WYNTON MARSALIS SENDS HIS APOLOGIES

Ausjazz blog previews Stonnington Jazz 2011 — May 19 to May 29 The days are suddenly much colder and the nights have that stay-at-home chill. Many of us are suffering from sore throats, persistent coughs and similar energy-sapping afflictions. So what’s the incentive to venture out to hear live music? During the past few nights I’ve had some of the worst coughing bouts in years, … Continue reading WYNTON MARSALIS SENDS HIS APOLOGIES

THINGS HAPPEN — A FEW WORDS ON WANG

REVIEW: WANGARATTA JAZZ 2010 ROGER MITCHELL attempts to sum up Australia’s major festival of improvised music in a few words WHEN Mike Nock’s New Quintet opened the 21st annual jazz festival at Wangaratta on Friday, the pianist told the audience, “This is jazz. Things happen.” It was good advice. The festival program had not seemed to promise as much as in recent years. But things … Continue reading THINGS HAPPEN — A FEW WORDS ON WANG

THE GATHERING — STU HUNTER

CD REVIEW (Vitamin Records) PIANIST/COMPOSER Stu Hunter’s second suite is an hour-long journey even more enthralling and engrossing than his first, The Muse, released in 2007 with Cameron Undy on bass, Matt Keegan on tenor sax and Simon Barker on drums. Adding another tenor, Julien Wilson, and James Greening on trombone and pocket trumpet contributes greatly to the diversity and splendour of the musical landscape, … Continue reading THE GATHERING — STU HUNTER