tension and his ability to extol a horn player to reach deeper and deeper is impressive. He worked the room with as much enthusiasm as he would have done in a prime New York club and everyone there appreciated that commitment. This was the kind of gig where you sat back and let the sound wash over you, tapping your feet uncontrollably and yelling enthusiastically between numbers.

David Berkman

David Berkman’s repertoire was a well-balanced mix of his own compositions and some lessor known standards. During the gig he talked about his mentor, the much respected pianist Mulgrew Miller (who sadly passed away that very evening). He has worked with a wide variety of artists such as trumpeters Tom Harrell and Dave Douglas and his contribution to Jazz education is well-known. Having moved to New York some years ago he quickly settled into the routines of gigging, recording and teaching and since then he has been a fixture on the local scene. He travels extensively and is a Palmetto recording artist.

The two pianists were very different, but both were amazing in their way. In David Berkman we heard the history of the post bop era and in Sean Wayland we glimpsed the future.

What: Sean Wayland and David Berkman Winter International Series.

Who: Sean Wayland (p) (leader) Cameron McArthur (b) Jason Orme (d). – David Berkman (p) (leader), Roger Manins (s), Oli Holland (b), Ron Samsom (d)

Where: CJC (Creative Jazz Club) 29th May 2013

The Dilworths@CJC Winter International Series

May 28, 2013May 28, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

When the CJC (Creative Jazz Club) posted information about their Winter International Series, the first group up was the ‘Dilworths’. I quickly scanned the information and zeroed in on the two Kiwi band members. Not just because they are Kiwi’s but because they are superb musicians and well known to me. The Dilworths current Pianist Steve Barry is an expat Aucklander, as is bass player Tom Botting. Both had established solid reputations for themselves before leaving this city and both have since built new ones in Sydney. On that basis alone locals knew that this was the sort of gig that you brave a rainy night for. Steve Barry in particular has strong audience pulling power in Auckland and many are aware that he has just won the prestigious Bell Award.

Sydney-sider Eamon Dilworth was relatively unknown to me prior to the Dilworths tour, but it is not a name that I will forget in a hurry. His band is something else. Eamon plays a formidable trumpet and he has long been recognised as a musician with much of interest to communicate. He is a Bell award nominee and the recipient of various scholarships which have led to him traveling overseas and studying in Italy. He has performed in Romania, Austria, Italy and England and his compositions reflect some of the influences that he has soaked up on those journeys. While we have some terrific trumpeters around New Zealand we can not match the breadth and depth of the Australians. Having a trumpeter of this calibre visiting is a rare treat.

Leaders need to exert a strong sense of influence but at the same time they need to know when to stand back and let things happen organically. The Dilworths appear to have the settings just right. The camaraderie and the consequent collective output is what works so well for them. This is at least the second line up for the band and the mix is perfect. The observant will have noticed how carefully these guys listen to each other, tossing challenges and giving support in equal measure. What is also evident is how much fun they are having. There is nothing more off-putting than being confronted by a grim-faced group of musicians whose only purpose is convincing you just how seriously they take their music. This band was fun, lively and extraordinary. We all felt that we had witnessed a great show and more importantly been part of one. This is the essence of good performance and of good Live Jazz

Everyone in the band contributed at least one tune to the gig and the set list was fluid. The band would play a few numbers and then quickly confer on what to play next. They had a grab bag of compositions to draw upon and although a random selection process was applied, the set lists formed a surprisingly cohesive whole. Thomas Botting’s ‘Balclutha’ was just great with Tom and Steve working a groove to the marrow while Dave Jackson (alto sax), Paul Derricott (drums) and Eamon Dilworth (trumpet) created delicious mayhem. Tom has a following in New Zealand and deservedly so.

Steve Barry’s pianistic and compositional skills are greatly admired in New Zealand and anyone who has purchased his album ‘Steve Barry‘ (Jazzgroove) will understand why. Last Wednesday we saw yet another facet to his playing. Not as leader or accompanist but as ‘A’-grade ensemble member. As with all of this line up he added maximum value without overcrowding his band mates. Paul Derricott also contributed a great composition and his album ‘Big Sea-Arrow’ (Jazzgroove) is really worth purchasing. I have hardly had it off my Hi Fi since picking up a copy. These are all bands to track down and see again and again. Altoist Dave Jackson is a great soloist, with a lyricism that sets him apart. There is also something compelling about his tone production (quite like John Surmon’s alto sound). He and Eamon often crouch on the floor when others are soloing. I like this as it signals the ebb and flow of performance; as if choreographed. I love musicians who move and dance and these guys executed their dance moves perfectly.

The influences were many and varied and while you could hear flashes of Eick, Stanko, Douglas and many others, the band still sounded very Australasian. I have come to value this local sound and I miss it when I travel. There is an honesty that comes from living so far from the so-called mainstream Jazz world. Jazz is now finding a universal voice and New Zealand and Australia are feeding into that just as the Europeans have done for some years. Good music has no borders. While comparisons are often redundant I do have one to make. It came to me while I was listening to the Dilworths EP. They have captured a vibe very close to that of the 65 Miles Quintet. In short they had a controlled looseness that can only arise when a band intuitively knows exactly where they need to be minute by minute. ‘If I were a Bell’ was the one standard of the night, with the melody barely expressed before they were paring it back to the bone. Using the changes as occasional touchstones, working with space, colour and texture as if they were commodities not to be squandered.

Most of the tunes were fast paced but we did have one or two ballads to round them out. The last set finished with a tune by Eamon. The musicians put their instruments aside and chanted and we were instantly mesmerised. While it had some of the feel of an ancient Peyote chant it was subtler than Jim Peppers Witchi-Tai-To. We loved it and many of us are still talking about it a week later. The perfect out chorus to a perfect evening.

What: The Dilworths (Australia)

Where: CJC (Creative Jazz Club) Winter International Series – 1885 building basement, Auckland, New Zealand. Wed 22nd June 2013

Purchase Details: Jazzgroove records

Rosie & The Riveters@CJC

May 25, 2013June 10, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 1 Comment

Rosie & the Riveters

The name ‘Rosie & The Riveters’ grabbed my attention immediately as I come from an activist family. The derivation goes back to WW2 when women had to work on the production lines while their men were away fighting. When the men returned after the war they were expected to return to obedient domesticity but many resisted and the ‘Rosie’ symbol became a potent feminist statement. Roseann Payne understands this history as she referred to it in her introduction but she also had a more prosaic explanation on offer. “My name is Rosie and I hope we will be riveting”.

Rosie Payne had graduated from the Auckland University Jazz School on the day of the CJC gig and her upbeat mood reflected this achievement. She had assembled her support band mainly from fellow students and alumni: Ben Devery (p), Cameron McArthur (b), Adam Tobeck (d), Callum Passells (alto & baritone sax), Asher Truppman-Lattie (tenor sax) and Elizabeth Stokes (trumpet & flugal). It was a night of celebration and the cheerfulness communicated itself to everyone present.

The set list alluded to the time-honoured influences such as Ella Fitzgerald but mainly it spoke of the forces that are shaping young singers post millennium. The influence of Sera Serpa and Esperanza Spalding were evident in the source material, interpretations and compositions. Along with Gretchen Parlato, these are the new influences on Jazz singing and they bring a vibe that is modern and in some ways quite nuanced. At times there is a hint of Blossom Dearie in this new way of singing and I make no judgement about that (I like Blossom Dearie and her ability to poke subtle digs at the male hegemony while singing in that wispy girlie voice). Jazz singing is as much a journey as jazz instrumental playing and good improvisers should dive into the sounds about them for fresh inspiration. Interpretation and authenticity is everything and while it is important to acknowledge the past it is not necessary to dwell there permanently.

