Music for Commuting: Paul Bley and Steve Lacy

After a few months at sea, the boxes arrived home. 

Morning Joy and Annette celebrated 

freedom, keeping me company during the commute. 

Swagman at Raumati Social Club

Brent McFarlane (drums/perc) Joe Callwood (guitars/congas) Gabe Davidson (alto & bari sax/vibes/perc) form the trio Swagman. For sometime now they have been playing on the last Friday of the month at Raumati Social Club. After missing out last month due to clashing schedules, I finally got along last week. It made a nice change to hear two sets of original music without a piece of sheet music in site. I hadn’t heard Gabe play in many years, so it was great to hear him and have a catch up after the gig - it had been way too long. Joe might not be quite as visible as some guitarists on the NZ jazz scene but he's right up there nonetheless. I need to seek out more from him (add it to the list!). It was an enjoyable gig of groove heavy, textural music in the jazz/world music sphere, played to a packed house. Maybe it's not the best space for listening, as it gets pretty chatty and loud, but that didn't detract from me having a good night. I'm looking forward to catching them again soon.

NZ Jazz: Antipodes - Good Winter

Antipodes: Good Winter (Rattle)

Jake Baxendale (as) Callum Allardice (g) Luke Sweeting (p), Ken Allars (trpt), Max Alduca (b) and Aidan Lowe (d) 

Well, I finally got my hands on Good Winter (along with a couple of other new releases from Rattle). It was of particular interest to me as I've known Jake since the first week he moved to Wellington - that must be over 10 years now....rust never sleeps. Back then he was just a fresh-faced lad moving to the big city. It was while I was abroad that he developed into one of the movers and shakers on the scene here. Not only as a player but also an organizer, seeking out playing oppourtunities not only for himself, but the wider jazz community in New Zealand too. One of his main collaborators is guitarist Callum Allardice, who joins him here to form the Kiwi contingency of the trans-Tasman collaboration that is Antipodes. 

Compositional duties are evenly split between Jake, Callum and Luke Sweeting, with Alduca contributing one.  And it should be noted that Callum has been the recipient of the APRA Best Jazz Composition award on two occasions, and the 2017 winner, “Deep Thought,” appears on Good Winter.

I'm not sure why as I haven't listened to them in a long time, but two artists/recordings came to mind almost immediately during the first spin. There's an uplifting kind of vibe that made me think of David Binny and the other was Reid Anderson’s The Vastness of Space. But I wouldn't say that Good Winter sounds like either (but it did lead me to giving a listen to both just to check in with my initial reaction). 

It's the ensemble sound and collective effort rather than soloists that stands out to me. It is quite a busy and dense sound that features throughout with multiple soloist weaving lines together or soloists improvising lines as written melodies are stated. There are hints of ECM vibe too, but for the most part, things are a little over-the-top for the ECM thing. And that's probably my main criticism – there's just a bit much of everything (yet something is missing). There's no shortage of youthful exuberance but that seems to lend itself to an overblown “epicness” (think jazz power ballads). At times I almost caught myself laughing (definitely chuckling). I'm not sure why I do, but it's probably not what they were going for!

Perhaps the “diametrically opposite” component of the definition of Antipodes is reflected in the contrast between the mellow and the grandiose that is a feature of many (all?) of the tracks. It's not just a band name, but part of the aesthetic of the group. For me it’s a bit overstated and at times somewhat predictable(and in that regard, it reminded me of hearing The Bad Plus live). For example, you just know that the phrase at 0.55 on “Deep Thought” will reappear later coated in full-blown epicness (and it does at 3.20). “Sympathetic Resonance” provides some respite, as does “Haritomeni,” until things get cranked for the last minute or so.

Listening to the album has a whole had me wanting a change of pace. I was better off just listening to a couple of tracks in a sitting. I do like that they have a conception even if it's one that's not really for me. However, I'm still curious to hear where they would take things on a follow-up album.

The New Zealand leg of the album release tour kicks off in mid-December (next week!).

Dec 12 - Auckland, Backbeat Bar, 8pm

Dec 13 - Hamilton, Nivara Lounge, 8pm

Dec 14 – Rotorua, Princes Hotel, 8pm

Dec 15 – Whanganui, Musician's Club, 8pm

Dec 16 - Wellington, The Rogue and Vagabond, 5pm

Dec 18 - Christchurch, Space Academy, 8pm

Dec 19 - Nelson, Fairfield House, 8pm 

Dec 20 - Golden Bay, The Mussel Inn, 8pm

Dec 21 - Blenheim, Dharma Bums, 8pm

Music for Commuting: Jonathan Crayford and Jean-Paul Celea

A couple of albums keeping me company as I roll through the farmland each morning and evening. Jonathan Crayford’s Dark Light will eventually get the NZ Jazz post treatment, as it deserves more than a passing mention. As does Yes Ornette!, from the trio led by bassist Jean-Paul Celea. This one was of interest on a few fronts: I’m into Ornette and this album features his compositions including many he did’t record. Plus, featured throughout is the soprano sax of Emile Parisien, a player I hadn’t heard before. I’ve been listening to a bit of Ornette played by others lately so expect to see more Ornette-oriented albums getting a mention here soon.

Arthur Street Loft Orchestra - Mark Lockett

Monday night at The Third Eye is big band night with the Arthur Street Loft Orchestra. The band shifts personnel each week and features the music of a local composer. This past Monday, drummer Mark Lockett provided the tunes (mostly from his trio album Sneaking Out After Midnight) which were arranged by Lucien Johnson for the pretty standard lineup of 5 saxes, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones and rhythm. I was surprised to learn that this was Mark's first ever big band gig. And maybe that's what I liked most about his playing... he didn't seem like a big band drummer (that chops-driven, bombastic, big band drumming cliche has never really appealed to me). Due the pick-up nature of the band, things tend to be a little underrehearsed, but it really didn't matter at all, as the feeling projected by the band overpowered any inefficiencies. In fact, it was the most fun I've seen and felt exuding from the bandstand in quite some time. It's catchy too, as the crowd really got on board with the good vibes. Jake Baxendale is doing a great job putting together this series, get along and check it out.

Mark Lockett featured with the Arthur Street Loft Orchestra

The Melancholy Babes at Snails

I forgot to post a photo of The Melancholy Babes gig. Snails in Palmerston North was the third stop (of five) on the trio’s North Island tour supporting the release of their fourth album, Shingles.  It was nice timing to hear Jeff live, having just spent the previous month digging into The Triplets Book. I picked up a copy of Shingles, so eventually I might get around to adding that to the NZ Jazz posts.

The Melancholy Babes (L-R) Jeff Henderson, Anthony Donaldson, Tom Callwood

Music for Commuting: C.L Bob and Steve Lacy

A couple of discs doing the rounds recently -  C. L. Bob’s Stereoscope and Steve Lacy’s Wordless. After many years apart I’m reacquainting myself with the former, which will eventually make its way into a NZ Jazz post. The latter is the earliest example I have of Lacy’s "Tao Suite" (and it features an early incarnation of the quintet) which makes for fascinating listening. I need to check his discography to find out if an earlier version of the complete suite exists. And a listening session last night, I spun the opening of the suite, "Existence," from his solo album Remains (highly recommended) and it opened up some very good discussion.