Callum Passells Quartet @ CJC

March 12, 2014 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

I like the inventiveness of Callum Passells both as an alto player and a composer. There is something of the risk taker about him and his instincts seldom fail him when reaching for fresh ideas. His quartet was bristling with edge last week, a band without a chordal instrument and utilising the talented Chelsea Prastiti as vocalist. Chelsea is always up for these types of sonic explorations and perfectly able to handle the challenge. This was a gig crafted around a particular range of sounds, but more importantly it appeared to have particular musicians in mind. On bass was Cameron McArthur and on drums Adam Tobeck. The bass player and drummer handled the challenges confronting them perfectly, creating texture, nuance, colour and anchor points appropriate to the diverse range of music. I often praise Cameron McArthur and in this situation his skilful bass lines were crucial. I was pleasantly surprised by Adam Tobeck’s versatility, as I had only seen him in straight ahead gigs. He is a tight focussed drummer, but in this situation he showed just how broad his skills base is.

The set list was skilfully constructed, offering endless contrasts and explorations into a number of Jazz related subdivisions. During the first set Chelsea sang the ballad ‘My Ideal’ (Robin/Chase/Whiting). The intro was just vocals and bass, but when the alto and drums came in they took a minimalist approach. The interesting thing is that the arrangement had a fulsome quality to it, almost orchestral. This is a tribute to Chelsea and definitely to the arrangement.

At the other end of the spectrum was a free piece titled ‘N+/-1’. This was an extraordinary piece of music with all of the excitement and theatrics that you could wish for. Callum had warned the audience that they were about to hear a free number and suggested that those who were queasy about such offerings could move to the bar area at the side. I am unsure if anyone took him up on that, but in reality ‘N+/-1’ had the opposite effect. Drawing people into the bands orbit; all of them smiling and whooping in delight. While the piece followed its own internal chaotic logic it never-the-less communicated a strangely cohesive and exciting narrative. There were distinct parts to the piece and each more marvellous than the last. Voice, bass and drums weaving ever deeper, as if sucked into an alternate reality by the brilliance of the alto. People watched transfixed, marvelling at the cascade of sounds and the flow of musical ideas. This number was a tour de force for the group but there was no mistaking Callum’s influence. Even though he gave the others plenty of space, his presence was always felt, guiding, cajoling and demanding that bit more. As I watched and listened completely engaged I cursed that I did not have a movie camera on hand to record the moment.

With a few exceptions Chelsea sang wordlessly and this style is definitely a forte for her. She can sing a unison horn line so convincingly that you do a double take, scanning the bandstand to see if there is an instrument you have missed. Her range, timbre and musicality enriched the group. This was particularly evident on ‘Lennies Pennies’ (Tristano). I love all Tristano compositions but especially this one. As they negotiated the exciting fast paced, measured lines a special synthesis was evident. This was innovative and original; adding something of value to an already rich Tristano-ite output.

There were other original tunes such as ‘Tashirojima’, ‘Monte Cecelia’ ‘Sons Multiples’ ‘Indifference’ and a number of standards (‘Yardbird Suite’, ‘Mood Indigo’ and ‘Straight no Chaser’). They were all captivating in one way or another but one original deserves special comment. Sometimes there are layers of meaning in titles and ‘Indifference’ certainly qualifies in that regard. Written by Callum in tribute to his father who is gravely ill. The power of this composition and the delivery by Callum spoke to me deeply. It is clearly not about casual indifference. It felt to me like the struggle to view life in a wider context when faced with mortality. Perhaps the indifference of the universe to our small world suffering and how to make sense of that. The sound of the alto cut so deep that for a time nothing else seemed real. This is what raw emotion sounds like. The audience were quieter and as I looked up at the light show playing against the wall, I saw a brief skeletal picture flash up on the screen. One brief frame in the play of an endlessly looped digital sequence. While this fleeting spectral apparition was pure happenstance, it was strangely apposite. This piece was so much more than elegiac; it placed a marker of just what it means to be human.

Who: The Callum Passells Quartet: featuring Callum Passells (alto sax, compositions), Chelsea Prastiti (vocals), Cameron McArthur (upright bass), Adam Tobeck (drums).

Where: CJC (Creative Jazz Club), 1885 Britomart, Auckland – 5th March 2014

Jonathan Crayford @ CJC

February 24, 2014February 25, 2014 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

Jonathan Crayford has long intrigued me as a musician so I make a point of catching him when the situation presents itself. He’s an artist embedded so deeply within his music that his persona reflects in those terms. It’s as if he were the embodiment of sonic shapes and forms.

I have seen him perform on a number occasions but there’s no second guessing what will materialise on any given night. His experiences in music lead him in many directions and all of them interesting. While some describe him as genre busting, I think the descriptor is overly simplistic. I have heard him perform a killing version of, “I Pity the Poor Immigrant” (Bob Dylan). Yes, he appropriates the sounds about him and often performs with artists from outside of the Jazz spectrum, but at heart he’s an improvising musician. No matter what notes he plays you can feel the integrity; the perpetual questioning of a deep level interpreter.

For the CJC gig he showcased a folder of new tunes; the charts interpreted by a six piece band that he had assembled for the gig. As he explained, “this band is work shopping some new ideas which I will record later in Europe”. The numbers were all in extended form, giving the musicians space to develop the themes and ideas. Many of the tunes began and ended with a percussive vamp and as a groove established the horns congas, bass and drums swelled the sound. The textures and complex layers of sound created an implied centre over which the soloists improvised. Watching over this was the leader, a benevolent presence who knew just when exhort, when to extend or curtail a solo and when to pull the explorations back to the head. The tune titles where intriguing also; ‘Groove 21’, ‘Strange Tune’ and others which told a more cerebral story.

‘Bruno’s Dream’ in particular piqued my interest. Jonathan Crayford has worked extensively on film scores and his association with the actor/musician Bruno Lawrence gives us the context for this piece. After Bruno’s passing Jonathan dreamed this tune, a kaleidoscope of images as imagined through Bruno’s eyes. This is wonderful expansive music and the band entered into the spirit of it. As with all dreams the evolving and often surreal story has several parts. In this piece we saw the best of Crayford’s keyboard artistry and writing skills. There were solid solo performances by Kim Patterson on valve trombone and Finn Scholes on trumpet. Kim Patterson is the elder statesman here, having recorded over his long career with most of the luminaries of New Zealand Jazz. The last section of the tune, an intense modal sequence was a gift to Scholes, who grabbed the opportunity with glee mining it convincingly for all it’s worth (echoes of ‘Teo’).

Early in the second set a brief change in pace occurred, when we heard a duet between Crayford and Patterson. They performed the only standard of the evening, the gorgeous ‘Old Folks’ (Robison). It lived up to its heart-string tugging potential. At the end satisfied sighs were heard from the audience. Piano and valve trombone work extremely well together and I was briefly minded of the duet recordings between Bob Brookmeyer and others.

Having both traps drums and congas was integral to the sound as they added heft and edge. On traps was Julien Dyne, an energetic and multi faceted drummer who has worked previously with Jonathan Crayford ( ‘Pins & Digits’ – Dyne’s album). On congas (and facing the band) was Miguel Fuentes, a highly experienced percussionist who never flagged during the long and energised grooves. The remaining band member was Chip Matthews on electric bass. His presence was integral to the mix and he managed to provide both an anchor and groove lines without crowding out the others. The sound scape was dense at times and intentionally so, but the overall momentum was never lost. With Jonathan Crayford at the helm this is hardly surprising.

The other departure from the format occurred when Jonathan invited Miles Crayford to sit in for a number. Miles a pianist and keyboardist also, came to wider attention when he participated in Reuben Bradley’s award-winning ‘Resonator’ album.

If you ask Jonathan Crayford where he lives now you will get vague answers. He lives where the current project is happening and where the music is. For the next two month’s he’ll be gigging around New Zealand and then returning to New York to mix and master his next album (with the well-known New York bassist Ben Street and drummer Dan Weiss). The album is intriguingly named ‘Dark Light’. Crayford tells me that he wrote the music during a long winter sojourn in London, where the seemingly endless days of low light are commonplace. Having lived in London I understand this focus with radiating light. The interplay and intensity of light occupies your thoughts there as it never does in sunnier climes.

If you Google this artist you’ll notice that he’s recorded as ‘currently living’ in Spain or Paris; throw in London and New York and the picture becomes a little clearer. This is a musician chasing the music and living in the moment. In Spain he records two solo albums, in New York trios and a sextet and then on to new projects in other cities. We gladly claim him as an expat Kiwi but in reality he’s a citizen of the world.

