Question for Adrian Jackson

[Interested]

Adrian, could you possibly make a list of 20 influential Australian jazz CDs?

Im keen to see what you really like, it doesnt have to 20 of the BEST CDs
just 20 Influential ones,
I think such a list would be informative considering you run the Wnagaratta Jazz FEstival and all,

Thankyou

I

[Kenny]

aj, can i post the SHS story you did for me?

[aj]

By all means Kenny.............just folks should bear in mind it was written, when ? 5 years ago ?

Also some of them have not yet been reissued on CD (although maybe Birdland's reissue program might address that).

[cartman]

Ive got a question for Jackson to wheres my contract for Wang godammit and I better be on your goddamm list of the greatest even tho I was only 3 when you wrote it

[aj]

Contract's in the mail, Cartman.

[Kenny]

Ah, those were mighty days. Days when I was not only in a position to tap peoples on the shoulder and get them to write stuff like this, but also to make sure they got paid a decent whack, as well. Fuck me - it seems like a long, long time ago.

(Calling this up outta our library, I had trouble finding it among the gazilions of letters you've written us over the years, AJ.)

A couple of questions:

1. Anything you'd add to this list?

2. What's with Birdland's reissue series?

Sunday Herald Sun, November 19, 2000

Our jazz swings to a true blue beat

Jazz has evolved into a worldwide musical phenomenon - and along the way, Australia produced its share of classic recoerdings. ADRIAN JACKSON nominates his personal list of masterpieces.

MOST serious jazz fans can rattle off a list of essential albums that belong in any respectable jazz collection.

To name a few: Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Hot Sevens, Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, John Coltrane's A Love Supreme, Duke Ellington's Far East Suite and Charles Mingus' Mingus Ah Um.

I could go on (and on). We are talking landmarks here - exceptional performances, influential music, acknowledged classics.

What are the classics of Australian jazz?

No doubt some fans would scoff at the idea. After all, jazz is an American art form, born in the black communities of cities such as New Orleans, Chicago, Kansas City and New York.

Thus, the argument may go, Australian jazz can only be a pale imitation of the original. That is the cultural cringe in action.

The truth is Australian jazz has a long, varied and rich tradition.

Some of its finest moments have been produced by musicians who are household names, such as Graeme Bell or Don Burrows. Others, such as Charlie Munro or Bernie McGann, have been more underground figures.

While there have been periods where the work of Australian jazz musicians has been well documented on record (as in the CD boom of the past decade), there have also been eras where too much great music has been lost.

It is no coincidence that when veterans Keith Hounslow and Bernie McGann released their debut LPs in 1987 and 1988, they chose the titles At Last! and At Long Last.

Still, there have been plenty of excellent albums released here over the years.

Cutting down the list to 10 classics has been no easy task.

I could not find room for albums by leaders or bands as important as Don Burrows, Mike Nock, Bruce Cale, Bob Barnard, Dave Dallwitz, Dale Barlow, Scott Tinkler, Ian Chaplin, the Benders, Barney McAll, Jex Saarelaht, Roger Frampton, Tony Gould, Judy Bailey, the Last Straw, Keith Hounslow, the Red Onions, Tom Baker, the Catholics, Vince Jones, Clarion Fracture Zone, Ten Part Invention or the Australian Art Orchestra.

Graeme Bell & His Dixieland Jazz Band - Czechoslovak Journey (Supraphon LP, 1947; also on Swaggie LP)

This is the definitive Australian band of the post-war traditional jazz revival - influential here and in Europe - recorded while touring Czechoslovakia in 1947.

The sound was distinctively robust, combining a love of classic jazz with a self-reliant, almost larrikin streak.

There is an abundance of character in the playing of Roger Bell (trumpet, vocals), Pixie Roberts (clarinet), Ade Monsbourgh (trombone, clarinet) and the leader on piano as they tear into numbers such as Panama Rag and Ballin' The Jack.

Len Barnard's Famous Jazz Band - The Naked Dance (Swaggie LP, 1961; first released as Trad Jazz, Astor LP).

