Tim Berne’s Adobe Probe Melbourne In a contest of popularity, the Choir of Hard Knocks — at Hamer Hall with Kate Ceberano and Carl Riseley — singing songs of Billie Holiday had to win by about the distance you’d put between yourself and a coughing Mexican, but I was ready for something with more of an edge. That said, feedback from the choir’s gig suggested … Continue reading Melbourne International Jazz Festival — Day 4
Magnusson/Ball/Talia Stephen Magnusson, Eugene Ball and Joe Talia made only one announcement on Tuesday at the Melbourne Recital centre — they played. There was no talk. Their instruments said all they wished to say. And from the opening notes from Magnusson’s guitar, through Ball’s solemn trumpet and Talia’s filigree drum work, it was evident that we would feel this music rather than merely hear or … Continue reading Melbourne International Jazz Festival — Day 3
IT was a dilemma: the hardly ever serious Actis Dato at BMW Edge or the seriously promoted and popular Katie Noonan’s Blackbird Project at Hamer Hall, along with the boys from FGHR (drummer Daniel Farrugia, guitarist Leonard Grigoryan, pianist Luke Howard and bassist Ben Robertson) in the supporting role. As usual, I timed things badly, dropping in to hear the Italian antics, but leaving in … Continue reading Melbourne International Jazz Festival — Day 2