Who: Jonathan Crayford (piano, keyboards, compositions, leader), Kim Patterson (valve trombone, percussion), Finn Scholes (trumpet), Miguel Fuentes (percussion), Chip Matthews (electric bass), Julien Dyne (drums).

Where: CJC (Creative Jazz Club), 1885 Britomart, Auckland. 19th February 2014

Jonathan Crayford albums (and streamed samples) are available from his website, Rattle or iTunes – jocray.com

Benny Lackner (Germany) @ CJC

October 22, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

I missed the Benny Lackner trio when they came last year and I had subsequently been besieged with the inevitable, “man you missed a great gig”. This time I made sure that was able to attend. Benny Lackner is from Berlin, Germany and his touring schedule has taken him round the world a number of times. His brand of jazz is forward-looking and has a distinctly modern-European feel about it. I am a fan of European styled Jazz although surprisingly it is often overlooked by American Jazz fans. This is ironic because American Jazz musicians have always relied heavily on European tours and are hugely supported there.

This trip Benny came without his trio and teamed up with Cameron McArthur and Ron Samsom for the Auckland gig. As the gig approached a problem arose, when the building owners required the downstairs room for a function. The room with the lovely grand piano in it and the better acoustics. An urgent call went out for a Fender Rhodes and before long Mark Bains had lent one, along with a nice keyboard. The upstairs venue has a nice feel to it but the acoustics are more difficult to manage. Such obstacles are quickly dealt with by experienced musicians who are quite used to playing in a wide variety of settings.

The sets were mainly centred on Benny’s own compositions, but interestingly he had thrown in some modern pop tunes, mined for their improvisational worth. There was a Bowie number and a Radiohead number, both of which went down extremely well with the audience. Gone is that awkwardness that the 50’s Jazz musicians often exhibited when they tackled the popular tunes of the day. From Miles onwards and through to Brad Muhldau ( a mentor of Benny’s) the game has changed. American musicians like Bob Frisell and others will routinely interpret modern tunes or rock classics. In many cases the vocabulary of rock is appropriated. The Europeans however are the masters of this and artists like Mathius Eik, Esbjorn Svensson and Marcin Wasilewski have blazed a clear trail ahead. He also tackled Monk’s ‘Bemsha Swing’ which I have posted. EST played this often and this version takes the tune even further out.

Benny Lackner approaches his material obliquely and to my ear there is no hint of the Evans legacy in his voicings. He often plays big percussive chords, but he can also show real sensitivity as he negotiates the well constructed tunes. The Radiohead number worked particularly well on the dominant sounding Rhodes, with the slightly softer voicings emanating from the smaller keyboard. You get the feeling watching Benny at the keyboard that he views each performance as an open-ended adventure. I am only sorry that we never got to hear him on the clubs grand piano.

He told us that he was very pleased with his new band mates and why wouldn’t he be. Ron Samsom is such a fine drummer that you expect a top-level performance from him. Ron has a world of experience behind him and so many local and visiting overseas acts benefit from his multi faceted traps work. I have never seen him falter in any setting and the diverse styles required of him only appear to urge him on to greater heights.

As has been the case so often in recent months, Cameron McArthur filled the bass slot and all of the experience he is gaining is now paying dividends. This guy is a crowd pleaser, with the chops and ears to provide the goods. We also heard some very nice solos from him.

This has been a big tour for Benny. From Berlin his hectic schedule took him through South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Although he was born in Berlin he also lived in the USA for many years. The many influences absorbed along the way have moulded him into an original and interesting pianist.

Who: Benny Lackner (leader, keys, compositions), Cameron McArthur (bass), Ron Samsom (drums)

Where: The CJC (Creative Jazz Club), 1885 building, basement, Britomart, Auckland 9th October 2013

Emerging Artists Series: Alex Ward / Allana Goldsmith

September 23, 2013September 24, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 2 Comments

Two or three times a year the CJC reserves a gig night for emerging artists. On Wednesday there was a double billing and while they could legitimately be termed emerging artists, they showed a confidence and polish that bespoke experience. In fact both have been performing about town and in Allana’s case for some time. This was a moment to show a discriminating Jazz audience what they are about and they delivered.

First up was pianist Alex Ward. He has recently graduated with honours from the NZSM Massy campus. I last saw Alex play just over a year ago and he showed real promise then. Now the hard work and years of study are bearing fruit. He appears to play with even greater confidence and this obvious self belief has influenced his performance. His set was mainly a showcase for his own compositions and they were interesting and varied. There were ballads, uptempo burners and a (new) standard on offer. Standards always give us points of comparison and his rendering of Robert Glasper’s ‘Yes I’m Country (and that’s Ok)’ from the Blue Note, Double Booked album did just that. It was flawlessly executed and delivered with real heartfelt exuberance. Among his own compositions I really liked ‘Litmus Test’ for its edgy hard bop feel and the more reflective ‘Lighthouse Keeper’ (a recently written tune). There was also a reharmonisation of ‘Beautiful Love’ but with dark voicings and with an oblique approach to the melodic structure. These tunes while all quite different, hung together well as a set.

On Bass he had the gifted Cameron McArthur and on drums Ivan Lukitina (who I had heard about but not seen before now). They both provided solid support for Alex and delivered good performances during solos. Cameron was particularly energised during ‘Litmus Test’ and Ivan was right there with him. Ivan excelled on ‘Yes I’m Country (and thats OK)”.

This should be a right of passage for Alex and he will surely become a fixture about town if he continues performing at this level.

Allana Goldsmith has appeared in a number of bands and her musicality and stage presence are pleasing to ear and eye. I have heard Allana a number of times now and on those occasions her role as ‘part of a lineup’ gave me a brief taste of what could be. She has performed with various sized bands but most often as part of a duo with guitarist.

She is a current member of the ‘Sisters of Swing’, which is an Andrews Sisters tribute band and co-member Trudy Lile speaks highly of her abilities. I recently saw her with Peter Scotts ‘Bad Like Jazz’ project and I was very impressed; especially as she sang a stunning rendition of ‘Freedom Jazz Dance’ (Eddie Harris). It is this preparedness to take on challenging projects and to do them well that sticks with you. Her voice is strong without being loud and in many ways she is reminiscent of the great singers of the past. What is not redolent of past singers however, is her preparedness to tackle adventurous modern projects.

For this gig Allana had selected a few well-known and some lessor performed standards and to stamp her own mark on them, sung often in Te Reo Maori. While Whirimako Black has already moved into this territory, Allana has her own unique approach to the music. Hers is an original voice. It is tempting to think of songs sung in Te Reo Maori as being different or apart from European traditions. In Allana’s case that is not so as she has maintained the integrity of both traditions. The best illustration of this was her brilliant rendition of the Miles Davis tune, ‘In a Silent Way’. This was the first tune of her set and she used it as a Karakia or blessing. The notion of using this open, spiritual number to unify us all and to call down blessings was a perfect beginning.

Her band was Ben McNicholl (tenor sax), Dave Fisher (guitar), Cameron McArthur (bass), Jason Orme (drums).

I have always rated Ben highly on ballad material. His concise soloing and the atmospheric vibe that he created behind Allana worked well. When backing a singer on a ballad, tasteful minimalism trumps busy, every time. This sort of restraint is counter intuitive to a musician, but the balance between Ben and Allana was pitched just right. I know that he took care to select just the right reed for the job in hand.

I thought that I knew all of the Jazz guitarists about town, but clearly I don’t. Dave Fisher has played with Allana for some time and he picks up on her every nuance. The voicings that he uses are those of the skilled accompanist and the warmth of his tone caresses and underpins her vocals perfectly. This was mostly chordal work, which shifted, swung and shimmered like the guitarists of an earlier era. It was an effect deliberately aimed for and it was easy on the ear. His guitar is an Epiphone Hollowbody of the sort used by Joe Pass and that made sense as well.

Cameron McArthur was also the bass player on this second set. Because he works so often about town he has developed a keen ear and had no trouble fitting into this different groove. Unlike the earlier piano trio gig, with challenges thrown down and returned in kind, he needed to keep more out-of-the-way here. Seeing him perform so well in such a variety of situations certainly increases my respect for him.

