Glenferrie Station Blues

Before I get onto the subject let me have a Connex whinge. It's the thing to do in Melbourne. You see there's a narrow band of acceptable temperature and dampness levels within which Connex runs the trains on time, and even then... yes... even then... you'd be reckless to count on the timetable!

If you've been listening to anything Melbourne-and-weather related recently, or if you're in dear old Melbs yourself, you'll know that the temperature dropped fairly suddenly sometime on Friday night.

Now that I've set you up with all the facts, let me just tell you that I had a moment, standing on Glenferrie station on Sunday lunchtime, heading in to the MIJF to hear a Jazz for Kids concert and I felt as though I was in some weird representation of Thatcher's Britain, as I learned about it in some gritty grainy fillum at a film festival some years ago (I've forgotten the name of the film but its imagery and message stayed with me). A grey and windswept platform, huddled passengers en route to football games and jazz festivals. The announcement boards not working, the train delayed and delayed and delayed.

Uggh. What is happening here?

But then the train came and I settled into the musty upholstery with an empty hamburger packet on the seat beside me for company... and all was well in the world once more.

Jazz Festival time in Melbourne again!

Well, here we are again. April and May in Melbourne have become the months that jazz enthusiasts can look forward to an even greater choice of wonderful music to listen to. In 2009 the schedule of your jazz blogger at large (moi!) covers the Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF) from 26 April until 2 May, then the Melbourne Jazz Fringe Festival (MJFF) from 8 to 17 May and Stonnington Jazz from 14- 23 May. Yikes!

Next blog: Zac Hurren's Jazz For Kids and Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra...

And home...

There's always going to be more that could have been said. I'm kicking myself for not doing more about Wangaratta and Reid Street and the Blues Marquee. I wish I'd taken more shots. But that would be crying over spilt milk, I guess and they tell us that's a waste of time!

This year at Wang had its own flavour (they all do) and I spent most of my time moving between the Jazz Marquee, Hollywoods on the corner, St Pats, and Jazz on Ovens with a gig at the Cathedral thrown in.

Wangaratta is what you make it. Everybody does it differently and everybody has their preferences. I hope you've enjoyed these little ponderings on Wangaratta 2008. All comments welcome... and goodnight!

Miriam x

The institution of the Pinsent

Up the hill and down two blocks to the Pinsent for a final festival drink. Vodka and Tonic in a tall glass. Listening to Zac Hurran and friends on the stage, jamming... calling for a drummer, a bass player... a quick chat to Eugene Ball... a strange conversation with a nervous young trumpeter who we eventually convinced to get up on stage and give it a go (he did, and he did)...

Hellos and smiles with people from the scene... thinking about the conversations that I meant to have and didn't quite get to; thinking about the music I heard and the music I didn't.

The Pinsent on Saturday night is an institution within the institution, but it is for those with stronger constitution than I have. I can do Sunday night though, when I'm not ready to go to bed and say goodbye to it all, just yet.

Working my way to the door... a smile to that group in the corner, a kiss blown here, a grimace there, ducking to avoid being seen by so-and-so... (yes, that happens too!)

And out into the cool damp air...

James Muller Trio with John Scofield

Before the ink was dry on my festival program, I knew that I would be lining up for this gig. There had been a spot of rain earlier in the evening and the sound people had been worried about cables getting wet, but the rain had stopped by the time this concert came along. Yaay!

In the dark, with my not-so-special camera and with me about four rows back, I gave up trying too hard to get a shot, but not before I'd captured a blur of James Muller and Ben Vanderwal (drums).

We started with couple of tunes with just the trio, which was James, Ben and Matt Penman on bass.

A piece by Sean Wayland called 'Honeycomb'; reminded again of James's sound... A Muller piece called Chick Corea. Was there one more? I didn't write it down.

Then John Scofield joined the trio onstage and we were in for a treat. There has been some fuss made in the press of James Muller being anxious about this moment. We all just wanted to hear. What would this sound like? A tune called 'We' and I don't know who wrote it. Was it a Charlie Parker tune? I don't think that's what James said... but somebody else said it was. Comments / assistance welcome!

Then a change of tempo, slowing it down for a James Muller tune Beethoven, which he laughingly introduced by saying he was going to make John Scofield try and read his music... well it looked tricky, from where I sat! Don't know what was going on, but I reckon James might need to tidy up his handwriting :-)

On to a Scofield tune 'Everybody's Party'. In this and the previous 'We' we were treated to conversations between John and James that had the feel of discovery. Little challenges and smiles... and joining together in places to produce an exhilirating sound with both guitars in unison. The energy coming from the stage was positive, strong, full of goodwill and good vibes. Needless to say, those of us watching and listening had a ball.

An encore requested and after they toyed with us for a little bit we had 'Billy's Bounce', this one definitely a Charlie Parker tune. Again the conversations, the fun, the awesome playing, the sense that we didn't want it to end.

But it did. And after a set that had shown me (for the second time today) a bass player and drummer working very very hard...

Mike Nock Solo

After the high energy of Paul Grabowsky et al, a walk up to the Holy Trinity Cathedral to listen to Mike Nock solo. A chat along the way and I missed a bit of it (as you do) but was rewarded with Mike's tender touch on the piano, sounding sublime in this venue which does such beautiful things with subtle sounds.

Interesting how easily one adjusts - my restlessness soon dissipated as I let the music flow over me.

Paul Grabowsky Quintent with Joe Lovano

A queue for this one - it had been anticipated by many, including Paul, who'd said the night before he was looking forward to it.

And the trouble with great music is that you end up listening instead of thinking about the blog. I do remember that the music was great. Yes. I remember that much.

We're talking Paul Grabowsky on piano, Scott Tinkler on trumpet, Philip Rex on bass and Simon Barker on drums... so people would go for that alone, wouldn't they? Then add Joe Lovano into the mix...

The pieces we heard were from the CD Tales of Time and space, including 'Reason and Rhyme', 'Updraft', 'Circle of Trust' [newly presented as a possible anthem to sado-masochism! - even Grabowsky looked surprised, and he was the one making the strange segue...] and 'Tailfin'.

Tailfin was a highlight for this little punter. I felt like the whole world was in it as we moved from blazing playing to quieter moments. Simon's drumming was featured; my notes include a comment on his fluidity. My notes also include that he and Phil were working very hard in this piece. The energy required to maintain the tempo was obviously immense. The sound was fantastic. Yes! Yes! Yes!

Also featuring in this set was the Aulochrome which Joe Lovano played. A double soprano saxophone with one mouthpiece, the sounds from this had me sitting forward. It does sound like two sopranos being played at once, but more. I guess the whole is greater than the sum of its parts...