I have put up a You Tube Clip from the night, which is a slightly reharmonised version of ‘Body & Soul’ sung in Spanish (probably influenced by the Spalding version). This interpretation ably illustrates the juxtaposition between past and present. ‘Body & Soul’ (Johnny Green Edward Heyman, Robert Sour) is one of the oldest jazz standards and for a long while it was the most recorded song in the history of music. Standards survive because they have depth and subtle hooks. Just possessing a hummable melody will not cut the mustard as many a pretty tune has fallen by the wayside. There must be an ‘X’ factor and in Jazz the tune needs to be a good springboard for improvisation. It was the great tenor player Colman Hawkins who again elevated it from obscurity and its wide appeal caught him by surprise (1940). “It’s funny how it [body & Soul] has become such a classic” he mused. “It is the first and only Jazz record that all the squares dig as much as the a Jazz people”. Hawkins hadn’t even bothered to listen to it after the recording session and it surprised him to learn that he had such a big hit. His version only briefly toyed with the melody which makes it all the more surprising. The song was written in haste by the relatively unknown Johnny Green; commissioned by Gertrude Lawrence who quickly rejected it. Whiteman, Goodman, Tatum, Hawkins, Holiday and a thousand others are glad it survived (source references Ted Gioia).

Young musicians like Rosie are acknowledging the history while giving us their own perspective and that is as it should be. The band was right for her and as they moved through the sets we heard flashes of brilliance. Callum on Baritone sax really stood out, especially when you consider that this is not his principal horn. Adam Tobeck is a drummer that engages the attention and Cameron McArthur is fast becoming a fixture at the CJC (Creative Jazz Club). New to me was Pianist Ben Devery and tenor player Asher Truppman-Lattie. Both did well by Rosie. Lastly there was Liz Stokes who had also graduated on that day. Her skills gave an added dimension to the line up.

Phil Broadhurst ‘Flauberts Dance’@CJC

May 17, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

Phil Broadhurst is a regular at the CJC (Creative Jazz Club) just as he was at the ‘London Bar’ in its hey day. He is also the compiler and presenter of the well-known Jazz radio slot ‘The Art of Jazz’. His last album titled ‘Delayed Reaction’ was well received and shortlisted in the Jazz Tui Awards. It was dedicated to the music of Michel Petrucciani, the diminutive and wonderfully brilliant French pianist whose life was blighted by ‘brittle bone syndrome’. That project was obviously a labour of love, as Phil had long been immersed in Petrucciani’s music. The album, (out on IA-Rattle), outlined a very personal journey for Phil and while showcasing the project about New Zealand he must have pondered ‘what next’? The what-next is ‘Flaubert’s Dance’.

From ‘Delayed Reaction’ it was a logical step to examine other artists who had influenced him and for whom he had a deep affinity. Not all are pianists but all take a pianistic approach to their music. All are currently at the top of their game. The compositions on ‘Flauberts Dance are all Phil Broadhurst’s and they are dedicated to the following musicians: Herbie Hancock, Manu Katche, Enrico Pieranunzi, Eliane Elias, Kieth Jarrett and Tomasz Stanko. What these artists have in common is striking originality, a modern approach to harmony and the fact that none of them are easy to compartmentalise. They are consequently quite different from each other. A Tomasz Stanko tune and a Manu Katche tune could hardly be confused even though they have worked together.

It is obvious from the above list that Phil often reaches outside of the Americas for musical inspiration. While Jarrett and Hancock have influenced most modern pianists their ubiquitous presence tends to eclipse others of equal importance. It is therefore fitting that the latin infused Brazilian born Eliane Elias and the two Europeans give counterweight to the North Americans. The composition ‘First Shot’ dedicated to Hancock looks at a particular tune rather than the scope of his career to date. I truly like this number as it has the distinct feel of a European or an Antipodean acknowledging Herbies work, not an American.

Phil has had no trouble in assembling top class musicians for the album and with Roger Manins (tenor sax), Olivier Holland (bass) and Cameron Sangster (drums) his quartet had depth and experience. He also enlisted trumpeter Mike Booth for three numbers.

The title track on the album is dedicated to the scandalously underrated and utterly brilliant Italian Pianist Enrico Pieranunzi. This track ‘Flaubert’s Dance’ had everyone listening in rapt silence and even though the club filled to bursting point you could have heard a pin drop. With unerring accuracy he has dived right into the essence of the man he pays homage to. The voicings, the phrasing and a unique sense of weightless swing that is so European. When Roger Manins comes in the Pieranunzi connection deepens. Bringing to mind the Italian tenor player Stefano de Anna who along with Hein Van de Geyn featured so strongly on the classic Pieranunzi album ‘Don’t Forget the Poet’.

Tenor player Roger Manins always gives of his best and he showed us once again that he can wring deep sentiment and even prettiness out of ballads while never sounding cliched. In the mid tempo tunes he imparts that intensity and locomotive drive that he is so well-known for. When the tunes are explorations, it is only fitting to have a born story-teller like Roger onboard. Olivier Holland (bass) has often played in Phil Broadhurst line ups and his approach is that of the consummate professional. These days it is not uncommon to hear bass players vocalising lines an octave above the pitch. Once the preserve of Major Holley and Slam Stewart, Oli has increasingly been employing that technique (but not so much arco bass). His improvisational approach has always been solid but the vocalising appears to extend that. It is perhaps like a saxophone player having the words of a standard firmly in their head as they lay down the melody. It changes the dynamic in positive ways. Cameron Sangster (drums) works across many genres and he is one of the few drummers to appear regularly with big bands in Auckland. He has a strong sense of space and dynamics and can switch to a more colourist mode if the number requires that. He is also able to moderate his sound to a room. A tasteful drummer. The remaining band member is trumpeter Mike Booth who played on three numbers. His soloing and ensemble work is great and musicians about town are often utilising him for his impressive and varied skills. He and Roger in lock-step are a force to behold. Both the quartet and quintet gave Phil Broadhurst adequate room to shine and he did.

What: The Phil Broadhurst Quartet

Who: Phil Broadhurst (piano), Roger Manins (tenor sax), Olivier Holland (bass), Cameron Sangster (drums) – guest Mike Booth (trumpet).

Where and What: ‘Fauberts Dance’ album released by Rattle Records – CJC (Creative Jazz Club) basement 1885 Brittomart building, Auckland

Number filmed by Jennie Sol

Song FWAA@CJC – A Jazz April Event

May 5, 2013May 7, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

The Auckland Jazz gigs during Jazz April have been high quality (see last four posts). Above all they have encompassed the breadth of improvised music. Song FWAA from Australia was therefore a perfect choice to round off a smorgasbord of tasty events. They (Song FWAA) are quite possibly the illegitimate love children of ‘Sun Ra‘ and while no DNA evidence has validated that theory the lineage is manifest in their music.

As a scene matures listening ears get tweaked through exposure to new sounds. The demand for a wider range of musical experiences follows that. This doesn’t happen by accident. It begins with musicians stepping into uncharted territory and ends with the listener reacting. The mere mention of ‘adventurous music’ can cause cold sweats from venue management and all the more so if an ‘out’ gig is proposed. Happily for us Roger Manins of the CJC (Creative Jazz Club) takes some risks and as the club audiences continue to grow that policy is vindicated. It is the job of artists to confront or challenge and listeners should welcome this. Settling for bland entertainment leads to musical confection, not jazz, not art. Some people are perfectly happy leading the lush life in some small piano bar, but that is not where the music develops. Improvised music is as much about audience engagement as about performing and without the feedback loop a musical project would become an unheard conversation between band members. Those who heard Song FWAA, heard edge, originality and musical humour so cunning that no weasel could better it.

The band has garnered rave revues around Australia and their 2011 album ‘Ligeti’s Goat’ is highly recommended. If you listen to the album you feel that you are listening to a much bigger unit. At first this seems attributable to the rhythm instrument, which is of the guitar family but quite different in timbre. This is a specially made 8 string ‘Frame’ played by David Reaston. The voicings, pickups and pedals used (i.e Moog pedal) give it distinct and very different sound. Not loud but other-worldly; a strangely subtle sound that can impart real richness.