The remaining band member was drummer Jason Orme and I am very familiar with his playing. Oddly though, I had never seen him playing in this sort of situation, which at times required a very nuanced approach. His skills in such a setting were immediately apparent and his brush work was especially fine. Like the guitarist and the tenor he focused on the singer, enhancing every inflection of voice or following every whispered line. Each accent delivered with a quiet flurry on the snare or a tap on a muted cymbal.

Allana is currently studying performance at the NZSM Massey and this was her first CJC gig. She will certainly be back.

* Thanks to Dennis Thorpe for the high quality video material

Wh0 (first set): Alex Ward (piano), Cameron McArthur (bass), Ivan Lukitina (drums).

Who (second set): Allana Goldsmith (vocals), Ben McNicholl (tenor sax), Dave Fisher (guitar), Cameron McArthur (bass), Jason Orme (drums).

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

When: 11th September 2013

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

‘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

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

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.

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

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.

Rebecca Melrose Super Band @ CJC

March 11, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 2 Comments

Rebecca Melrose is fairly new to the Auckland scene but she is already gaining a reputation for excellence about town. Although young she has several recordings under her belt and her career is gaining momentum. She is a singer/songwriter with an engaging voice and this gives her considerable scope. It means that her own material gets aired alongside that of Gretchen Parlato and Esperanza Spalding during a gig. This was her second performance at the CJC (Creative Jazz Club)

Parlato and Spalding are clearly strong influences for her but she can also sing challenging standards from an earlier era. She not only choses well when adding standards but executes tricky numbers superbly. Like many emerging singers of the post millennium she has a multi genre appeal and whether she moves into a more ‘soul’ space is a moot point. On this night she was a primarily a jazz singer and if the enthusiasm of the audience is anything to go by that route will work very well for her.

Last year she was more tentative during her between number introductions, but that hesitancy has now fallen completely away. The Rebecca that we saw tonight was sassy, confident and on top of her game. She played with the audience and tried out various lines of patter. Not all of the jokey asides worked as intended (some went over very well) but it didn’t matter a damn and her good-natured handling of the audience captivated everyone. She is on the right track here and I encourage her to keep going in this vein. Music is a performance art after all and Jazz and banter go together like the reverse sides of a rich tapestry.

The last time I saw her perform she had Dixon Nacey on guitar and Andrew Keegan on drums. This time with a much bigger line up she utilised the additional scope that this afforded her . She performed several times with singer Chelsea Prastiti (once in duo doing the Esperanza Spalding arrangement of the Jobim Tune ‘Inutil Paisagem‘ – which was magical to say the least ). In other numbers as a quartet, quintet or octet This set list struck out for higher ground and the risk paid off.

On trumpet and flugal was Liz Stokes, who stepped up with an impressive solo in the second set. Alex Ward did a great job on piano and especially on ‘Lush Life‘. I have not seen him play very often and enjoyed his contribution as he tackled numbers that were often demanding. It was also good to see Jarad Desvaux de Marigny (drums) and Eamon Edmunson-Wells (bass) teamed up again. This pair work extremely well together and have a more subtle colourist approach which is especially suited to singers and the less percussive of piano players. On guitar,Manaf Ibrahim and on Tenor Scott Thomas.

In guest spot was Callum Passells who played a couple of numbers which absolutely floored me; especially his masterful alto solo on ‘Lush Life‘. Every note in that solo was perfectly placed and with the rhythm section meeting the challenge, we were given a rare treat. I will say more about Lush life later.

Rebecca’s own compositions are interesting as are the modern standards she likes, but I have especially singled out the two older standards for praise. ‘Tea for Two‘ is not terribly challenging as written, but as a singer you immediately fall under the shadow of Ella, Anita and Frankie. The tune was written in 1930 by Tin Pan Alley song plugger Vincent Youmans,who was unsure if he liked it at first. The lyricist Irving Caesar later admitted that his lyrics were intended only as a stop-gap. they never were replaced thank goodness. The song is from the musical ‘No, No, Nanette‘ and it quickly became a runaway success. Why this song works so well for Jazz is exactly for the reason Youmans worried about it; a simple form. There is so much an improvising musician can do with it. Before long Art Tatum had played it (1933), Benny Goodman (1937), Fats Waller (1937), Django Reinhardt (1937), Dave Brubeck (1949), Bud Powell (1950) and Thelonious Monk 1963. The singers who performed it were legion but Anita O’Day absolutely tagged it as her own in ‘Jazz on a Summers Day‘. Rebecca quoted from Anita, took the number at the same fast pace, but wisely interpreted it in her own way.

The other track that I can’t resist posting is Rebecca’s ‘Lush Life‘ by Billy Strayhorn. This song is the antithesis of ‘Tea for Two‘ as it didn’t emerge from the Great American Songbook and it is very challenging to perform. To my sensibilities it is almost the perfect song. This is one of the great Jazz Standards and apart from Frank Sinatra’s version it has not been sung much outside of Jazz. Sinatra only performed it once and refused thereafter, which is one of the enigmas of his musical life. Recently unearthed rehearsal tapes from the recording session with Nelson Riddle provide an answer. He struggled with it and at one stage blamed fly dirt on the page for making ‘a very hard song harder’ (Google Sinatra, ‘Lush Life’ and you can hear that rehearsal).

The definitive version for most is probably the Johnny Hartman/John Coltrane Impulse recording (1958). My personal favourite is the more recent Fred Hersch /Andy Bey version (from the ‘Passion Flower’ album on Nonsuch) – quietly dedicated to gay Jazz musicians past and present. Strayhorn was of course an out-gay man at a time when this was almost unheard of. Ellington revered Strayhorn and regarded him as his chief calibrator (‘my other hand’). Oddly this tune which written in 1936 remained unperformed until 1948 when Strayhorn performed it in a duet with Kay Davis. The song was never adopted into the Ellington repertoire and did not become famous until the 50’s. Its gay innuendoes is probably one reason but its sophisticated complexity is certainly the other. Well done Rebecca and well done her accompanists’. Callum Passell’s alto solo was to die for as he breathed the musical history of the song into the solo. I liked the drums and bass contributions and especially Alex Ward’s sensitive but firm rendition.

Rebecca is a young woman with a big voice. It will be interesting to see whether she keeps her Jazz chops honed or whether she’s tempted toward singing mostly soul. Either way the best of luck to her.

Where: CJC (Creative Jazz Club) 1885 Bar Auckland

When: 27th March 2013

Who: Rebecca Melrose Super Band

Dixon Nacey – Zauberberg IV

February 26, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where: Creative Jazz Club Auckland

When: 13th February 2013

What: Zauberberg IV

Salon Kingsadore @ CJC

December 12, 2012February 4, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

It had been a very busy week for me and I had not paid too much attention to the CJC (Creative Jazz Club) website. All I could recall about the gig was that it would be something different. The instruments came into view as I descended the stairs and as my eyes accustomed to the gloom I saw Murray McNabb. Murray is a veteran of the New Zealand Jazz scene and ‘different’ is exactly what he does best. There was a bank of keyboards, numerous pedals, leads everywhere, a drum kit and two guitars barely visible in the back ground. I quickly learned that this was the release gig for the second album by Salon Kingsadore – ‘Anti Borneo Magic’. Yes the title gave more than a hint of what we were in for. An exotic improvised trance like dreamscape. After a hectic week that was exactly what I needed and from the first vamp I relaxed into the music.

Salon Kingsadore was formed in 2004 to write a soundtrack for a play and their works are styled – spontaneous cinematic compositions. Not long after that first album they were invited to perform at a film release in Italy. These projects appear to be under the creative guidance of Murray McNabb (keyboards) and Gianmarco Liguori (guitars). The other band members are Hayden Sinclair (bass) and Steven Tait (drums). Murray McNabb is a successful film score composer having written for films like ‘Once were Warriors’.

I have seen Murray perform many times and his own compositions are notable for the way in which he mines simple themes in subtle and deceptively complex ways. He is the master of ostinato. There are often references to modal music in his compositions (Turkish Like) but tonight the fare was more tightly focused. At first listen there was an impression that the drums, bass and guitar were playing the same motif over and again while Murray developed the themes and added fills and colour. This was not the case as subtle variants and accented changes could be determined if you listened properly. Continuous and spontaneous improvisation over a vamp requires certain disciplines and foremost among these is a keen awareness of space and dynamics. This interactive process requires everyone to participate actively and when that happens the repetitive transforms itself into something profound.

