"We're surprised to be here": Grigoryans

Yup, and so was M. Debussy, no doubt. Slava and Leonard played us a beautiful classical guitar concert to start our night of jazz. Gorgeous stuff but not what I would have put on a stage with a big Melbourne Jazz poster behind it. This set before Dr Abdullah Ibrahim was originally Charlie Hunter, who pulled out due to tendonitis that saw him cancelling lots of other gigs too, in Europe as well.

And no I'm not slagging the Griogoryan brothers. I love their music. But if I had a dollar for every time I heard 'Great Classical Concert' in the foyer of the Regent afterwards, then I could have bought my own tickets instead of relying on a media pass. And yes, that's my way of acknowledging that I don't want to be seen to be looking gift horse in the mouth. Deffo not the case... However... it was a classical concert. I heard something a little bit like it a month or two ago at Melba Hall, with a famous classical guitarist. And when the artists reach out to us in the audience, and say "We're surprised to be here," well the grumpy old bastards among us make a snorting noise out of our nostrils and roll our eyes back in our heads. What? What? What? You're surprised! What about the people who paid for a jazz concert! And yes, I know they played some Ralph Towner. The thing is, that's not the point. Is it? By the way, I loved the Debussy. Made me want to come home and listen to more.

At least our old friend was still there, providing continuity: "Oi wood loik to remoind yez that Slarvar and Lenn'd Grigoryan will be availab'l for merchandoise soining in the foya. The Ab-duller [yes, that's really how he pronounced it!!] Ibrahim concert will begin shortly."