Martin Kay plays alto saxophone and although this is a standard instrument he also manages to coax a range of different sounds from it. Martins multi-phonics and extended techniques give depth to the performance, just as drummer Jamie Cameron’s colourist approach and extended drum technique added depth. At the end of the evening I felt that the musicianship more than the instrumentation created this special groove.

The gig (and the album) was replete with compositional parables about animals and their epic adventures. Martin is adept at telling these tales; which have a ‘Hunter S Thompson’ quality about them. ‘Ligeti’s Goat‘ the title track for instance explores the eating-cycle of a goat. “Tonight” said Martin, “we will only be playing the second section – ‘digesting carrots’ “. Another number was a moving tribute to a peripatetic Polar Bear. To quote from the liner notes regarding the tune ‘Olefeig’ (AKA that which should not be shot): ‘Documents the transformation of scenery through the eyes of a Polar Bear, drifting on a shard of ice from Greenland to Iceland, where his destiny finds a bullet’.

A number titled ‘Mugwump‘ was most enjoyable. The gist of the introduction by Martin was that Aliens had come to earth to seek Moroccan desert fuel and somehow this referenced William Burroughs and the Dogon people of neighbouring Mali. He had me hooked as soon as he mentioned Morocco and Burroughs.

Song FWAA’s music is at times ‘free’ and at other times working long ostinato grooves. This moving ‘outside’ one minute and then playing ‘inside’ or following a melodic hook to its conclusion works. The group has something to say and they say it with genuine originality. I hope that they come back soon and share more animal sagas with us.

Their promo material describes them as the ‘wrong band for the right people’. I love that descriptor, but the one sour note struck was their failure to paint their faces ‘Art Ensemble of Chicago Style’ for the gig. This is how their webpage profile shows them and we are mature enough in NZ to handle that. As Roger Manins says, ‘truth in advertising is at the heart of jazz’. I have no idea what that means but we do love face paint.

What & Who: ‘Song FWAA‘ – Martin Kay (alto sax), David Reaston (frame guitar), Jamie Cameron (drums). Buy the album from www.songfwaa.com

Where: CJC (Creative Jazz Club), 1885 Building, Brittomart Auckland 24th April 2013

This was a CJC Jazz April gig

Kevin Field Trio@CJC Jazz April Event

April 28, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

Jazz was famously described by Whitney Balliett as the ‘sound of surprise’. This is at the very essence of improvised music as it strives to unravel, reveal, polish and at times shock. What you think you know is often challenged and this confrontation is the primary role of art and improvised music. When a familiar tune is reinterpreted and presented afresh it’s pleasing (if done well), but there are many ways that music can surprise. What we sometimes hear is an aggregation of profound subtleties and that is harder to define. We need ears attuned to nuance and a memory capable of recalling just what has preceded these vignettes. It is in these less obvious corners that we often find the most profound of revelations.

The Kevin Field trio (plus guest) appeared at the CJC (Creative Jazz Club) on the 17th April. This was an important CJC/Jazz April event. Everyone on the New Zealand Jazz scene is familiar with Kevin Field the pianist, composer, teacher, and gifted accompanist. He delivers and so good sized crowds turn up.

Kevin had earlier humped his Fender Rhodes down into club and it sat nestled respectfully against the grand piano. The bass was lying on its side like an expectant whale and the drum kit was sparkling out of the gloom. Behind the drum kit you could barely make out the image of a guitar on a stand. Those gifted with 20-20 vision would have discerned that this was a Godin Guitar which can only mean one thing in Auckland; Dixon Nacey would be sitting in for a few numbers.

When Kevin Field and his trio filed to the band stand I experienced a tinge of anticipation. I had been looking forward to the gig because Kevin Field never settles for a mediocre performance and he is certainly no journeyman. With Cameron McArthur on bass and Stephen Thomas on drums we hoped for sparks. While Kevin often appears in support of others, or fronts bigger lineups he had not brought a piano trio to the club for a quite a while.

What happened next caught me quite off guard and perhaps it shouldn’t have. When you rate an artist highly you can easily fall into the trap of thinking that you know everything about them and that is plain foolish. There is also something about the CJC that urges musicians reach deep and many visiting artists have commented on that. The CJC is more than just a benign space, it is an enabling one. A performance space that says to an artist, ‘there I’ve created the ambiance for you, now make it happen’. It would take a subterranean ‘Feng Shui’ specialist to analyse this phenomenon .

The Kevin Field that we saw perform was quite extraordinary. It is hard to put into words but he approached the keyboards with such confidence and invention that was almost supernatural. At times I thought that I heard hints of Hamp Hawes or the modern Europeans (rich, spacious and original), but mostly I heard Kevin Field, alive to the moment and brim full of fresh ideas. His voice is definitely post Herbie Hancock and it engages with the realities of the post millennial world. This is a voice that marks Kevin Field out as an original stylist.

The numbers were all originals and while a few were written for his recent ‘Warners’ album ‘Field of Vision’ (shortlisted for a Tui award), many were new to me. They came bundled up with stories and anecdotes and to see Kevin in the role of raconteur was delightful. When commenting on his second number of the evening ‘Complex Blue’, he told us that it was written with a Simply Red cover-band in mind. “Complex Blue could be a new type of Simply Red cover-band who would play everything but Simply Red tunes, thus giving them a broader repertoire”. The hilariously improbable tall stories and the incredible music made this a perfect evening of Jazz. I asked Kevin later if he had plans to record this new material and he indicated that he would be doing so shortly. If he captures half of what we experienced it will be well worth buying.

Cameron McArthur (bass) has experienced a meteoric rise to prominence and he has achieved this while still a student at the Auckland University School of Jazz. I can clearly recall his first tentative performance steps. Confidence, chops and musicality have become the default for him now and he is increasingly accompanying our best musicians. Stephen Thomas has been studying drums and performing at a high level for some time and he was an obvious choice for Kevin. We are seeing more and more of what he is capable of and as with Cameron there will be a lot more yet. This band works exceptionally well together and while Kevin is clearly in control as leader there is plenty of room for the others to shine.

In guest slot was Dixon Nacey. A guitarist who attracts superlatives and accolades as few others do. He always injects that special ‘Dix’ quality into a performance; brilliance tinged with unalloyed happiness.

Sometimes when the stars align the gods of music breathe extra life into a performance. When this occurs, those who are there feel incredibly fortunate and vow never to forget it. This was such a night.

Because this was the main CJC – Jazz April gig night the audience learned what the month stands for, who’s involved and why it is important. Everyone was challenged to do three things, (1) visit and ‘like’ the JJA Jazz April pages and International Jazz Day site (2) bring one or more friends to future gigs and spread the word (3) Hug and thank a Jazz musician tonight and in the following days. By sharing and growing this wonderful music we will see it survive.

This has been a Jazz April Event; visit the Jazz Journalists Association Web Site and JJA Facebook page, plus International Jazz Day page and all of the Jazz April gig review pages on this JazzLocal32.com site. Please ‘like’ all sites as it helps.

What: Kevin Field Trio (plus guest) -Kevin Field (piano and fender rhodes), Cameron McArthur (bass), Stephen Thomas (drums), guest Dixon Nacey (guitar)

Where and When: CJC (Creative Jazz Club) 1885 building, Brittomart, Auckland. April 17th 2013

Brian Smith @ CJC Jazz April gig

April 23, 2013April 23, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

It is always great to see the renowned tenor player Brian Smith performing in the intimate space of the CJC (Creative Jazz Club) and whenever he plays older and newer fans turn up to see him. While it is tempting to refer to him as being ‘seasoned’ or ‘an elder statesman’, any notion of that has a built-in redundancy factor. He is a ball of energy and ageless on the bandstand.

Brian has played with so many great artists over his long career that it would chew up serious bandwidth to enumerate even half of them. Being a member of the Maynard Ferguson band and numerous other well-known line-ups saw him playing across the world. His co-led genre stretching ‘Nucleus’ (with Ian Carr) won the top European band award at the Montreux Jazz Festival (1970). Since returning to New Zealand to settle (if a musician ever really does that) he has worked on numerous film scores and put out some well received (and commercially successful) albums.

