What a horribly over-used phrase “going forward” has become, so much so that upon hearing it I find the contents of my stomach likely to be coming up without delay. But now that I have your attention, here are some gigs that should not be missed unless you are, as I so often am, working night shift.
First, I am upset that I had to miss the nine-piece band performing music from Tim Willis‘s suite Night & Day suite at Bennetts Lane last night (October 9). I missed it during this year’s Melbourne International Jazz Festival and have had to forgo the pleasure again because work comes first.
The good news is that Tim Willis and The End will be back at Bennetts on the following two Wednesdays, October 16 and 23, so I’m hoping for a day shift.
The other good news is that there are more top gigs coming up, starting tonight.
Jex Saarelaht Trio, Bennetts Lane, 9pm, Thursday October 10
This features pianist Jex Saarelaht, bassist Philip Rex and drummer Niko Schäuble playing original compositions and pieces by Jex’s favourite jazz composers, including Herbie Nichols, Geri Allen, Thelonious Monk and Andrew Hill.
CD launch — Cannonball, Bennetts Lane, 9pm, Friday October 11
Melbourne-based jazz group Cannonball launches its new CD Live featuring Chantal Mitvalsky on vocals, which was recorded live over two nights at Bennetts Lane Jazz Club “to capture all the excitement, raw energy and `dirt’ of a live performance”.
Inspired by the jazz/groove/soul music of the late saxophone giant Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley, the group does not endeavour to replicate his work but to pay its respects to his music and to harness his infectious groove and joy-filled approach to making music.
The band features Tim Wilson saxophone, Paul Williamson trumpet, Darrin Archer piano, Sam Bates drums, Tom Lee bass.
Live includes 10 songs including rearrangements from the classic albums that Cannonball recorded with Ernie Andrews and Nancy Wilson, plus others from the great American songbook. Expect some originals and lesser known standards at the live performance.
The Vampires (Photo by Karen Steains)
CD Launch: The Vampires, Bennetts Lane, Sunday October 13 at 8.30pm
The Vampires have released their fourth studio album, Tiro, and are on tour nationally throughout October, with appearances at the Manly Jazz Festival and Wangaratta Festival of Jazz with special guest Shannon Barnett, who will be on loan from New York City. The Sydney album launch will be on Thursday, Dec 5 at the Basement with Danaides and Slo Poke Rodriguez.
Jeremy Rose describes the new album as “taking a new direction for the group.”
“This album casts a wide net of influences, but particularly draws from my recent travels and musical studies in Greece and Cuba. The album was also influenced by Nick Garbett‘s travels to the Pacific island of Palau and Colombia, and Alex Boneham‘s sojourn in Rome over the past year. These diverse musical ‘postcards’ come together conceptually well.”
The album also features a debut for Jeremy on tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and clarinet, as well as Alex Masso’s work on cajon and additional percussion. The album also features two remixes by Paul ‘Tanuki’ Bromley, who has played bass with Brisbane rock band George and now is a producer.
Tour dates:
Sun 13 Oct MELBOURNE, VIC, Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, 25 Bennetts Ln, (03) 9663 2856, 8.30pmwww.bennettslane.com Presented by Melbourne Jazz Co-op
Mon 14 Oct ADELAIDE, SA, The Wheatsheaf, 39 George St Thebarton, (08) 8443 4546, presented by COMA 8.00 and 9.00pm tickets $15, $10 for COMA members www.coma.net.au
Thurs 17 Oct GOSFORD NSW, Rhythm Hut, 135 Faunce St, Gosford, workshop from 6.30pm, support from 7.30pm, show at 8.30pm $25 for the workshop + show / $15 for show onlywww.therhythmhut.com.au
Fri 18 Oct BELLINGEN, NSW, #5 Church St dinner from 6pm, show at 7.30pm $12www.5churchstreet.com
Sat 19 Oct GOLD COAST, QLD, Mandala Organic Arts Cafe, 2558 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach, 7.30pm, $5 www.mandalaorganicarts.com.au
Sun 20 Oct BANGALOW, NSW, ‘Sunday Afternoon Jazz at the Bowlo’ – Bangalow Bowling Club with The Vampires plus special guests saxophonist Dave Ades and percussion master Greg Sheehan, 4pm, $15/10 kids under 12 free facebook event
Thurs 31 Oct CANBERRA, ACT The Loft, Majura Medical Centre, Cnr Antill and Cowper Sts Dickson. 8.30pm Tix $15/$12
Sat 2 Nov WANGARATTA, VIC Wangaratta International Jazz Festival, WPAC Memorial Hall, Wangaratta, **With special guest Shannon Barnett 8:00pm www.2013.wangarattajazz.com
Tues 12 Nov NEWCASTLE, NSW The Underground presented by NIMA, The Grand Hotel, cnr Bolton St and Church St, Newcastle, $15/$10 doors at 7.30pm, music from 8pm, www.nima.org.au
Sun 17 Nov WOLLONGONG, NSW, Clifton School of the Arts, 338 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Clifton, 2.00-5.00pm $20, $10, $50 family
Thurs 5 Dec SYDNEY, NSW, ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY* The Basement, 7 Macquarie Pl, Sydney, with Danaides (The Alcohotlicks) and Slo Poke Rodriguez, $20, (02) 9251 2797, www.thebasement.com.au
Andrew Robson
Premiere of Andrew Robson’s A Day at the Fair, The Grainger Museum, Royal Parade, University of Melbourne, 2.30pm Sunday October 20
This is exciting. Composer and saxophonist Andrew Robson will let some talented jazz musicians loose on 12 English folk songs collected by the great Australian composer Percy Grainger.
Robson has created a concert-length suite for this song cycle, which will also be performed on October 24 at 6.30pm in Verbrugghen Hall at Sydney Conservatorium of Music (admission is free). At the Melbourne performance, Alister Spence will perform some of the pieces on Grainger’s Estey harmonium.
The line-up is Andrew Robson saxophones, James Greening trombone/pocket trumpet, Alister Spence piano/harmonium, Brett Hirst double bass and Toby Hall drums.
Tickets for October 20 concert cost $20/$15. To book call (03) 83448822.
ROGER MITCHELL
Ausjazz Blog 