This is music that takes some right out their comfort zone as it references such diverse sources as John Zorn, film music, African music, psychedelic fusion and even surf music. Someone asked me if it was Jazz. I would certainly place it within the spectrum of jazz, but as an outlier with strong filmic qualities. I have listened to a lot of John Zorn, Manfred Schoof and psychedelic Jazz Fusion over the years and so this was never going to scare me.

After a long week I quickly relaxed into the aural dreamscape unfolding. This is music that you can dive into, swim away from shore and float free in.

WHAT: Salon Kingsadore – ‘Anti-Borneo Music’. Album release.

WHERE: CJC Creative Jazz Club – 1885 Brittomart

WHO: Murray McNabb (keys), Gianmarco Liguori (guitars), Hayden Sinclair (bass), Steven Tait (drums). Sarang Bang Records www.sarangbang.co.nz

WHEN: December 5th 2012

Matt Steele Trio

May 30, 2012February 4, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 4 Comments

Matt Steele at the Steinway

About a year ago I was at a gig when my attention was drawn to a young pianist. I soon learned that his name was Matt Steele and I wrote it down in a notebook; knowing that he would be one to watch. As the months rolled by I would occasionally bump into him in the CJC Jazz Club or see him playing piano at the late night CJC Jam Sessions.

I had a strong feeling even then that he would develop into a really good pianist and my instincts were right. At that time he was probably a first year Jazz Studies student, but now in the midpoint of his second year, we are seeing a mature and confident performer emerge. He has the talent, taste and commitment to go where ever he wants.

Jarad Desvaux de Marigny

While having chops is an obvious advantage there are other subtler factors which impress discerning listeners. Matt can demonstrate a strong two-handed swinging-approach when called for, but it is his lightness of touch and his awareness of space that impresses most. He has grasped the most important lesson of all and that is what to leave out.

Matt attends the University of Auckland Jazz Studies course and the tuition that he receives from Kevin Field is obviously yielding dividends.

Eamon Edmunson-Wells

On the 23rd of May Matt appeared as part of the Lewis Eady Emerging Talent series, which has a strong classical focus and doesn’t generally include a slot for jazz pianists. They could not have chosen better than Matt as his playing was superb and the repertoire was perfectly suited to the occasion.

The program featured several works by the Polish Jazz trumpeter Tomasz Stanko and his wonder-kind pianist Marcin Wasilewski. I was extremely pleased to see these masterpieces of modern Jazz included. There is a real space for performing this material and there is not nearly enough of it. Matt played some of his own compositions and they fitted in beside the Stanko, Bjork, Wasilewski, Kuhn and Carmichael perfectly.

It was also an added bonus that a lovely Steinway piano was available for the performance.

The clip below is from the Lewis Eady performance. The number was composed by Bjork and played by Marcin Wasilewski on his album titled ‘Trio” (ECM). Matt’s interpretation here is impressive. I must also praise the sensitive drumming and great bass lines. we should be under no illusion; pieces like this are difficult to execute. Unlike a fast burner everything is revealed. There were brave choices in the program but it worked extremely well.

I had not seen Eamon and Jared before but I will watch for them in future. This trio belongs together as their awareness of what is required of each other is highly developed. I urge everyone to check them out. Chelsea Prastiti joined them for one number and that was also great.

Alain Koetsier a top class drummer saw the clip and emailed me the following: “great stuff all round and very subtle drumming”.

Eamon, Matt, Chelsea & Jared

The Chelsea Prastiti Septet

May 23, 2012February 4, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 2 Comments

Chelsea

There are a surprising number of good Jazz musicians living in New Zealand and that is why the CJC is able to provide a varied and interesting programme at the club. With Roger Manins as programme director the quality of the music is consistently high. I may have come to expect that, but I can still be pleasantly surprised.

Chelsea Prastiti is studying Jazz at the University of Auckland and I have heard her sing once or twice before. I knew that she was good but what took me by surprise was just how good. This was not your routine standards programme but fresh and original Jazz singing at the highest level. It was the sort of programme that a Sheila Jordan or a Norma Winstone might have embarked upon and in spite of the risks it was perfectly executed.

Matt Steele

Matt Steele is a pianist I enjoy greatly and he certainly justified his place in the band on this night. Matt is in his third year and each time I see him play he gets better and better. His extended solo on ‘Bells’ was extraordinary and I cursed the gods for allowing my HD video tape to run out just before that.

Callum Passells was also in great form and he showed us again why he is so well-regarded as a musician. His alto needed little coaxing as he worked the changes and the ideas flowed in happy succession. Any band with Callum in can count itself lucky.

The band members were; Chelsea Prastiti (leader, vocals, arranger, composer), Callum Passells (alto sax), Matt Steele (piano), Elizabeth Stokes (Trumpet, Flugal), Asher Truppman Lattie (tenor sax), Eamon Edmunson-Wells (bass), Jared Desvaux de Marigny (drums).

Chelsea had arranged the numbers in the set and five of the songs were originals composed by her. I will mention three numbers in particular as the contrast between these illustrates how well thought-out the programme was. Second in the set was ‘Bells’ ( C Prastiti) and it was mind-blowing. The band blew like crazy and each band member seemed to urge the others to greater heights. Chelsea, Matt and Callum excelled themselves . This is one of Chelsea’s compositions and it had all of the elements of great Jazz contained within its structure. A tight arrangement, harmonic inventiveness, room for hard blowing and a structure that lent itself to out-improvisation. I was standing near to Caroline (who teaches her at the University) and after the number we looked at each other in disbelief. Even in the subdued lighting I could see tears in her eyes.

Callum Passells

The fourth number was a skillful arrangement of Maurice Ravel‘s. The airy – ‘La Vallee Des Cloches’. This was a fully arranged piece and with vocalese in the mix it was the perfect counterweight to what had preceded it. Drums, bass, piano, voice, alto sax, tenor sax and fugal horn in perfect concert.

It was the last tune that had us all wishing that the music would never stop. The composition was once again by Chelsea and called ‘Santa Muerte’ (the Mexican ‘Saint Death‘). It immediately brought to mind the madness and the wild beauty that is Mexico. A hint of mariachi and a lot of jazz chops were on display. I have included that as a You Tube Clip.

That a student so perfectly executed such difficult and exciting material is breathtaking – more please Chelsea and soon.

Dan Kennedy Quintet @ CJC – JJA Jazz Week Blogathon entry

April 14, 2012February 4, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

Dan Kennedy

Greetings to the world Jazz community on USA Jazz week from Auckland New Zealand,

This is snapshot of a gig held at the CJC Jazz club in Auckland just over a week ago

I have known Dan Kennedy for some time now and I have always enjoyed his propulsive energetic drumming. He has played at the CJC on a number of occasions and most often as drummer for the late night jam sessions. Dan is popular on the New Zealand scene and he has played beside some prestigious visiting artists and top flight locals. On this night he brought his own quintet to the CJC for a gig, where they entertained the audience with a mix of originals and lessor known but intriguing Jazz tunes by artists like Chris Potter and Dave Douglas.

I like to see a quintet playing well-arranged heads and this band had put together a number of well crafted vehicles. There were two numbers composed by Dan (leader and drummer), but the majority of the originals were composed and arranged by Finn Scholes (trumpet). This was a varied and original program and it created nice contrasts. They are a relatively young band with the oldest member being Cam Allen at 32 years.

Cam and Finn

Finn Scholes & Andy Smith

Cam Allen (Tenor) is an interesting musician, having played in New York and at other offshore locations. His maturity of style was evident from the start and like many of our good tenor men he does not hold back during solos. He can excoriate the audience or woo them with a set of ballad phrases and he is obviously a good reader as his playing on the head and out-chorus is always tight.

Andy Smith (guitar) has experienced a steady rise in popularity during the last year and it is no wonder. His sound is pleasing and often rock inflected. While the lines are pure jazz he uses the vocabulary of his day and this is a common trend with many younger guitarists. Guitarists like Lage Lund or Mike Moreno are 100% Jazz but they are not afraid of taking a different route to reach their destination. Andy’s tenure in the Alan Brown band has done him no harm at all and a good way to sample his playing is to locate a copy of Alan’s ‘Between the Spaces Album’ album. Read my review of this album). https://jon4jaz.wordpress.com/2011/10/09/alan-brown-between-the-spaces-cjc/

I knew who Finn Scholes (trumpet) was, but I had not previously heard him play. I am pleased that this omission has been remedied. He has a commanding presence on the band-stand and he can throw in the odd valve slur and muted growl when required. I hope that he comes down to club again as I am keen to hear more of him.