Accompanying him on the 10th April gig were Kevin Field (piano), Kevin Haines (bass) and Frank Gibson Jr (drums). With this particular lineup he could dive deeper into his favoured repertoire of Hard Bop Jazz standards (with a few originals thrown in). When ‘Footprints’ was played Brian Smith approached the warhorse in an interestingly oblique manner; giving us a tune that contained the merest hint of familiarity and a large dollop of brooding mystery. This was a highpoint of the sets and a good example of how good musicians can extract new wine from old bottles. The introduction began with a very personalised statement on tenor which caught the attention while offering no insight into where it was going. Then out of nowhere the melody was stated, only to disappear as quickly as it had appeared; merged in probing re-haromonisations and oblique explorations.

The tunes of Wayne Shorter have remained perennially popular with Jazz audiences and they are constantly being reworked and updated. I have heard two versions of ‘Footprints’ performed in recent weeks and both mixed the familiar with the the new. These re-workings of familiar tunes have always been the bread & butter of Jazz and in the case of reworked ‘Footprints,’ Wayne Shorter sets the bar high. I saw him perform this in Verona, Italy a few years ago and after laying out a pathway to the melody he suddenly plunged us into a world of elision; forcing us to fill in the gaps as we listened. A familiar tune floating between chasms of crystalline emptiness; a tune more implied than played. I have posted a You Tube clip of the Brian Smith band playing ‘Footprints’ at the 10th April CJC gig.

Accompanying Brian on piano was Kevin Field who is so well-respected about town that he is a real drawcard in his own right. I have often mentioned his ability to add value to any band he plays with and this night was no exception (A post on his April 17th gig will be up shortly). On bass was Kevin Haines who is not only the most experienced bass player about town but one of the best. lastly there was Frank Gibson Jr on drums who is another respected and talented veteran Jazz identity about Auckland. Frank Gibson Jr, Kevin Field and Kevin Haines have all appeared recently leading groups. These guys will always impress and they proved that on this gig.

This particular CJC gig fitted in perfectly with the wider Jazz April ethos which is about profiling Jazz & Improvised music in all its diversity. The month had kicked off with a co-led trio featuring guitar, bass and drums (all original music by Samsom/Nacey/Haines), A few days later we saw Nathan Haines at the ‘Q’ Theatre (a tentet complete with French horns and vibes) – a few days after that the Auckland ‘Jazz & Blues club’ featured a gig with a Caribbean-Jazz ensemble. The Kevin Field trio on the 17th. Auckland benefits from a rich sonic diversity and clubs like the CJC, The Auckland Jazz & Blues Club and Vitamin ‘S’ deserve our ongoing support. The month of Jazz April will conclude with two avant-garde bands (one local, the ‘Kparty Spoilers of Utopia’) at Vitamin ‘S’ on the 23rd at 8pm and one visiting from Australia (Song FWAA) which is a CJC gig on the 24th at 8pm. This is a cornucopia of riches and not one of these gigs should be missed. Note: The Vitamin ‘S’ gig is the last chance to see John Bell vibist, who departs for Korea on Thursday.

Who: the Brian Smith Quartet – Brian Smith (tenor), Kevin Field (piano), Kevin Haines (bass), Frank Gibson Jr (drums)

Where and When: The CJC (Creative Jazz Club), 1885 Building, Brittomart 10th April 2013

This is a Jazz April 2013 gig : links Jazz April or Jazz Journalists Assn FB page.

Vermillion Skies Launch – A Jazz April Highlight

April 16, 2013April 18, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

After the success of ‘Poets Embrace’ it is hardly surprising that Nathan Haines new album ‘Vermillion Skies’ has climbed so high in the charts. The album was the fifth best selling New Zealand album the last time I looked and this happened within days of its release by Warners. For a modern Jazz album anywhere to achieve this success is unprecedented. This has followed hot on the heals of ‘Poets Embrace’ winning the Tui Awards ‘Best Jazz Album of 2012’.

Anyone who knows Nathan will hardly be surprised to learn of his obsessive commitment to the last two projects. His approach has been Ghandalf like, as it involved a long period of woodshedding, an epic journey in search of analogue equipment and a reconciliation with the gods of past times. While Poets Embrace plumbed the depths of Coltrane’s vocabulary, Vermillion Skies has opened up the perspective and tapped into the wider ethos of 1950’s Jazz. What Vermillion Skies is not however is a cosy journey down memory lane.

It is about examining the epiphanies and sounds of the 50’s era and interpreting them with modern sensibilities. With the exception of one number, these are fresh compositions; a happy synthesis between past and present. Deliberately retro though is the analogue recording methodology. A one-take take approach and sound augmented by the use of reverb (not using a plate).

I followed the Vermillion Skies project from its inception and because I was in contact with the musicians via Face Book it was not difficult to keep abreast of progress. Alain Koetsier was returning from China, Nathan was returning from the UK and to use ‘GCSB speak’ there was a heightened level of ‘chatter’ about town.

Their fist gig was at the CJC (Creative Jazz Club) and at this point the tunes had never been aired before. Some tunes were in embryonic form and they had only been rehearsed briefly. We were a focus group Nathan informed us; musical crash test dummies. The audience loved the gig but they knew that even better was to come.

A month later the musicians and veteran London Producer Mike Patto headed into the York Street studios to cut the tracks. The album was recorded in around two days of mostly live takes. To obtain an authentic reverb sound Nathan used the studio car-park, which is a huge cavernous brick building, resembling a stripped out Victorian cathedral. The neighbours in the posh Edwardian apartments next to the studio lacked the cool to appreciate this innovation. The reverberating horns made one of them complain (in tears) as the fulsome brassy sounds echoed across Parnell rise.

A few weeks after the recording Nathan contacted me and asked if I would interview him at York Street for the promotional video. I turned up a few hours before the appointed time and asked Jeremy (who runs the studio) if I could hear the masters. Hearing the material in its final form and in that space was a revelation. I quizzed Jeremy and Nathan about aspects of recording. I learned that the piano was isolated in a booth, but the drums and horn section were in the larger space with the saxophone. When it came to the vocals the band went home; those tracks were recorded without onlookers.

Nathan has sung on a previous album but he readily admits that it is not his comfort zone. It interested me that he didn’t have the same degree of confidence in his singing abilities as his voice is simply superb. In my view it compares favourably with Mark Murphy’s. The charts are well written and the hooks in ‘Navareno Street’ are so powerful that I am still hearing them in my head weeks later.

Interviewing Nathan Haines is a pleasure as he is knowledgeable, articulate and expansive when prompted. Because he is across his topic he can talk at length about the minutia of the project, but what was surprising was they way he allowed me to discuss his vulnerabilities. His warmth and often self-effacing commentary gave the interview an added depth.

On April 9th the official launch occurred at the ‘Q’ Theatre in Queen Street Auckland. The tickets sold out quickly. The theatre is well suited for such a performance as it has the space, sight-lines and well padded surfaces. This enabled good sound control. Unlike the CJC gig, there were twelve musicians appearing (not quite the full album line-up which had a 15 piece band on one track). The first half featured the basic quartet with a few guest artists such as brother Joel Haines on guitar and two others. Joel can channel the rock god thing while fitting perfectly into a Jazz ensemble. His sound is modern but his lines are Jazz. Also on stage was John Bell the multi talented vibist. John Bell’s contribution added texture and depth. He does not rely on heavy vibrato, favouring a more minimalist approach. I reflected that I had last seen him in a decidedly avant-garde setting. This was far from Albert Ayler but as always his musicianship impressed. Mike Booth (lead trumpet in the horn section) also appeared in the first half. Mike Booth has a clean tone on trumpet and flugal and is the go to guy for anything involving horn sections or Jazz orchestras. His sight-reading skills are as impressive as his performance skills.

by John Chapman

In the second set, a six piece horn section joined in and the arranger Wayne Senior conducted the ten piece band. Wayne Senior is part of the history of New Zealand Jazz and he is especially renowned for his work with TV and Radio orchestras. His ensemble arranging is legendary. The six piece horn-section was two French horns, Two trumpet/flugal horns, a trombone and a bass trombone.

