Scott Tinkler
PICTORIAL RETROSPECTIVE
Melbourne Jazz Co-operative’s 35th Anniversary celebration, Sunday 28 January from 12.30pm to 8.30pm, Moreland City Band Hall, 16-22 Cross Street, Brunswick East
To celebrate its 35th Anniversary, the MJC held an eight-hour music feast featuring eight outstanding groups. This line-up for this big-arse Sunday equivalent (remember those?) was, I believe, put together by Eugene Ball. Let’s hear it for EB, because it was fantastically diverse music, not without its challenges for the listener – which is as it should be.
With excellent food available, a great community vibe, some penetrating (and often unanswered) questions for Martin Jackson from MC Ronny Ferella, and hours of music in a cool venue on a hot day, this celebration was a huge success. Kellie Jayne Chambers wasn’t there on the day, but also deserves plaudits for her work beforehand setting up the venue.
Here are some image galleries from the day’s performances.
12.30pm Andrea Keller’s Masters & Apprentices
I arrived late and caught only the last of this set. The mixing of experienced musicians with talented young players is great as a concept and in practice. As with all of Keller’s projects, this worked well and delivered quality musicianship.
1.30pm Scott Tinkler and Simon Barker
Ronny Ferella took the mic before the next set, asking Martin Jackson some tough questions about the MJC. Ferella said over many years the MJC had provided a safe zone to hear unsafe music. Jackson said some of the best gigs may have had the fewest people in the audience
Then Simon Barker and Scott Tinkler – the latter in his penultimate gig before going south to Bruny Island – held us spellbound. I loved the intensity, the attentiveness and responsiveness of this duo, the variations, the ease of their complementarity and the freedom of their improvisation. It was engrossing, dramatic and sustaining.
This post will continue with more images from this MJC celebration when time permits.
ROGER MITCHELL
Images © ausjazz.net
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