The electric bass was played by Cass Mitchell and she showed her chops and more importantly her good taste as she played through the sets. While she did not do too many solo’s, she never-the-less delivered the bass lines like a veteran. Electric bass players are often tempted to use ‘loud’ as their default volume level but Cass stayed exactly where she should be in the mix. At times it was hard to believe that she was not playing an upright bass so smooth were her lines.

Dan told the obligatory funny stories from the bandstand and his account of how he came to write ‘The Bouncer’ was a classic. “I often struggle to write tunes quickly” said Dan, “but after being beaten up by a night club bouncer for no good reason I managed to write this peaceful ballad in no time flat, go figure”.

Cass Mitchel

I also liked ‘Awakening’ by Andy, ‘Pleasure Arp’ by Finn (“I made him change the title just before the gig”, explained Dan, “because the original sounded too bloody soppy”). The one genuine standard was ‘Oliloqui Valley’ by Herbie Hancock. They certainly did this tune justice and it fitted in mid-set as if it had always belonged there. Tune placement is important if the flow of a gig is to be maintained. It was Finn Scholes tune “Fast Swing’ that had me on the edge of my seat. To say that they stretched out and blew hard would be an understatement. Dan is soon to head to Australia and we wish him well (a little begrudgingly). We wish he would stay, but that is how it works between us and Australia. We loan them some of our best musicians and they do well there; only to return home and dazzle us at regular intervals. The stolen generation I call them. but they invariably make us proud.

The Dan Kennedy Band are: Dan Kennedy (drums), Finn Scholes (trumpet), Cam Allen (tenor saxophone), Andy Smith (guitar), Cass Mitchell (electric bass). The gig took place at the CJC Jazz club on Wednesday 4th April 2012. To connect with the CJC gigs guide http://www.creativejazzclub.co.nz/

Important Note: This post is to feed into the Jazz Journalists Association 2012 Awards program. Auckland is now part of a world-wide ‘blogathon’ occurring this week. The program kick’s off today because it is the start of USA Mayoral designated Jazz Week. Please visit the website of the JJA Awards Page and view the ongoing activities. On the UNESCO designated World Jazz Day (which is the 30th April), we will be announcing the Jazz Heroes candidates from around the world.

NZ will be featured and I can’t praise the JJA highly enough for making a real effort to include Auckland and New Zealand in its scheduled events. As a professional member I find the organisation to be helpful and incredibly supportive of what we do. This is just the beginning Jazzers, as the world-wide outreach (connecting us to New York and them-to-us) can only get better as technology assists us in reducing the tyranny of distance.

The judging panel has also been meeting via a closed group FB page and the nominees for best artists are now posted on the Awards Page. Along with other professional members I will be part of the final judging panel that determines the category winners. That will be announced at a party which is to be held at a top venue in New York. The good news for us is that Auckland Jazz fans will be participating through a Satellite Party.

That will be held in June and the details will be circulated through the CJC Jazz Club and the Jazz Journalists Association Awards page. If you look through the Jazz Photography page you will notice a pic of our own Thomas Botting glancing lovingly at the neck of his bass. I have also submitted a short You Tube doco about 3 nights at the CJC Jazz club. I will post it at the end of this blog but do visit the JJA site over the next few months:

. Jazz Journalists Association Announces Nominees for 16th Annual JJA Jazz Awards (theurbanflux.com)

http://news.jazzjournalists.org/jazz_day_2012/jja-blogathon-jazz-in-your-community/

Callum Passells, trio, quartet, quintet

March 26, 2012February 4, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 1 Comment

Callum, Cameron & Adam

A few days ago the CJC presented the Callum Passells group. Callum is a third year student at the Auckland University School of Music (Jazz Studies) and so are his band mates. If anyone harboured the briefest thought that this group should be cut some slack on account of age or experience, forget it. What we saw was a slick act, a great programme and the sort of discipline that generally comes with seasoned performers. This band did the business and they held us in the palm of their hand throughout.

I had only seen Callum perform a few times; once at a house party and once during a jam season. Those brief encounters had not been enough for me to form a clear view of his abilities and so I arrived with an open mind and no fixed expectations. I now recall Roger Manins saying that Callum was a terrific saxophonist and that he had the hunger to succeed. That should have clued me up.

Cameron

Callum is a very nice altoist and his tone is as sweet or as hard-edged as the tune calls for. Once in a while I could hear a hint of Cannonball Adderley. Not a copied lick, but more of a bluesy swagger and the stuttering way that he would burst into a phrase. During one such moment I must have uttered the word ‘Cannonball’ to myself. The person sitting next to me suddenly said, “yeah, I heard that too”.

The band was well rehearsed and they had paid attention to the smallest of details including how they presented themselves on the bandstand. Their programme was quite varied and each number fitted into its place and told its own story. There were piano-less trio numbers, quartet numbers and quintet numbers. The tunes were all originals and they were well written.

I have to comment on the quintet arrangements which were simply sublime. Some of the better arrangers like Marty Paich or Kenny Wheeler could arrange tunes in such a way that smaller ensembles sounded as if they were much bigger. The advantage of this is that it leaves the listener with a feeling of airiness. A sense of the space around each instrument.

When I first heard the quintet I was surprised at how big the sound was. There were only two horns, Cullam Passells (as) and Liz Stokes (t, fh). This is the illusion created by good arranging. Liz Stokes was especially fluent in the second set and a Wheeler-esk slur added colour to the performance.

I have seen Cameron play before and he really stepped up a notch with this gig. I think that he enjoyed it and it was a challenging workout for bass. The drummer Adam Tobeck was comfortable throughout and he pushed himself harder in the second half. A blistering solo earned him his stripes with the CJC audience.

The band member I am most familiar with is Matt Steele. I have liked his playing from the first time I heard it and he was even better at this gig. He has a mature style but it is different to many of the pianists I hear as his touch is often light and crisp. His comping is breathtaking as he urges the soloists to greater heights. While you are always aware of his right hand soaring in chromatic invention during his solos, his left hand weaves its own chordal magic. If I needed a single word to describe his playing it would have to be melodic.

The set list was a work of art in itself. On the page it read like an Imagist poem by Langston Hughes or William Carlos Williams.

The set list was as follows:

Race-car Red Red Race-car, Molasses, What the Fuck is a Persimmon, Money Grubber, I’ve, So This is What it’s Like, Magnetic North, Wrack, Candied Carrots, Elysium, Greens Waltz, Up Up Down Down Left Left Right Right AB

The band was in order of appearance – Trio: Callum Passells (leader, arranger, composer, alto saxophone), Cameron MacArthur (double bass), Adam Tobeck (drums). Quartet add; Matt Steele (piano), Quintet add: Liz Stokes (trumpet flugal horn).

Callum presided over the night with that easy confidence of a born leader. He told very funny stories (especially the WTF is a Persimmon story) and he encouraged his band in a way that ensured they gave their best. If that is the calibre of students emerging from the city’s Jazz schools then we are in for an exciting future. Big ups to the band and especially to Callum.

Alain Koetsier Band @ Finding Kiwi ‘Standards’

March 13, 2012February 4, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 1 Comment

I have watched drummer Alain Koetsier perform over the last year and his credentials on the traps are unimpeachable. Alain is a drummer with a modern feel and it is plain to see why so many of our top Jazz groups utilise him. This was probably his first outing as leader and he had chosen wisely on two fronts. His band mates were consummate professionals and their approach to the music was intuitive. They interacted as if with one mind. The second thing Alain did well was to select a set list of recent compositions by New Zealand Jazz Musicians. I liked the concept.

People expect a band to play their own originals but when a set list focuses on a wider spectrum of Kiwi Jazz compositions it feels respectful. It somehow lifts the tunes to another level of availability; a place of wider appreciation. Doing this is a good start point in identifying our own ‘standards’ and some of the tunes played could well reach that bench mark. As the scene continues to mature this will surely happen.

Alain & Dixon

I was pleased to hear two tunes which had impressed me at recent gigs; ‘Dicey Moments’ by Oli Holland and the wonderful ‘Ancestral Dance’ by Nathan Haines. Both of these new compositions are distinctive, clever and memorable. Dixon Nacey compositions also catch the attention as he has a knack for locating the right hooks while providing a solid base for improvisation.The first set had contained ‘Bad Lamb’ (Dixon Nacey). The tune had nice chordal voicings and the way it unfolded led us easily into the heart of the tune.

