Tag Archives: Paul Cornelius

I DO LIKE MONDAYS

Stephen Byth

Stephen Byth on alto with Barney McAll’s Non Compliance Mondays

REFLECTION

Barney McAll Non Compliance Mondays, Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne, 8pm on February 15, 22 and 29.

Mondays at Bennetts Lane were Allan Browne‘s night. He brought philosophy, poetry and humour to many evenings of wonderful music, ably assisted by many musician friends and colleagues. He also brought much warmth.

I’m no one will try to replace Al Browne, but a week ago on Monday evening it was a delight to see and heat pianist Barney McAll join a bunch of talented young musicians in two sets so full of life and fun that surely our much-missed occupant of the drum kit would have heartily approved.

In the youthful line-up with Barney was Paul Cornelius tenor, Stephen Byth alto, Chris Vizard trombone and Keiren Rafferty drums. Phillip Rex provided his usual exemplary input on bass.

I loved the vigour and enthusiasm, along with the obvious talent, of these young musicians. I was also impressed by McAll’s passion as their guide and mentor — he was attentive and eager to offer praise and to push members of the group to show their skills.

Above all, Barney McAll’s Non Compliance Mondays just seemed to be a natural fit for the start of the week, kicking us off with energy and propulsion. And lots of fun.

Tonight (February 15) the line-up includes Flora Carbo, Sam Anning and Luke Andresen.

After that, who knows? But we know they won’t be compliant.

ROGER MITCHELL

A few images below:

 

 

A MOVING TRIBUTE

Movement 9

Some members of Movement 9    (Image courtesy Harry Boyd-Gerny)

It’s fair to say that there is some unfinished business from 2014 that needs attention, but more of that soon.

Moving right along into 2015, Ausjazz is privileged to bring you a taste of audio-visual class from the exciting, young nonet, Movement 9, which has justifiably had rave reviews for its album Wings (four stars from John McBeath in The Weekend Australian).

That album, with a couple of guests and a different line-up, featured mostly compositions by alto saxophonist Joe McEvilly. It has been played a lot in this house and on the road.

Formed in 2012, Movement 9‘s gigs have been described by Canberra Jazz as “a joyous playtime… big, bold sounds and indulgent grooves”.

In its latest incarnation, Movement 9 features McEvilly alto sax & compositions, Tom Sly trumpet, Niran Dasika trumpet, Patrick Langdon trombone, Paul Cornelius tenor sax, Nick McCusker baritone sax, Joel Trigg piano & keyboard, Jordan Tarento double & electric bass and James Milic on drums.

Wings featured Ax Long trumpet, Tom Sly trumpet, Patrick Langdon trombone, Matt Handel alto sax, Oisin Smith-Coburn tenor sax, Tate Sheridan piano, Rafael Jerjen bass, Henry Rasmussen drums and Joe McEvilly baritone saxophone, with guests John Mackey (tenor sax) and Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet).

Anyway, enough background to whet the appetite. Joe tells me this brand new song, titled Without Knowing, was recorded and filmed live at Sing Sing Studios with a four-man crew. It is a tribute to Swedish pianist the late Esbjorn Svensson, “beloved for the austere beauty of his melodies and the depth of his grooves, who was taken well before his time in a scuba diving accident”.

He explains that, “I hadn’t been listening to the Esbjorn Svensson Trio/EST long before he died, but their music had already made a lifelong impression on me. The first track of theirs that I ever heard was Seven Days of Falling, when Sandy Evans played it for me in high school. I’ve remembered that moment ever since.”

So, watch Movement 9 perform Without Knowing and enjoy:

Joe McEvilly would like to acknowledge that the whole project was funded by a generous patron (in the form of a “privately funded arts grant”) to whom we are deeply indebted. He is not naming names, so applause please to be passed on to whom it may be due.

On behalf of Movement 9, Joe says that if you enjoy the music, and if you have a YouTube account (or Gmail/Google account), you could do the band a huge favour by clicking the Thumbs Up icon or leaving a short comment on the video page to them us reach a wider audience. Shares on Facebook will also be welcomed.

We look forward to more music — and another album — from Movement 9 when time and finances permit.

ROGER MITCHELL

AN ITALIAN COLLABORATION

Enrico Rava

Enrico Rava                       (Image supplied)

ALBUM LAUNCH:

The Monash Sessions: Enrico Rava, Thursday 30 October at Bennetts Lane Jazz Club in Melbourne

It has become a tradition for Monash University to arrange for its students of improvised music to learn from some of the world’s great jazz musicians, either by having them visit or by taking the students overseass. The results of these working sessions have resulted in significant recordings in The Monash Sessions project — a recording initiative by Associate Professor and Head of School, Robert Burke, and Jazzhead.

Now, before Italy’s trumpet maestro Enrico Rava makes his headline appearance at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz & Blues, Jazzhead is thrilled to announce the release of the 11-track album The Monash Sessions: Enrico Rava. The album will effectively be launched twice, on Thursday 30 October at Bennetts Lane Jazz Club in Melbourne and on the following evening at Wangaratta. Rava, in Australia for the first time, will be joined by staff and students.

In December last year, 35 jazz students from the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music travelled to the Monash University Prato Centre in Italy to undertake an intensive three-week performance unit. As part of their study, students were given the opportunity to perform and record with Rava, one of the seminal figures of the European jazz scene.

Rava, an ECM artist, has released over 50 albums during his career, performing alongside greats such as Gil Evans, Cecil Taylor, Joe Henderson, John Abercrombie, Pat Metheny, and Dave Douglas.

The Monash Sessions: Enrico Rava was mixed and mastered at the Sonoria Recording Plant in Prato, Italy, by Andrea Benassai, and produced by Robert Burke and Mirko Guerrini.

It features music faculty members Paul Grabowsky (piano), Rob Burke and Mirko Guerrini (saxophones), Stephen Magnusson (guitar) as well as students Josh Kelly (alto), Paul Cornelius (tenor), Stephen Byth (tenor), pianists Daniel Mougerman and Joel Trigg, bassists Josh Manusama and Hiroki Hoshino, and drummers Rob Mercer, Cameron Sexton and Zeke Ruckman.

Jazzhead describes this album, recorded over two days, as having “a distinct Italian approach”, and being “relaxed but distinctly intense”. “Noted are the beautiful trumpet sound and passionate lyrical lines produced by Rava, conveying potent meaning and harmonic perfection.”

MONASH SESSIONS: ENRICO RAVA – TOUR DATES

Oct 30 Bennetts Lane, Melbourne
Oct 31 WPAC Theatre, Wangaratta Jazz Festival