I love nonets and tentets as they have a big sound while leaving room for a band to breathe. The textural qualities of this tentet and the rich voicings were particularly noteworthy. ‘Frontier West’ (by Nathan Haines) left the audience gasping in delight as the ‘Birth of the Cool’ vibe in modern clothing gave us a rare treat. Such wonders are seldom heard in this country. The last item (and the only tune not written by Nathan) was the aching beautiful ballad ‘Lament’ by J. J. Johnson. The best known version of this is on the ‘Miles Ahead’ album. That Gil Evans arrangement involves a 20 piece orchestra. Wayne Senior re-arranged this for tentet and the results are amazing. Nathan caught every nuance of the tune as he built his improvisation around the rich voicings. I am in no doubt that the ‘Lament’ on ‘Vermillion Skies’ compares favourably with the best historic versions (Miles, JJ Johnson, Rahsaan Roland Kirk).

The performances on the album and at the various gigs have all been different. This is because it is Jazz where ‘you never play anything the same way once’ and because there have been personnel changes along the way. As leader and player, Nathan Haines always seems to squeeze that bit extra out of each performance. His intense focus on the tenor of late has been good for him and good for us as his approach to this material while fluid, never looses its edge. He is arriving at that enviable place where people will say after one bar, “oh….that has to be Nathan Haines”.

Kevin Field and Nathan go back a long way and their chemistry is evident. Kevin is the pianist of choice for many local and visiting bands. As an accompanist he never looses sight of what an accompanist is there for. He can shine during the piano solos, but his fills, deftly placed chords and subtle comping speak to his other strengths. It was often necessary for him to keep out-of-the-way of the other instruments (such as the horn section which occupied a register that he would normally utilise). Drummer Alain Koetsier returned to New Zealand for the recording and his drum chops and musicality had not subsided during his sabbatical away from Jazz performance. He is a fine musician and sorely missed on the Auckland scene now that he resides in China. The bass player Ben Turua is also rock solid on the recording. I have heard him play often but never better than here. Sadly he has since departed for Sydney, where he will no doubt flourish as do many Kiwi Jazz expats.

The departure of Alain Koetsier and Ben Turua left a gap and so the original recording lineup was amended for the gigs to include Stephen Thomas on drums and Cameron MacArthur on bass. I cannot speak highly enough of Stephen Thomas. He has been on the scene for a few years and if anyone was going to fill Alain’s shoes it would be him. He is a hard-working young drummer who demonstrates his passion and skill every time he sits at the kit. The other replacement was Cameron McArthur who is still a student at Auckland university. This was a big step up for him and he took it with ease. His bass solo at the ‘Q’ Theatre brought a huge applause and like Stephen Thomas we can expect great things of him.

This album marks another high watermark in New Zealand Jazz as it is brave enough to confront the past without being captured by it. Nathan Haines is heading back to London in a few weeks and we can’t begrudge him that. His ascendency offshore is our gain and we should never forget that these two great albums have been recorded in Auckland, New Zealand and with Kiwi musicians.

Who: The Nathan Haines Band. Album – Nathan Haines (tenor sax, vocals, leader, composer). Kevin Field (piano), Ben Turua (bass) , Alain Koetsier (drums), Joel Haines (guitar – 2,5), Leon Stenning (guitars -5), Mickey Utugawa (Drums – 5), Mike Booth (lead trumpet, flugal), Paul Norman (trumpet, flugal), David Kay (French horn), Simon Williams (French horn), Haydn Godfrey (trombone), John Gluyas (bass trombone), John Bell (vibraphone 2-5), ‘Big’ Cody Wilkington (steel guitar, vocals, percussion – 5), Wayne senior (arranger, session/launch gig conductor). ‘Q’ Theatre and later gigs replace Koetsier with Stephen Thomas (drums), replace Ben Turua with Cameron McArthur (bass).

This is a Jazz April post – support Jazz April and International Jazz Day by visiting the Jazz Journalists Association website and JJA Facebook page

What & Where: ‘Vermillion Skies’ album gigs, CJC (Creative Jazz Club) Brittomart, ‘Q’ Theatre Queen Street Auckland, various festivals and concerts.

Navareno Street audio clip:

Samsom/Nacey/Haines – Jazz April

April 10, 2013April 12, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 1 Comment

The first ‘Jazz April‘ gig was at the CJC (Creative Jazz Club) featuring the ‘Samsom/Nacey/Haines’ band. I can’t think of a better way to kick off Jazz April 2013 than by hearing seasoned musicians having fun, while at the same time stretching themselves as players and composers. The group formed in 2008 with the idea of providing a vehicle for new compositions. The outcome of these collaborations was an album named ‘Open to Suggestions‘ and later the 2010 ‘Oxide‘ album was released (with guests Kevin Field, Chris Melville, Neville Grenfell and Roger Manins). The albums have all been extremely well received with ‘Open to Suggestions‘ ending up as a finalist in the Tui Music Awards and ‘Oxide‘ (Rattle Records 2010) receiving critical acclaim from far & wide. The name ‘Oxide‘ arose from John Ruskin’s writings on crystals (artist, author, patron of the Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood and proto-socialist philosopher). This album is still available in record shops or from Rattle Records and I highly recommend it.

It is hardly surprising that there was an expectation of a third album. The new release titled ‘Cross Now’ has no guest artists appearing. Left to bounce off each others ideas and in an uncluttered musical space, the three musicians made the most of the situation. This spirit of collaboration was particularly evident at the gig as they joked and constantly acknowledged each others skills while downplaying their own input. That is a very Kiwi thing and audiences take it as good form. No one would dare do this if they were uncomfortable with their performance. It is a matter of reading the cultural codes. When they were improvising, the interaction between players was both cerebral and intuitive. There were moments when they appeared as one entity.

As soon as the first set kicked off a sense of joy and playfulness emanated from the bandstand. Some the best music arises from joy and good humour; musicians tapping into an unconscious wellspring of creative goodwill and being at one with the world.

The material on ‘Cross Now’ is new and like ‘Oxide’ some tunes were only finished days before recording them (or even polished in the studio car park). This is Dixon Nacey’s forte; to write brilliant tunes in the eleventh hour. Someone told me that his ‘The Lion” was written on the way to the ‘Oxide‘ recording sessions. Kevin Haines informed us that Dixon’s moving tribute to the recently diseased and much-loved drummer Tony Hopkins, was likewise written days before the recording. The compositions represent the styles of the originators and even though the compositions are jointly attributed, it is possible to detect just whose hand has had the greatest influence over each number.

So often the back stories behind tunes can enrich a listening experience, but I am not sure how many musicians appreciate this fact. While it is true up to a point that the music should speak for itself, that liner notes or background stories are an added superfluity, that received wisdom obscures a deeper story. To many of us music is an experience extending way beyond the auditory senses. We pick up cues from the musicians movements, we absorb colours from the lights glancing off the instruments and we gain insights from the stories. To me improvised music is like a good film and a well shot film is like improvised music. A place to occupy empathetically for that one hyper-sensitised moment in time. No sensory input should therefore be denied.

Kevin Haines wrote ‘…With Eyes Averted…’ (which began with a poem about relationships) and this added a perspective to the tune that would not otherwise have been evident (I have posted a video of this which features Matt Bray on 2nd guitar) . His tune ‘Cross Now’ was about a particularly irritating crossing signal outside of a Tokyo hotel. In Kevin Haines hands the annoying beeps became a polyrhythmic pulse to build a tune upon. He also contributed ‘Broken Tones’.