Here is one of the great bands of Australian jazz - stellar frontline, driving rhythm section - caught in inspired form, playing a well-chosen program.

Soloists such as trumpeter Bob Barnard, clarinettist Fred Parkes and pianist Graham Coyle display a mastery of their chosen style and repertoire, together with a spontaneity that is too rarely heard in traditional jazz these days.

Charlie Munro - Eastern Horizons (Philips LP, 1967; also on 44 Records LP)

I once had the pleasure of playing this album for the great American saxophonist Steve Lacy, who was frankly amazed to learn that music as modern as this had been recorded in Sydney in 1967.

He needed some convincing that the masterful solos on tenor sax, alto sax, soprano sax, flute, bass clarinet and cello had all come from the same player, who also wrote most of the music.

The late Charlie Munro was a rare talent. Together with impressive trombonist Bob McIvor, bassist Neville Whitehead and Mark Bowden on drums and vibes, Munro creates some free sounding - but sharply focused - improvisations, on compositions that employ a range of eastern scales and moods.

John Sangster - The Hobbit Suite (Swaggie LP, 1973)

Vibraphonist and percussionist John Sangster was a prolific composer whose best work combined a vivid imagination with a keen sense of humor. Like Ellington, he often wrote music to suit specific players, and to portray particular stories or images.

This set brings to life the characters from Tolkien's fantasy, The Hobbit.

There is some glorious solo and ensemble playing from a combo that includes trumpeter Bob Barnard, clarinettist John McCarthy, pianist Col Nolan and, playing drums and washboard, Len Barnard.

As the composer explains in his entertaining notes, the music is not trad or modern - its point is to go as far as your imagination will let you . . . and have a bloody good time doing it.

Ted Vining Trio - Number One (44 Records LP, 1977)

Drummer Ted Vining, pianist Bob Sedergreen and bassist Barry Buckley are a classic example of a band that adds up to more than the sum of its parts.

This album finds them swinging hard, with a rare unity of thought, plus a combination of audacity and exuberance that sets them apart from the pack back in 1977.

They are still doing it, too.

They groove superbly on numbers such as Coltrane's Impressions and Sedergreen's Bixs Bag.

Brian Brown, whose quartet at the time featured these three, sits in to play roaring tenor sax on his own Diggers Rest and Theme For Horst.

Brian Brown Quartet - Upward (44 Records LP, 1976-77)

This album documents the breadth and striking originality of the music that composer Brian Brown developed, with considerable input from Bob Sedergreen, Barry Buckley and Ted Vining.

With Brown blowing on soprano sax, tenor sax or flute, and adding synth patterns to the canvas, the quartet explores a gentle, playful mood on Tall Grass, swings strongly on the Modern Jazz Quartet's Django and builds up a tremendous momentum on Fire Dance and Upward.

Browne-Costello-Grabowsky - Six By Three (Spiral Scratch CD, 1988)

After several years in Europe, pianist Paul Grabowsky announced his return home, and his arrival as a major voice in Australian jazz, with this album.

Grabowsky's prodigious technique and fertile imagination are put to eloquent use on a program of original themes.

The flexible and sympathetic contributions of bassist Gary Costello and drummer Allan Browne help make this music both attractive and thought provoking.

Bernie McGann - Ugly Beauty (Spiral Scratch CD, 1991; also on Rufus CD)

After spending almost three decades without an album to his name, McGann has released six albums since 1987, all contenders for classic status.

Ugly Beauty receives the nod, if only because it has been reissued recently. It captures the telepathy of the decades-together McGann Trio, with bassist Lloyd Swanton and drummer John Pochee.

McGann's unique alto sax sound, and his edgy, unpredictable solo flights, make him one of the most original and exciting stylists Australian jazz has produced.

He sounds equally great playing originals, or themes by Parker, Monk and Ellington.

