Swagman, Norm and The Woods

Swagman at Raumati Social Club (June 2019)

I’ve been totally slack keeping up to date with things here... time to catch up!

I'm trying to make a habit of catching Swagman's monthly gig at Raumati Social Club (the last Friday of the month). I really enjoy hearing a group working with a set of tunes over a period of time. This time around they included one or two news tunes too. It's been a while, so I'll be brief.... but a couple of memories are that the balance was a bit off - louder than usual and lack of clarity. And, Brent quoting Max Roach's "For Big Sid" during one of his solos over an ostinato from Joe and Gabe (I think Brent was surprised that someone picked up on it). 

Norman Meehan's farewell concert (June 2019)

The following night it was off to St Paul's Lutheran Church for Norman Meehan’s farewell concert (Norm is now based in NYC). The two sets featured pieces (old and new) from varying line-ups comprised of Norman (p) Hannah Griffin (vocal) Blair Latham (ts/b.clarinet/g) Lance Philip (d) Martin Riseley (v) Andrew Laking (b). Hannah seems to get better each time I hear her (admittedly only twice since I've been home) - I particularly enjoyed her duo with Martin Riseley. And when was the last time you heard someone double on tenor sax, bass clarinet and guitar? Blair managed it well (even playing all three on one tune). There was almost a house concert feel about the evening (maybe it was the cuppa tea and ginger nuts?).

The Woods at Raumati Social Club (July 2019)

The Woods play that dreaded mixture of jazz, world music and rock. It was the first time hearing this group (aside from a sneak peak on bandcamp a while back.... begs the question, “Why don’t I have their album yet?”) and once again, hearing original compositions being performed without sheet music is refreshing!

Hearing Blair twice in a week playing the unlikely combo of instruments, I couldn’t help giving Blair a little shit that he now has to lug around a guitar, pedals and an amp (he said that wasn’t lost on his bandmates either - after years of him hassling them for all their equipment). I have to give him credit for doubling on guitar in the same band as Joe! And his raspy tenor tone is the perfect fit sonically for this group.

I'm really glad to have caught Joe as much as I have since I’ve been home. I've probably mentioned it before, but I dig his relaxed intensity, and it makes it look easy. And and much as I enjoyed Tom’s playing on upright earlier in the evening, the electric pulled out a different quality in the group sound that really worked. By the second set the volume started getting a little out of balance with the room (I was sitting somewhere different too), with the bass getting a bit too buzzy but it seemed to settle down eventually. I haven't heard Rick Cranson all that much since I've been home. He knows when to turn up the power but didn’t overdo it. He did unleash over the vamp on final tune and the dynamic shift at the end was nailed by the entire band. The two sets flew by, and that's always a good sign.

Antipodes + Hannah Griffin

Tonight it was back into the city to catch a concert at St Peter's Church. Two gigs in two nights..... not bad! This time around it was Antipodes - Luke Sweeting (p) Jake Baxendale (as) Callum Allardice (g) Max Alduca (b) and Tim Geldens (d). It was quite a different scene from last night (in terms of the setting, vibe and music). For this Easter concert, vocalist Hannah Griffin was added to the group for a set comprised of arrangements of hymns. I hadn't heard Hannah live for many many years, and she was the kicker to get me along. I don't consider Antipodes to be a "less is more" kinda group, so I was keen to hear how they handled playing hymns with a vocalist in a church. For the most part they did it pretty well. It was only when they hit a certain dynamic level that the vocals would lose clarity. It was nice hearing them take a more measured approach, although the last couple of pieces got a little closer to the "epic-ness" I associate with them. I'm not sure I'll make it 'three in three', but if I'm up for it, Antipodes are at Third Eye on Wednesday night.

NZ Music Month: Norman Meehan - Small Holes in the Silence

I was hoping to get the first of the NZ Music Month posts up a bit sooner but school deadlines had the blog momentarily on hold. Better late than never I guess.......

Small Holes In The Silence (Rattle Records)
Norman Meehan (p) Hannah Griffin (v) Hayden Chisholm (as)

Norman Meehan has been setting text to music for several years now, starting with the 2009 release Sun Moon Stars Rain (Attar Media) featuring the work of e.e. cummings and following up with two albums setting the work of Bill Manhire - Buddhist Rain and Making Baby Float (both on Rattle).

This time around, Norm sets works from James K. Baxter, Hone Tuwhare, Bill Manhire, Alistair Campbell, Eileen Duggan and David Mitchell. And while the overall mood is sombre with ballads the order of the day, I feel there is enough variety in both the text and music to keep things moving and engaging. It is unhurried and uncluttered, providing clarity for the words and music to speak and breath.

A couple of favourties include the succinct "High Country Weather" (James K. Baxter) [in fact, I was singing this to myself yesterday and was so absorbed that I missed my train] and the wonderfully paced "Frost" (Eileen Duggan) featuring a great blend from Hannah and Hayden during the melody and improvised dialogue between piano and saxophone.

The pairing of Hannah (I can't recall hearing her sound better) and Norman displays a richness developed over many years and adding to that runs the risk of a "third wheel" situation. Although I can hear a couple of other NZ saxophonists who may have made fine contributions to the album (with very different end results), Hayden's touch was the correct match for this album.

For me, Small Holes In The Silence is Norman's strongest work to date. If he continues this collaboration with Hannah and setting texts (and I hope he does), I would love hear a rhythm section added into the mix.

This Radio NZ interview with Norman provides some insight into the album and his process of setting texts.