Drummer Ron Samsom’s, ‘Happy Dance’ (a fast samba) was fabulous. Written about his dog, we could feel the exuberant bounding energy as the tune progressed. Ron Samsom had begun with the tongue in cheek announcement, “yes drummers write tunes too”. After ‘Happy Dance’ we heard ‘Seiko (in 13/8 time) and a ballad ‘Qua’. I heard someone murmur that drummers needed to write more tunes and in Ron’s case I agree (See You Tube Clip by Jen Sol).

Dixon’s contributions were ‘Song for Xavier’ (written for his son) and ‘Conversations with Mr Small’ which he explained as arising from, ” Well perhaps this won’t be such an interesting reason for title…ah…it is about my musical theory conversations with Dr Stephen Small”. In comedy and music, timing is everything and these guys had it down pat. The tune that we will never forget is Dixon Nacey’s moving tribute to the beloved and much lamented Jazz drummer Tony Hopkins. I found myself glancing at the places where Tony had sat and imagined him at the kit; knitting the band together in that particular way of his. This is the power of Jazz. The musicians interpret while we see, feel and hear a story unfold. The tune was, ‘The Remarkable Mr Hopkins’ and by the end a few of us were tearing up. From the bottom of my heart, thanks Dix.

The new album will be in the record outlets shortly, but your best bet is to contact Rattle online and order a copy.

Who: Samsom/Nacey/Haines (guest Matt Bray)

Where & When: The (CJC Creative Jazz Club) Brittomart 3rd April

This was a Jazz April event – visit the JJA Website by following this link.

John Fenton

Paul Van Ross – Album Release

April 3, 2013April 3, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 2 Comments

On Wednesday 27th March several visitors arrived in town from Melbourne Australia. Visitors but not strangers, because saxophone player Paul Van Ross has played in New Zealand four or five times previously and drummer Mark Lockett is an expat New Zealander, originally from Wellington.

These are very friendly guys. Actually I find most Jazz musicians unfailingly cheerful and friendly. It is unlikely that this good humour arises from job security or because they have just managed to upgrade the Porsche . I stick cameras in their faces, ask searching questions during set breaks and pin them down for set lists when they are suffering from jet lag. Instead being told to clear off they indulge me. This goodwill must be pumped through the air conditioning unit of the CJC (Creative Jazz Club). It is a place like ‘Cheers’ where everyone has a smile and ‘everybody knows your name’.

One of those who indulges me is Steve Garden of Rattle records. A few weeks ago I received a tidy package of CD’s from him and among them was ‘The Buck Stops Here‘ led by Paul Van Ross. I had a lot of material to write-up at the time and I was working on the ‘Jazz Month’ program with the Jazz Journalists Association. I played my way slowly through the pile of releases as time allowed. It was not until I had received the CJC newsletter that I realised that Paul Van Ross would be doing an album release there in three days. I sorted through the CD’s and put it out to listen to but it was not until the day before the gig that it finally reached my Hi Fi. It was a really great album and I played it through three times.

How had a missed this I thought. This should have been one of the first things that I put on. Apart from a John Zorn obsession, I also suffer from an excessive liking for B3 combos. This album featured B3, guitar, drums and saxophone. I listened over and again while the textures and compositions reeled me further in. This is a very good example of the ‘new sound’ in organ/guitar/saxophone/drums.

Make no mistake, I love ‘chitlin circuit’ groove Jazz of the sort that Brother Jack, Joey ‘D’, Pat Martino, Wes and Grant Green created. My friend Michel Benebig is a B3 master in this field and he can groove you to the depths of your soul. That music will roll you out of bed and have you dancing like a fool before you gain your sea legs.

There is however another type of B3 sound and that reaches for new horizons. Jamie Saft (Zorn’s Dreamers), Tom Watson (Manu Katche’s new album) and Dr Lonnie Smith (Jungle Soul album), come to mind. The music still has a deep groove but there are no locked in drums and this subtle loosening up of the vibe makes space for a particular type of guitar work and gives a horn some room for exploration. This is a sound that absorbs influences from a diverse Jazz palette while still retaining a solid groove context. The Paul Van Ross Trio (and quartet) are of this latter kind. Their music draws on a wide spectrum of post and pre millennial Jazz; not just tugging at the heart and feet, but engaging the intellect as well.

Paul Van Ross is an exciting tenor player and I can’t help wondering if he studied under George Garzone. There is something different about tenor players who have studied under Garzone and Paul fits that bill. His rapid fire lines and fluidity never obscure the musical ideas that flow from his horn. On ballads he could wring a tear from a walnut and when playing uptempo he navigates the terrain with ease. His compositions are engaging.

The CJC launch gig employed a smaller lineup than on the album. Organist Alan Brown subbed for Kim Kelaart on the New Zealand leg of the tour and he needs no introduction to New Zealand audiences. Alan is another musician who takes the groove genre to new and exciting places. His keyboard skills are legendary. Choosing him was a sensible choice and while his style is a little different to Kelaart’s, it afforded Ross and Lockett opportunities to stretch out in different ways. Mark Lockett is a delight as he imparts humour into everything he does. His drumming is quirky in the best possible way and he is the drummer of choice for many bands. Like Paul Van Ross and Alan Brown he has also recorded as leader.

The first track on the album is the title track ‘The Buck Stops Here”. It was the first number up on the night (all of the material has been written by Ross). On this track in particular Lockett’s contribution was noteworthy. A solid New Orleans beat is laid down while edgy post-bop lines blow over that; the organ under Alan’s hands comps insistently in the background and this gave the tune a great feel. I saw a ‘second line’ parade in San Francisco a few months ago and this particular drum beat tells that kind of story. A story about a beat that bounced between the Americas and Africa until it became pure voodoo. I like everything on this album and so choosing video clips was hard. In the end I have opted for ‘The Buck Stops Here’ (filmed by Jenny Sol). Other standout tunes from the album are ‘Swami in the House’ and the beautiful ballad “Uncle DJ’. A number performed on the night but which is not on the album is ‘Break a Tune’ (filmed by John Fenton)

I must also mention the guitarist Hugh Stuckey who knows when to shine and when to merge into the mix. His lines are clean and impressive, with an approach to melody that is modern. This is the direction that Rosenwinkel and Moreno mapped out and it sits well with this lineup. A guest guitarist Craig Fermanis appears on track one only.

You can buy the album now from ‘Rattle‘ at http://www.rattle.co.nz I recommend it highly.

Who: Paul Van Ross trio; Paul Van Ross – tenor sax, Alan Brown – C3 hammond organ, Mark Lockett – drums ( add Hugh Stuckey and Craig Fermanis – album)

Where: The CJC (Creative Jazz Club) Auckland.

What: Album Release by ‘Rattle‘.

John Fenton

‘Jazz April’ – How to avoid being an April Fool

March 29, 2013April 3, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 19 Comments

Notwithstanding the obvious resemblance between these grizzled old guys, Jazz April is no joking matter. To avoid being an April Fool participate in as many Jazz April activities as you can. Remember to ‘like‘ and ‘share‘ this and any other Jazz April pages that you come across. Don’t monkey about; ape the trend-setters and brand your Face Book picture with a Jazz April badge like cousin Boris (left) and I (right) did. This is a month set aside to promote and honour Jazz and its practitioners. The best way of achieving this is by sharing our enjoyment with others. If they see and hear what we experience they will want to participate. Take the pledge and agree that you will visit as many Jazz events as possible during April. If that is difficult you should at least participate online.

I have posted some logos which you should share indiscriminately. If the internet slows down due to the volume of ‘shares‘ we will know that you have done your bit. Think of it as a ‘Wikileaks’ for music lovers. The world needs to know this secret.

There will be hundreds of Jazz April celebrations occurring world-wide and the events will culminate in UNESCO’s ‘International Jazz Day‘ which is April 30th 2013. The venue for the main Jazz Day event this year is Istanbul Turkey and Herbie Hancock is joined by a number of Jazz Luminaries like Hugh Masakela, Marcus Miller and Manu Katche. If your city does not have an event planned you could consider hosting one. If you do let me know and I will pass the information on to the Jazz Journalists Association.