The Necks - Sex (Spiral Scratch CD, 1989)

This trio - pianist Chris Abrahams, bassist Lloyd Swanton, drummer Tony Buck - has not spawned any imitators, but has been influential in demonstrating to the current generation how successfully Australian musicians can develop a style of their own that owes very little to the usual American role models.

In the past decade, they have polished their mesmerising, minimalist approach without straying too far from the blueprint laid down on this 56-minute improvisation epic.

Freeboppers - Fire (Birdland CD, 1994)

A post-Coltrane tenor saxophonist with a huge, buzzing sound and a ferocious yet logical way of building his solos, Mark Simmonds has been an outstanding and influential player in Australian jazz since the late 70s.

That he has mostly been an underground figure is largely a situation of his own making. When he finally recorded an album with his Freeboppers, he made the most of the opportunity.

The two-CD set is full of memorable themes, with inspired playing from Simmonds, trumpeter Scott Tinkler, bassist Steve Elphick and drummer Simon Barker.

[aj]

Thanks kenny........probably a few I'd add on further thought, but I suspect there'll be a few replied along the lines of 'What about so & so' or 'How could you possible leave out'...etc

Birdland's last email-out mentioned their plans to reissue some classic oz CDS.......maybe they'll start with Fire, maybe they'll go for some Charlie Munro, or Jazz Co-op.........

[guest]

AJ, could you give us your listing of the 20 most influential Australian jazz CDs as at today rather than as at five years ago?

[aj]

fair go....isn't that a start ?

[aj]

ps : If you want 'influential', wouldn't it be better to seek input from musicians ? I can guess what's been influential, but they ought to know.

[ironguts]

come on aj, pull the finger out. Who cares what musos think, surely you've been inspired to do something even if its not play! Maybe listening to Morrison inspired you to play cricket, or the Catholics inspired you to go to church, music affects you too doesn't it?

[tinky]

I don't know about most influential albums, to be honest I didn't listen to much ausy stuff when I was younger, but, I know the most influential ausy players in my life.
Of course Mark Simmonds again, no surprise, Greg Sheehan, the brisbane nutters, Elliot Dalgleish, John Rogers and Ken Edie, our own Paul Grabowsky. I'd have to say Simon Barker has been a huge influnce as we've spent so much time working on things together and as such things like Band of Five Names and Showa44 continue to be influential to me.
On the trumpet front its more the associations I have with people that is relevant. The many hours spent with Phil Slater and Paul Williamson and the exchange of ideas has been a huge influence.
I know this may be slightly of track but it may of some interest.

[vickihb2]

I recall being taken to see Pyramid by my parents a few times. I remember they were a big influence on loads of people then. Whatever happened to that band? I moved to the UK so I don't know their history.

[tinky]

I remember seeing Pyramid in tassie and was totally into it ( I was 16 ) . Bobby V is still around and playing great, David H is a famous Film writter, David J we all know and bass, was it Roger McLaughlin??
I had a tape from Jazz Track I think that I listened to heaps, Bobby is a really good trp player, I had a coupla lessons of him when first at VCA.

[isaacs]

Yep, I was a Pyramid fan too. Not just the playing but Hirschfelder's writing. Love Bobby V. but never heard much of him after that except on a few Grabowsky soundtracks and TV themes, and of course in the excellent Tonight Live Vizard band led by Paul. This is ancient history for some of the people around here!

Off topic because I can't be bothered dialling up the other thread, stinking hot weather no excuse. For men closed in shoes and long pants definitely, but I think a very smart T-shirt is acceptable for an outdoor performance. Lots of cotton. This is an area of advantage for women, men have to cover their entire legs and their feet with socks and shoes to be considered dressed up, women can wear a knee-length (or shorter!) skirt/dress, something with wisps of shoulder straps and open shoes and still look the deal. Unfair. And it's even worse in the business world wehere men have to ear a suit as the minimum, or in the entertainment or classical world where a jacket on stage is the minimum for men.

By the way, I'd like to announce that today is my 20th wedding anniversary: weren't we patriotic getting married on Australia Day?