Another memorable number was ‘Tree Hugger’ by the Auckland-born bass player Matt Penman. Matt has moved into the upper echelons of Jazz bass, occupying a respected place on the world scene. Maybe he will return the compliment one day and acquaint North America with a few of the other compositions.

The gig was fun to experience and obviously fun to play as the musicians enjoyment of what they were doing was easy to discern. Like many Jazz gigs there was a high degree of spontaneity and perhaps this came from being thrown in at the deep end. Working musicians seldom have a lot of time to rehearse and when confronted by complex charts they appear to relish the prospect.

The musician that I was unfamiliar with was Pete France on tenor. I know that he has played the CJC before and my friends tell me that they had hoped for his return one day. His tone is rich and full and his improvised lines meaningful. He is also relaxed on the bandstand and when you consider the calibre of his band mates this ease of manner speaks volumes.

Oli Holland

The band featured Oli Holland on bass. His approach and focus drew you in inexorably as he demonstrated chops, impeccable timing and melodic invention. His skills are considerable, as he can move from contrapuntal walking bass to melodic invention in an eye blink. Oli gave his best, but then he always dies.

Pete France & Oli's hand

Lastly I come to Dixon Nacey. His playing is widely appreciated throughout the NZ Jazz scene. As good as he is, he always strives to do better. His compositions sing to us and his chordal work and rapidly executed lines astound. It is good to be in a town where this man is playing and long may it continue.

Well done Alain – more please.

Oli Holland’s Shortland Street Gig

March 5, 2012February 4, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 1 Comment

I recently received an invitation to Jazz Bassist Olivier Hollands DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) recital. It was titled ‘Dicey Moments’. The gig was held in the Kenneth Myers centre at the top of Shortland Street. This ornate crenellated building has a solid place in the history of New Zealand Music as it was formerly the home of the old Shortland Street TV studios. In its time the studio had hosted various radio orchestras and a few Jazz programs had emanated from there.

When an experienced musician and gifted educator like Oli is performing a Doctorate recital it is bound to be an extraordinary gig. Just playing a few standards would never cut it as the judging panel would certainly be looking for something unique and innovative. In my view the performance easily met the required standard and all those who attended (mainly musicians) were deeply impressed. Oli had written a number of complex charts for the recital and these conveyed a profound understanding of how improvised music can work. While they were undoubtedly a challenge to play, they were still incredibly accessible to the listener. The tunes flowed as fresh as a mountain stream and better yet they provided wonderful vehicles for the musicians to interpret and blow over.

I assume that the brief would be to choose band mates with considerable experience, solid reading skills and depth. Band mates who would augment the vision, excel, but never overpower the lead instrument or the music. These musicians were among the best on offer and they understood very well that this was about the music. Oli remained firmly in control while encouraging the musicians and loosening the reigns when required; this is what a good leader does.

Oli had split the recital into two district halves; so to achieve a chiaroscuro effect and the appropriate contrast in styles, he had chosen two different bands. One was a straight ahead jazz unit with Roger Manins on tenor, Kevin Field on piano and Ron Samsom on drums (Oli on upright bass). The second unit was a fusion band with Dr Stephen Small keys, Nick Granville solid body guitar and Stephen Thomas drums. Once again Oli played an upright bass, which worked exceptionally well, as the slap and bite provided a real contrast to the non acoustic instruments. In the manner of all good leaders he joked with the audience. “I used to agonise about the tune titles” he said, “but one day I had the profound realisation that it doesn’t matter what you name a tune. The next tune title has nothing what-so-ever to do with the music”.

The musicians gave their best and I have seldom heard any of them play better. The fusion half had the audience gasping in delight, as Nick Granville’s guitar, soared around Stephen Smalls fusion keyboard flurries. The success of this recital is a tribute to the musicians but above all it is a tribute to Oli Holland. His bass lines whether soloing or underpinning his charts worked perfectly. Dr Oli it is then.

Nick Granville & Oli Holland

Ottignon Bros Tour – Crazy in the moment

February 21, 2012February 4, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 2 Comments

Matt, Eden & Dan

Seeing the Ottignon Brothers perform is to be put in mind of a very clever vaudeville act. There may have been more gags in a vaudeville act (well that is not strictly true) but the interaction between band and audience was honed to perfection. The jokes were often of a musical nature and none of them missed the mark. This was great fun, highly inventive music and above all top class entertainment.

I first saw the Ottignon brothers when they were living in New Zealand and again some years later after they had moved to Australia. Aron was regarded as a prodigy on piano and I recall seeing Matt performing high wire saxophone acts somewhere. The brothers are now scattered around the globe, with Aron living in Paris and Eden & Matt based in Sydney (but gigging all over). The Australasian tour gave us a chance to connect with their new music and for the brothers it was a chance to play together again after 8 years. The audiences responded by packing out their gigs.

Watching them communicate on stage was fascinating because they didn’t appear to need the cues that others rely on. This apparent telepathy was advantageous to them as they responded to each other with lightning speed. The spontaneous twists and turns of the gig required them to be fleet-footed.

Aron

The way they had arrived at their set list was fairly post-modern and to lesser musicians it would have been challenging. Only days away from the first gig in Australia they had put up a Facebook post; requesting ‘friends’ to nominate the tunes they should play. To be selected, each tune needed to attract at least two votes and predictably the suggestions were quirky. ‘Black and Crazy Blues’ (Roland Kirk), ‘Eden’s ukulele Song’ (Eden singing with ukulele, composed days before the gig), ‘African Mailman’ (Nina Simone), ‘Running Up That Hill’ (Kate Bush), a Medley of Sly & The Family Stone numbers, The poem ‘Trees’ which had been suggested by their Grandmother (Edwardian war poet Joyce Kilmer), ‘God save the Goat’ etc. You get the idea.

The diversity of the material held the audience’s attention throughout, but it was their good humour and the solid musicianship which clinched the deal.

Each number was a little crazier than the last but there were a few numbers which will linger in my memory for quite some time. When Matt played the ‘Sly and the Family Stone’ medley the tone on his tenor morphed into a deep breathy rich sound. On ‘Its a Family Affair’ he reminded me of Pharaoh Sanders and I asked him about that after the gig. He told me he had been taking an interest in some Ethiopian tenor players of late and that they cultivated that particular sound. The other number that I liked was more of a novelty and that was when Matt played his iPhone using the ‘Gyro Synth’ app. This looked easy but it is not (I know because I have the app). Matt has played with Lou Reed, Brain Wilson and Mike Nock among others.

Throughout Aron laid down solid percussive grooves on the piano and lived up to his considerable reputation. In Europe he fronts a group called ‘Aronas’ and is featured in a number of well-known bands. Eden showed his chops on double bass and electric bass, but also ventured into song and ukulele as the set list demanded. Eden is the leader of the ‘Sun Searchers Collective’. Dan Kennedy was on drums for the New Zealand leg of the tour and Kiwi’s are familiar with his tight propulsive, energetic style. Dan is a favourite at the CJC and they could not have picked better for this gig.

Matt performing on iPhone.

Aron pleasing large crowds in the South of France

Astral Surfers – Murray McNabb Band @ CJC

February 15, 2012February 4, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

I have seen Murray McNabb perform many times over the years and it has often been said that he plots a course at variance to the mainstream. If this is true it could also be said of many top Jazz musicians; they understand that Jazz audiences seldom want to hear endless note-perfect repetitions of previously played music. Improvisation demands musical bravery and the Murray McNabb band has this essential quality. The sharp-witted Zoot Sims summed up the sentiment when he said, “Jazz is the music where you never play the same way once”.

Auckland has of late been experiencing an explosion of Jazz creativity and the ‘Astral Surfers’ album is a fine example of this. The album came out over a year ago and for some reason I had never located a copy. I should have tried harder because the album is marvelous. It gives a nod to the best Jazz of the 1960’s but the album is also very contempory. This is a musical narrative (like ‘Zoo’) and the overall vibe is essential to the journey which unfolds. It is exactly as the title and track list suggests; a journey through exotic and often surreal landscapes. I am always up for this if the music is good and it is.

The album was created with a much larger pallete than the live band used at the CJC. Apart from the core band of Murray McNabb (keyboards), Frank Gibson (drums), Neil Hannan (bass) and Stephen Morton-Jones (saxophones), additional members were present on the album. Martin Winch (guitar), Basant Madhur (Tabla), William Yu (dulcimer) and Tanya Li (erhu). All of the compositions are Murray McNabbs.