In New Zealand the ‘Waiheke Jazz Festival’ and the ‘Tauranga Jazz Festival’ can be considered a good segue into Jazz April as they are both held over Easter weekend. Auckland has a number of Jazz April events occurring and there will be a satellite party celebration at the CJC (Creative Jazz Club) during April. Check out the CJC website as there is a good gig guide.

The best place to locate the logo badges and banners (twibbons) and to find out how best to participate, is to click on this link to the Jazz Journalists Associations Jazz April Website or the Jazz Journalist Jazz April Face Book page .

In Auckland the CJC (Creative Jazz Club) will be featuring some spectacular Jazz April Gigs and we will be making a presentation to a few deserving local musicians at a JJA Satellite Party (date to be announced shortly). The CJC line up so far is Nacey/Samsom/Haines (3rd April), Brian Smith Quartet (10th April), Kevin Field Trio (17th April) …more gigs to come. For those who missed last years satellite party at the CJC, Roger Manins was inducted as a ‘Jazz Hero‘ by the Jazz Journalists Association.

A highlight event will be the Nathan Haines ‘Vermillion Skies’ album Release on the 6th April at the ‘Q Theatre’, Queen Street, Auckland. This amazing album involves a number of our best-loved Jazz musicians and it will be a high point in the Auckland Jazz calendar. Don’t miss this event or forget to buy the album (available in download/CD/vinyl).

There will also be gigs at the ‘Ponsonby Social Club‘, the ‘Grand Central‘ (both in Ponsonby Road) and for experimental improvised music ‘The Wine Bar ‘Vitamin S‘ St Kevin’s Arcade, The Auckland Jazz and Blues Club (Tuesday evenings Pt Chevalier RSA), The ‘Titirangi Music Festival’ Titirangi Village (where the Alan Brown band is playing in the ‘Tool Room” on Friday the 5th April@ 7: 30pm).

Jazz April is now a world-wide event and I know that NZ will not let the side down. My April posts will be profiled on the JJA Facebook page and or webpage. The choices Auckland is offering over April 2013 are many and varied. Locals have absolutely no excuse for not supporting Jazz this month, so see you all there.

John Fenton

JazzLocal32.com – Jazz Journalists Association member

Myele Manzanza Trio

March 27, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

The CJC (Creative Jazz Club) is increasingly on the world Jazz circuit, but it also attracts a number of artists from around New Zealand. This outreach is exactly what Roger Manins, Caroline Manins and Ben McNicholl had envisaged when the collective began. The CJC’s prime purpose is to further Jazz and improvised music as an art form and to create an intimate performance space where projects can be realised. This space is suited to listening audiences, which in turn spurs the musicians on. The trio who performed on Wednesday appreciated that.

On Wednesday we heard the Wellington based Myele Manzanza trio. A drummer led band has a different feel to a piano led trio. When a drummer is leader the drums are generally more forward in the mix than is otherwise the case. This is the way of things and whether it’s Max Roach or Matt Wilson we expect to have the drums as a strong focus. Myele Manzanza is a captivating drummer and I was immediately struck by how different he is to most Auckland drummers. When I spoke to him later I went out on a limb by suggesting that his style was reminiscent of Manu Katche. He told me that he had not heard him, but that others had said the same.

According to Myele, Roger Manins suggested that they should push the boundaries. Rising to that challenge the band hastily composed a tune for the gig. The gig was a mix of standards, interesting takes on tunes not usually associated with jazz and a few originals. The originals were often subjected to an angular approach and with pared back melody. Their take on the Ellington tune ‘Caravan’ was probably the most conventional of their tunes but even then it was given individual treatment. The pianist approached the tune in a percussive manner, but with right hand runs that were definitely post bop (a little like Michel Petrucciani was fond of doing). Led by the drummer, time signatures morphed into various new patterns.

The Pianist Daniel Hayles often begins pieces with long ostinato intro’s and while not quite a minimalist, he never-the-less avoids excessive ornamentation. I really warmed to him as the evening progressed and I found his approach modern and fresh (and often North European). With Scott Maynard on bass the unit knitted together well. Because of the way the tunes unfolded it was essential that he made his presence felt and he did. In situations like this the bass often has to carry some extra weight.

Myele has spent time working in New York and he has studied under Jazz drummer E J Strickland. I also know that he is passionate about Jazz, but why his band sounds different is because other very modern influences have seeped into the mix. Myele Manzanza works with many ground breaking non-Jazz lineups and that is probably what he is best known for. This brings me back to Manu Katche who is a very modern jazz drummer, but one who works across a variety of genres (Peter Gabriel and Sting). Katche’s Jazz drumming is atypical and madly engaging. Jazz should never stand still and this window on yet another approach to our music tells me that the exploration continues.

I hope that the band returns again as they expand our horizons while making us smile. After thanking his band Myele Manzanza turned to the audience and said, “Thank you Auckland and the CJC. This is an unusual situation for us. An audience that listens appreciatively and doesn’t talk through the gig. This is what Wellington lacks”.

Every city needs a CJC …and lots of nights like this.

Who: Myele Manzanza (Leader, drums), Daniel Hayles (Keys, Piano), Scott Maynard (bass).

When and Where: CJC (Creative Jazz Club) 1885 building Brittomart, 20th march 2013

Note: Jazz April and International Jazz Day are nearly upon us. Do your bit by supporting as much jazz as you can during April.

Stephen Small – special guest Hugh Masekela

March 20, 2013March 21, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 14 Comments

The 13th of March was a night of surprises. I had been urging Roger Manins to lure Dr Stephen Small down to the CJC (Creative Jazz Club ) for months and here he was. I told a friend that we would be in for an interesting and varied program. How prescient I was. Considering that he is such a well-rounded and accomplished pianist (and keyboardist) it often surprises me that knowledge of him in Jazz circles is not as great as it should be. Stephen Small has a number of irons in the fire and his work across many musical genres can sometimes eclipse his accomplishments in specific areas. No one however should disregard his straight ahead or experimental Jazz playing abilities.

His quartet set up their equipment, completed a brief sound check and then faded back into the darkness of the club while Stephen made last-minute adjustments to his keyboards. Having set up his two keyboards he moved to the grand piano and picked up the microphone. Some artists impart scant information about their set lists (even omitting to tell you what they have played). Stephen is generous with information and his expansive discourse set up the evening nicely.

He played solo piano for three or four numbers and the tunes came mainly from the Great American Songbook. The focus for these pieces was the earlier half of the twentieth century. During his introduction he talked about the interface between jazz, classical and popular music and to illustrate this melting pot he began with two standards. First up was the perennial favourite, ‘Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most’. The beautiful version he settled on was Oscar Peterson’s. The second tune ‘Angel Eyes’ (Matt Dennis) has a bluesy feel and the lush right hand voicings accented the subtle hints of stride in the lower register. I love this standard and it was a delight to hear, as it is seldom played by instrumentalists these days. More’s the pity. The last piece in his solo set was an extract from George Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ (see video clip). All three were beautifully executed and they illustrated his point perfectly that Jazz is in a continuous process of renewal and will happily absorb the sounds of the day. What is sometimes under-appreciated is that Jazz also influences and enriches other genres. Modern pop or rock without its Jazz roots would arguably be a chirpy wasteland devoid of back beats. Classical music is certainly not exempt either (e.g. Stravinsky and Ravel).

His next set shifted our focus to experimental music. Stephen Small on two keyboards & piano, Johnny Fleury on Chapman Stick 12 string guitar, MC Chinga Style voice and Stephan Thomas drums. I am particularly interested in such electronic explorations when they’re done well and these were. The chordal instruments fed into an array of pedals and the whole set up was something that Bob Moog would have gone into orgasmic ecstasies over. The Chapman Stick looks daunting to play as the fret board is double the width of most guitars. It is largely tapped and not picked; giving rich voicings and strong resonant bass lines. MC Chinga Style added an unusual dimension to the mix and his inclusion was spot on. He was a benign presence, never dominating. His contributions were occasional but extremely interesting. A combination of scatting, boom box, subtle pops and clicks and always reinforcing what was occurring around him. I have long thought that the human voice as an instrument, playing lines in an ensemble, is terribly under-utilised in Jazz. ECM gets this right and we need more Norma Winstone’s in our line ups.

