THIS year's Melbourne International Jazz Festival, under a new management, brought many innovations, especially in its wider-ranging programming. Artistic director Michael Tortoni and his unflagging, youthful program director Sophie Brous presented an impressive program of more than 60 events. One welcome change was a free opening night concert featuring respected US bassist Charlie Haden, 71, the artist in residence, with 12 of Australia's top players.
Selecting Haden to perform his earlier arrangements, with stellar Australian musicians replicating his Liberation Music Orchestra, was an inspired idea. He chose some more accessible numbers including Amazing Grace and We Shall Overcome among more complex pieces.
The bite and style of many fine soloists extended the interest, particularly trombonist Shannon Barnett's powerfully shaped contributions, as well as tenor saxophonists Jamie Oehlers'senergetic flights and Julien Wilson's lyrical imagery. A magical moment came when bassist Sam Anning exchanged exhilarating solos with the old master, who shouted appreciatively of Anning's abilities: "Yeah man!"
Haden displayed an intuitive choice of phrases, making minimal use of the upper register and producing a beautifully sonorous tone at the deeper end.
The organisers retained and expanded a series of masterclasses as well as Jazz for Kids concerts and introduced a Future Leaders award for students in years 10 to 12.
Other variations included free sound walks with live dadaist music at the National Gallery of Victoria; performance and conversations between sound artist Oren Ambarchi and New York guitarist Nels Cline at the NGV Ian Potter Centre; various screenings of jazz on film at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image; and a performance by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra of a new work by conductor Matthias Pintscher.
Daily free concerts in Federation Square were performed by local groups including the talent-laden Victorian College of the Arts' big band and Sydney's Vampires, fronted by award-winning young saxophonist Jeremy Rose.
On Tuesday Haden - in another incarnation - led his group of 25 years, Quartet West, featuring tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts, pianist Larry Goldings and the stylish, unobtrusive drumming of Rodney Green. Watts's locked-on solos moved effortlessly into whistling harmonics and raced all over the horn. They presented a range of works by Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman and others, plus a jaunty, traditional calypso.
The supporting group in the acoustically superior Melbourne Recital Centre was a sensational local trio of trumpeter Eugene Ball, guitarist Stephen Magnusson and that rarest of beings, a drummer with delicate touch, Joe Talia. They moved seamlessly from floating serenity to a higher energy, and interpreted Lush Life building a slow, haunting beauty with subdued trumpet notes of liquid silver.
By Wednesday the festival's diversity was apparent. Fans could go from the emotionally moving and talented amateurism of the Choir of Hard Knocks to the outer reaches of the jazz universe. Here, US composer-saxophonist Tim Berne fronted a sextet of our highly accomplished locals, embarking on the controlled chaos of Berne's futuristic, atonal compositions.
US saxophonist Joshua Redman appeared on Thursday with his trio, with Reuben Rogers on bass and drummer Greg Hutchinson. They opened with a quick and crisp rendition of The Surrey with the Fringe on Top, setting the scene for an evening of high-calibre playing. The trio included several originals from its new CD, Compass. Redman played soprano and tenor saxes with great style and absolute control. Unexpectedly, the trio played Redman's calming jazz arrangement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
A much anticipated event on Friday night saw Paul Grabowsky perform his commissioned composition Shirley Avenue, leading a quartet from the console of the Melbourne Town Hall organ.
Scott Tinkler played trumpet, Genevieve Lacey played a variety of recorders and Nico Schauble was on drums. The music was avant garde and at times a sound collage. It was an interesting experiment, but the mighty organ often overwhelmed the fragile recorder.
A trio of Americans Haden, pianist Ethan Iverson and guitarist Bill Frisell was up next, in an unaccustomed grouping, and after a tentative start found a comfortable groove for some bop standards.
There were some problems at the festival. US pianist Cecil Taylor cancelled because of illness, concert times clashed and there were occasional difficulties with acoustics and amplification. Bennetts Lane, the venue for nightly jam sessions and several main performances, couldn't accommodate the numbers and, sadly, many were turned away.
For all that, the festival was a success with record attendances. Despite a program that contained players not strictly qualifying as jazz artists, the overall concept and performance level at the Melbourne festival rivalled the nation's foremost at Wangaratta. Interesting that both are in Victoria.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/