For me, there is a powerful presiding spirit hovering over this album and that is guitarist Martin Winch. His passing late last year was felt deeply in the Auckland Jazz community and to have him recorded to such advantage here, makes the album a treasure for that reason alone.

The first two tracks on the album are ‘Marco Polo’s Return’ and Sub Continental’ . These tracks draw on the shifting sounds and colours of the silk road. Stephan Morton-Jones weaves engagingly in and out of a solid groove laid down by Murray, Frank and Neil, occasionally extracting microtonal effects from his soprano as he traverses foreign sounding scales. The richness and diversity of the musical palette does not divert us from the core theme and that is as much down to Murray’s writing as to the musicianship of the band. Adding tabla, dulcimer and erhu into the mix works, as they fit in well and enrich without overpowering.

The title track ‘Astral Surfers is also brilliant with Frank Gibson putting his experience and chops to the best possible use. He makes sure that he does not overshadow the tabla while never-the-less blending in a few percussive tricks of his own.

It is the track ‘Snake’ that I like best. It has a solid bass line and a nice melodic hook while providing a vehicle for improvisation. Martin Winch can be heard playing against Murray’s engaging vamps while Stephen extracts alto gold from the deep groove. Martin and Murray also provide convincing solos.

Many of Murray McNabbs compositions are modal or give the impression of being so. He has developed the art of extracting profound messages from apparently simple progressions and the fact that they are so satisfying is due to his writing skills.

The band that fronted the CJC gig was the basic McNabb, Gibson, Hannan & Morton-Jones unit. They got down to business and showed us that they did not need the extra instruments to create a big sound. Murray had thrown a curve ball at Stephen by writing parts for two saxophones (to be played simultaneously) and Stephen in true Roland Kirk fashion had risen to the challenge. I asked him after the gig if it had been daunting to play two saxophones at the same time and he admitted that he had needed to work hard in order to get there. The fingering on a soprano and on an alto is the same, but a fourth apart. This unison playing worked well and at times Stephen also used one of the instruments as a drone. He joked afterwards that the biggest challenge would be playing counterpoint to himself. Maybe that wasn’t a joke.

Many of the tunes played were not from the album and the first tune Scarborough Fair (trad) was a knockout. This had been reworked into a near modal form and the rich voicings and nice ballad groove gave the band a freedom which they used to advantage. Another tune that appealed was ‘Turkish Like’. I intend to follow the McNabb band more closely in future but I will not be expecting more of the same as they tend not to do that.

Miles Espanol – New Sketches of Spain

January 5, 2012February 4, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

Late last year as I was reading Jazz Times I spotted an article about Bob Belden’s new ‘Miles Espanol’ project. I like Bob Belden’s work but my first thoughts were, why mess with perfection? I need not have worried because he has created something quite fresh and original; using ‘Sketches of Spain’ as a springboard into the now.

Like many Jazz listeners I had been deeply immersed in Miles Prestige recordings and his seminal ‘Kind of Blue’. Soon after that ‘Sketches of Spain’ came into my life and along with ‘The Maids of Cadiz’, ‘Flamenco Sketches’ and ‘Teo/Neo’; Miles (and Gil’s) Spanish tinged music was seldom off my turntable. As a guitar fan I was already quite familiar with Rodrigo’s ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ and Flamenco.

Miles Davis and Gil Evans took this wonderful material and reworked it in ways that only master musicians could. This was visionary and a new type of jazz – perhaps a fore-runner of the ECM Jazz which a decade later would unselfconsciously absorb the music of cultures far removed from the American heartland. Miles later described this Flamenco music as a type of blues – the voice of a people’s struggle against oppression. I had not realised it before writing this, but my fascination in recent years with Mediterranean Jazz (and particularly Sufi/Moorish/Italian/Spanish Jazz) probably began right there.

This was a mammoth project to take on, but Bob Belden has a track record of realising such crazy visions. He also has serious pull with musicians and industry players.

First on board appears to have been Chick Corea and Jack DeJohnette soon followed. After that things came together in an organic fashion – each artist seeming to recommend the next. He had not initially planned to ask 33 musicians to participate, but that is how it ended up.

Bob Belden is a well-known horn player producer/arranger/composer. On this double album he does not play his warm-toned tenor sax (only Timpani and Marimba on one track). As arranger producer his presence is never-the-less over-arching; like a Gil Evans for our times. While he has guided the 33 musicians firmly towards the realisation of his vision, he also appears to have known exactly when to loosen the reins.

The artists were flown into New York from a number of countries but mainly from Spain, North Africa and South America. The American musicians are mostly Miles alumni – a who’s who of Jazz royalty. Chick Corea (p), Jack DeJohnette (d), John Scofield (g), Sonny Fortune (f), Ron Carter (b), Vince Wilburn jnr (d). Add into that heady mix; Tim Hagans (t), Gonzalo Rubalcaba (p) Eddie Gomez (b), Antonio Sanchez (d), Alex Acuna (d) (perc), Jerry Gonzalez (fh) (c) and more -(the full list of musicians is at the bottom of the post).

Of note is the well know Jazz-Flamenco pianist Chano Dominguez (p). I first obtained an album of his in the nineties and he is very impressive. Other notable Mediterranean musicians are Rabih Abou Khalil (oud), Edmar Castineda (harp), Nino Joseles (g), Lou Marini (fl)(bass flute), Jorge Pardo (f), Christina Pato (Spanish bagpipe).

My favourite small group tracks are; (1) ‘Trampolin’ (by Chic Corea) – Chic Corea (p),Jorge Pardo (f), Ron Carter (b) Antonio Sanchez (d). This builds in intensity until the grove is rock solid and it swings hard without losing the complex polyrhythms. Chick understands this music very well. (2) Spantango (by John Scofield).

Larger pieces; Saeta/Pan Piper (Gil Evans- traditional)

The concept is so big that the overall album lacks a little in cohesion, however the tracks range from very good to marvelous.

Full listing of musicians: Bob Belden, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, Sonny Fortune, Eddie Gomez, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, John Scofield, Rabih Abou-Khalil, John Clark, Tim Hagans, Jerry Gonzalez, Adam Rudolph, Jorge Pardo, Alex Acuña, Carlos Benavent, John Benítez, Chick Corea, Sammy Figuerova, Scott Kinsey, Lou Marini, Michael Rabinowitz, John Riley, Antonio Sanchéz, Vince Wilburn J, Mike Williams, Chano Domínguez, Luisito Quintero, Charles Pillow, Edsel Gomez, Jaco Abel, Dominick Farinacci, Victor Prieto, Cristina Pato, Edmar Castaneda, Brahim Fribgame, Niño Joseles.

Zoo: Tom Dennison

November 14, 2011February 4, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 1 Comment

‘Zoo’ is bassist Tom Dennison’s first album as leader and it is a thing of beauty. This is a concept album and such albums focus around a theme. The very best of them stimulate the imaginings as well; leading the listener into subtle dreamscapes that can shift and change endlessly. ‘Zoo’ does that.

Five of the seven tracks are named after animals, but we get no sense that these are the anthropomorphic playthings of humans. The Stingray, Owl, Llama, Cat and Antelope all gain distinct lives of their own; that not withstanding the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

The first thing that the purchaser will notice is the exceptional art-work & design (by Caravan + Vivienne Frances Long). While the album can be purchased as a download, it would be a shame to miss out on the 3-fold cover or the best fidelity option. Every part of this album belongs together and perhaps that is its genius.

Once again the Auckland Jazz scene has surpassed itself and with these musicians it is hardly surprising. I know and admire most of the band members and Tom could hardly have picked better. There are a number of firsts as far as I can see and this being Toms debut album, the most obvious one. I have seen Tom Dennison play around town, but the first time I saw him was at an ‘Alan Broadbent‘ concert in the Auckland town hall. When the trio played ‘My Foolish heart‘ I could imagine Scotty La Faro nodding in approval – so perfectly did Tom execute the piece. He also played with pianist Mike Nock and not long after that went to New York to study with Larry Grenadier and the equally renowned Kiwi Bass player Matt Penman. It was after this sabbatical that he returned home to work on the ‘Zoo’ album and the results of his efforts are available for all Jazz lovers to enjoy. With chops and writing skills like this he was never going to disappoint.