Hugh Masekela

Somewhere in the middle of this set Caroline Manins went up to Stephen and whispered in his ear. Stephen looked startled for a few seconds and then proceeded with his electronic wizardry. Caroline then whispered in my ear, “there is someone I think you should meet”. Leaning against the bar was Hugh Masekela, anti apartheid hero, Jazz icon, Afro Beat star. In the subdued lighting with its soft red overtones it all seemed surreal. The short 74 year old man stuck his hand out and smiled widely. Then before I knew it he had enveloped me in a hug. The great man hugged quite a few strangers that night and I suspect that all were enriched by the experience. This was Hugh Masekela’s way of telling us that in a diverse and complex world, music can remove any barriers between us. To paraphrase Herbie Hancock, “Music is what I do but finding a common cause with humanity is my real work”. He has just been honoured by President Obama for his life’s work.

Cameron Ward

After the last of Stephen’s numbers Hugh Masekela asked Stephen to sit in while he, his guitarist and drummer played three numbers. The crowd stood open-mouthed and a little star struck as the band began playing. A guitar player from South Africa , a groove drummer from America and a Kiwi pianist – working with a Jazz hero. Hugh placed the flugal horn to his lips and showed us that simple melody can say as much as complex harmony. He never strayed too far from the melody but somehow his solo’s were all the more profound for that.

He ended the set with Herbie Hancock’s ‘Cantaloupe Island’ and thanked us. We slipped out into the warm night, feeling very pleased with ourselves for being in that place at the right time.

I have included a link to the Hugh Masekela concert review from N Z Musician. The concert was a blast.

Who: Stephen Small (Keys) – with Johnny Fleury (stick), Stephen Thomas (traps) – Also: Hugh Masekela (flugal horn) plus two members of his band.

When: Wed 13th March 2013

Where: CJC (Creative Jazz Club) – 1885 building basement Brittomart

Foot Note From an Observer Interview – extract:

Q.”There was one occasion when the apartheid government tried to invite you back as an ‘honorary white’. How did that feel?

It was not only insulting, but it was like the height of comedy, right out of the fucking Marx Brothers. The apartheid people were actors and they had to act out their part in their beliefs every day. That’s why we always saw them as being comedic.”

Blue Train – 2013

March 18, 2013March 21, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 1 Comment

I suspect that Blue Train has a following way beyond the traditional Jazz audiences and I can understand why. Their hard-driving funk laden grooves are impossible to resist and so people tend to flock to any Blue Train gig. Their audience occupies a broad age spectrum. Blue Train mostly plays music that you can dance to and just occasionally the set list includes some Jazz space funk. I’m a huge fan of this type of tripped out Jazz fusion, so if you like this sub-genre then find yourself some Blue Train recordings. There is of course much more to Blue Train than Funk Fusion and their Jazz chops show in everything that they do. Only highly competent Jazz musicians can play like this and only talented experienced musicians can write the material Alan does. This band is an Auckland cultural institution, they are jaw droppingly good and that’s why people love them. The Blue Train gigs are rare these days, as the band members all have other projects on the go. Any whisper of gigs should put an urgent blip across your radar. Tip: they will be at the Waiheke Jazz Festival this year – be there.

The CJC (Creative Jazz Club) filled to capacity on the night and they soon stood three deep at the bar. Blue Train was here again – the word had travelled.

Post millennium Jazz is a broad church and the younger audiences (and a few older ones like me) find this exciting. Blue Train has been around for more than 20 years and in spite of a few attempts to pension the band off, the fans just wont let it die. As a part of New Zealand’s improvised music heritage it deserves our ongoing support and respect. Don’t for a minute expect a mere cover band recycling the glory days. Blue Train are wisely resistant of resting on their laurels and after the ‘head’ of a tune they unravel the material in new and interesting ways. They play older material and new. Alan Brown’s compositions just keep on coming and they get better and better. He is a seasoned performer and his keyboard skills will always astound. As you listen you will hear new ideas being tried and old ideas being turned on their head. He is widely acknowledged as a great keyboardist but his piano skills are also considerable. This was very evident on the 6th of March 2013.

It was obvious that the band were thoroughly enjoying themselves and they stretched out as the tunes unfolded. The CJC gig edged closer to its Jazz roots than would have been the case at Deschlers in the 90’s. Those in the line up were mostly veteran band members, but there were some newer additions. Dixon Nacey on guitar has played with Alan for years and he has previously appeared in Blue Train line ups. He does not however go back as far as Jason Orme (drums) or Steve Sherriff (tenor and soprano saxophones). The newer band member is Karika Turua (electric bass).

Having Dixon Nacey in any band is always a treat and I always watch as his eyes fix on the other musicians – exhorting them to challenge him. He listens carefully to what is unfolding and is always ready to back someone up or to step out with new ideas. This is invariably done with a mile-wide grin and the looks of delight when he and Alan lock into an exchange is priceless. As on his three previous gigs, he had his gorgeous Godin Guitar with him and once again I will confirm that this is a match made in heaven.

Many of the Blue Train musicians have contributed compositions over time and Steve Sherriff deserves special mention there. He is well rounded horn player who can fit seamlessly into many situations (big band, straight ahead Jazz or funk). His tenor and soprano work were especially captivating on this gig and when he and Dixon played unison lines it was hard to believe that there was not an additional horn in the line up. Before the gig I ran into my niece and told her that it was nice to see her in the club. She then told me that a former teacher of hers was in the band. Who’s that I asked. “Mr Sherriff” she said. When I saw her later she summed up her impression “Wow who knew he played like that”. He does.

Jason Orme worked the grooves with finesse and enthusiasm and he knew how to play to the room. The same applies to Karika Turua who dug into serious grooves that echoed in your mind for days afterwards.

The sound levels were just right for the club and this is where the bands experience played a part . Some younger (and a few older musicians) forget to adjust their volume to the room and the CJC is lively; especially if the drums and bass are overly loud. Being professionals – Alan and Ben McNicoll (CJC sound and IT) got the job done properly.

What and Who: ‘Blue Train’ – Alan Brown (keys), Steve Sherriff (saxes), Dixon Nacey (guitar), Karika Turua (electric bass), Jason Orme (drums).

When: Wednesday 6th March 2013

Where: CJC (Creative Jazz Club) – basement of the 1885 building Brittomart

JazzLocal32.com

Jazz Blog

CJC Creative Jazz Club gigs

Neil Watson Four @ CJC

Trudy Lile Quartet @ CJC

Reuben Bradley trio @ CJC + Mantis Album

Mike Nock + Roger Manins, Frank Gibson@ CJC

Caitlin Smith @ CJC (with Kevin Field trio)

Conner McAneny @ CJC (+Nacey/McArthur/Samsom)

Aaron Blakey (Sydney) @ CJC

Mike Nock – albums reviewed

Pretty in Blues – Molly Ringwald @ The Tuning Fork

‘The Grid’ off the grid at the CJC

Chelsea Prastiti band @ CJC

Sean Wayland & David Berkman @ CJC Winter International Series

The Dilworths@CJC Winter International Series

Rosie & The Riveters@CJC

Phil Broadhurst ‘Flauberts Dance’@CJC

Song FWAA@CJC – A Jazz April Event

Kevin Field Trio@CJC Jazz April Event

Brian Smith @ CJC Jazz April gig

Vermillion Skies Launch – A Jazz April Highlight

Samsom/Nacey/Haines – Jazz April

Paul Van Ross – Album Release

‘Jazz April’ – How to avoid being an April Fool

Myele Manzanza Trio

Stephen Small – special guest Hugh Masekela

Blue Train – 2013