I am pleased that the album features the New Zealand born but Sydney based pianist Steven Barry on piano. He is an astonishing musician and to have him recorded this well is pure bliss. While comparisons are often odious I cannot help but place him stylistically somewhere between Steve Kuhn and Brad Mehldau. When he played at the CJC a few months ago he floored us all. Those that knew him nodded with an “I told you so” look – while those who were less familiar became fans for life. This guy can breathe new life into any old warhorse and his own compositions amaze. He is a shaman of the keyboard and a perfect foil for the other players. He demonstrates this time and again as the album unfolds.

We also get to hear him in trio format on the final track. ‘The secret life of Islands‘ is intensely beautiful and it leaves you wanting more. This is the perfect bookend to the album. Introducing a song about an Island rounds off the ‘Zoo’ concept perfectly and gives it another Kiwi reference point. In my view the song could not have been written by anyone other than a Kiwi.

Also appearing is the gifted and much admired guitarist Peter Koopman Jr. Peter is both tasteful and innovative on this album and his long intelligent probing lines mark him out as a born improviser. His maturity as a player is more than evident here. Sadly for us he is to depart for Sydney in a week and that is Australia’s gain.

The veteran of the lineup is Roger Manins and he always pleases. We have come to expect Roger to play like there is no tomorrow and to play what is appropriate to whatever lineup he is in. On this recording he gives us his best and that is most evident on the ballad (track 5). Any song called the ‘The cat’ was always going to work for me and I was especially pleased with this composition. Roger plays this so convincingly that it sounds like a much-loved and familiar tune. That is also due to the skill of the writing.

The drummer Alex Freer is the remaining quintet member. I have not seen him play live, but he is like his band-mates, perfectly suited to the job in hand. I realise now that Alex, Tom, Peter and Steven have played together for a long time, because You Tube clips show them performing in their mid teens.

This album is New Zealand’s own version of ‘Empyrean Isles‘ and like Herbie’s album I am hoping that a ‘part two’ will be recorded someday . Perhaps featuring a rare and secretive pelagic bird like the New Zealand Storm Petrel?. Those particular birds were hidden in plain view and lived a secret life on nearby islands for 100 years. This album has been discovered from the moment of its inception and it will hopefully suffer no such fate.

Once again thanks to Rattle Records’ and to Steve Garden for recording this so beautifully. Order from http://www.rattlejazz.com

Alex Churchill- Andrea Groenewald band – CJC

August 7, 2011February 4, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 2 Comments

Alex Churchill (s) and Cameron Sangster (d)

Anyone running a Jazz club is unlikely to be hitting New Zealand’s ‘rich lister’ status anytime soon. Success in the Jazz world has seldom been measured in dollars, but in a far richer currency – keeping the spirit of the music alive. A successful club depends on maintaining good audiences, therefore dedicating a night to emerging-talent is arguably a risky proposition . Jazz however is all about risk and it is certainly about supporting fresh talent; in this case the gamble was royally rewarded. The Alex Churchill – Andrea Groenewald band may be youthful but when they hit their stride, age became an irrelevance.

What the audience saw were musicians of calibre and their obvious dedication to the music was evident. While one or two of the earlier numbers were a little less focused than what was to follow, the band soon had the audience whooping delightedly at the joyous exuberant sounds they were hearing. Everyone saw that this was to be another great night at the CJC.

They opened with a set of their own compositions and almost all of the band had contributed tunes. I particularly liked ‘Paint the Sky‘ which I think was composed by Andrea and the bands playing on this was great. They had warmed up and it showed in spades. Alex has a post-Coltrane vibrato-less tenor sound but his tone is pleasing and warm when that is called for. His nimble soloing was nicely augmented by Andrea comping behind him with clipped octave chords. I think that the band realised early on just how much the audience were enjoying the gig and the mutual feedback loop worked exactly as it should.

The second set was dedicated to Pat Metheny’s music and I was intrigued to see how this would work. I soon found out, because the rendition of “Have You Heard’ was pure bliss. To hear Metheny’s music stripped of the pedal effects and dare I say occasional over-production, was pleasantly surprising. They ripped into this number with the chops of a band that had been playing together for ever.

Andrea Groenewald (g)

Note perfect, joyfully exuberant and inspired. Apart from the great solos on this number, what I loved most was Alex and Andrea paying the head arrangement in unison; but with Andrea’s voice adding an extra horn-line. To do this with less than perfect precision is to invite calamity but the band nailed it.

This was a great night and the band should feel extremely pleased with how it went. I saw Roger the club manager smiling and given the numbers who attended and the enthusiasm of the audience we can hope for more emerging talent nights. As for this band, they have stepped into the known and the emerging talent category will soon be behind them. I would certainly go out on a cold night to see them again.

Having emerging bands of this quality in our own city bodes well for the future of Auckland Jazz. I had seen two members of this band before (Cameron and Andrea) but the other three were unknown to me before now.

The band were; co-leaders Andrea Groenewald (g) & Alex Churchill (ts) – Renee Cosio (p), Nick Taylor (b), Cameron Sangster (d).

CJC – Ben Sinclair band – Manins/Koopman

July 30, 2011February 4, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment

The CJC always manages to find interesting lineups and the Ben Sinclair quartet and sextet (+2) was no exception. This is a young band and the often ironic or whimsical song titles comprising the set material are also contemporary. Ben is not long out of University and his chops as a fast developing Tenor player (doubling effectively on Alto) are evident. The band opened the first set with a quartet lineup and a song titled ‘Printy‘ (dedicated to a favourite desktop printer). The initial configuration was two Tenor Saxophones (Ben Sinclair + Jimmy Garden), Cameron McArthur (Bass) and Johnny White (Drums). The Tenors focussed on unison playing or soloing and so there was only a slight nod towards chordal structure. This was raw, inventive and occasionally challenging music and it underscored the tone of the numbers that followed. By the third number the quartet had expanded to include two French-Horns and a Flugal, which enhanced the concept and added considerable texture and depth. The groups sound was original, but during the fifth number, the second Tenor Sax player Jimmy Garden managed to toss in a brief quote from ‘Softly as a morning sunrise‘ which brought instant smiles of recognition from the audience.

The second set was headed by a three-part suite titled ‘The Bourne Trilogy‘ (referencing the movie). For this suite the band was enhanced by the addition of Matt Steele (Piano); an often fiery and Tyner influenced soloist. The octet was completed by Liz Stokes (Trumpet and Flugal), and the two French Horn players (one also a woman). This trilogy showed how mature Ben’s writing is and when playing these charts the bands enjoyment of the material was obvious. This suite worked on all levels and the nice soloing rounded out the performance.

Last but not least was ‘Snake Attack’. The number was high energy and the band had tightened up on their delivery while allowing for free-flowing solos and a locked-together kick-ass groove. Drummer Johnny White particularly caught my attention in this last number as he set up a tight ‘E.S.T.'(Magnus Ostrom) type beat (nicely accented by rim-shots).

The ‘Roger Manins regular jam session’ followed the CJC sets and that was the icing on the cake for me, as I got to hear the nucleus of Roger’s band for the first time. The band set up in minutes and were soon playing their first number ‘Beatrice‘, which was profoundly beautiful and deep in-the-pocket from the first bar. Roger (on Tenor) is a monster musical force and his band swings like a well oiled gate. You always know when a Tenor player uses his axe as a confident extension of self; when every shade of meaning is conveyed without the musician needing to rely on an excess of notes. He has chops to burn but more importantly he lets the music speak for itself.

For a number of months I have heard people speaking in reverential whispers about wunderkind guitarist Peter Koopman. I just love Jazz guitar and so when I learned that he would perform as part of Roger’s band, I was pleased. This guy is freakin amazing and to hear his rapid fire licks and intelligently constructed lines is to hear the very best that New Zealand Jazz guitar has to offer. I would advise everyone to get down and hear this band as soon as they can as gifted musicians like Peter are likely to be sucked into the wider Jazz universe someday soon. Matt Steele was on piano and extremely fine bass player Thomas Botting played as if his life depended on it (I have a weakness for bass played in the upper register). This guy along with the highly energised drummer Johnny White powered the band. Others joined the band at times including a singer (Chelsea) and a female Banjo player who tackled Mile Davis ‘Solar’ with confidence and ease. With Peter and Roger exerting their benign influence; the less experienced musicians could not have been more supported.

I urge Jazz lovers to support this club and if the last months offerings are typical then you certainly wont be disappointed.

August gigs: Nock, Hirst, Manins & Samson (jon4jaz.wordpress.com)
A Big Auckland Sound – CJC-AJO (jon4jaz.wordpress.com)
Cooking at the CJC (jon4jaz.wordpress.com)

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