Post by Kenny on Dec 6, 2003 20:00:59 GMT 10
Way Out West
Charles Street Bar, Seddon, Melbourne
Peter Knight (trumpet)
Dung Nguyen (guitar and a couple of Vietnamese instruments, the names of which I forget)
Ray Pereira (percussion)
Paul Williamson (saxophone)
Howard Cairns (acoustic bass)
Ronny Ferella (drums)
This was a low-key gig, but one filled with immense satisfaction and more than a little emotion - and not just for musical reasons (as good as it was).
As is the way of all big cities, Melbourne's western suburbs - or, more accurately, the inner western suburbs - have been going through a transformation in recent years.
Largely to do, of course, with real estate.
The lower house prices in Footscray, Seddon,Yarraville, West Footscray and other inner-west suburbs has been drawing the sort of artistic types that once gravitated to St Kilda or (a long, long time ago) Carlton.
Having moved there a couple of years ago, I have become quite used to running into jazz celebrities at the supermarket or in Vietnamese soup shops.
Unfortunately, there has been little in the way of live music to reflect these changes.
The Commercial Hotel in Yarraville has blues, the Steampacket Hotel in Williamstown hosts the mighty Louisiana Shakers on Sunday arvos and the Footscray Community Arts Centre has a wide array of artistic endeavours.
But mostly live music has meant a couple of bozos playing bad guitar and even badder cover versions of the Eagles or Jilly Boel. I don't mean bad as in James Brown.
Now - maybe, hopefully, fingers crossed - the Charles Street Bar is poised to change all that.
Run by, I believe, by Tony Knox of Mietta's fame, it started quite a few months back as a regulation restaurant/cafe, but now seems to have changed tack to a straight bar/cafe format with live entertainment.
The food is of the cheese-and-dips platter variety a la Bennetts Lane.
They're having DJs on Fridays and Saturdays, but it's live the rest of the way.
As far as jazz goes, my understanding is they'rehaving, at present, Michelle Nicolle (with Philip Rex and Jex Saarelaht) on Mondays and Peter Knight in a trio, with Frank DiSario and Lucas Michailidis, on Sundays.
Last Thursday's gig by Way Out West was a one-off, but I'm certainly hoping for more.
This was only the band's third gig, despite having been a work in progress for a couple of years. Having released their Footscray Station album, Peter Knight said the band was definitely looking to be playing more often.
The gig? It was magic.
Peter, who lives just a short walk from the venue, was as elated to be playing live in Seddon as he was to be performing with Way Out West.
A comfy crowd of locals (I counted more than 30), including a couple of musos, were likewise obviously rapt to be witnessing such a fine event and such cool music. I hope they keepon coming and don't baulk when/if a door charge is introduced.
The music was just wonderful.
The steady grooves of the album tracks were periodically given a jazz kick by the horns, or by the drums of the very wonderful Ronny Ferella (filling in for original drummer Scott Lambie).
Peter confessed to having a lack of original tunes to perform, so they threw in Bag's Groove and Caravan to round things out.
During Bag's Groove, Dung Nguyen ripped some tasty Wes-style riffs, but it was his playing through the rest of the show that comprehensively buried any lingering doubts I had about the Vietnamese aspect of the Way Out West sound.
He played beautifully right through both sets. As did everyone.
My neighbour Michael was grinning like an idiot.
My colleague and buddy Roger, who is delighted this joint has opened up just a block from where he lives, was bobbing his head (eyes closed) in bliss. His wife dug it all, too.
It was a very cool night.
(BTW, I'm stoked that Way Out West will be performing live on The Pearls, during PBS's live music week, on Monday 15/12, starting soon after 8pm.)
Charles Street Bar, Seddon, Melbourne
Peter Knight (trumpet)
Dung Nguyen (guitar and a couple of Vietnamese instruments, the names of which I forget)
Ray Pereira (percussion)
Paul Williamson (saxophone)
Howard Cairns (acoustic bass)
Ronny Ferella (drums)
This was a low-key gig, but one filled with immense satisfaction and more than a little emotion - and not just for musical reasons (as good as it was).
As is the way of all big cities, Melbourne's western suburbs - or, more accurately, the inner western suburbs - have been going through a transformation in recent years.
Largely to do, of course, with real estate.
The lower house prices in Footscray, Seddon,Yarraville, West Footscray and other inner-west suburbs has been drawing the sort of artistic types that once gravitated to St Kilda or (a long, long time ago) Carlton.
Having moved there a couple of years ago, I have become quite used to running into jazz celebrities at the supermarket or in Vietnamese soup shops.
Unfortunately, there has been little in the way of live music to reflect these changes.
The Commercial Hotel in Yarraville has blues, the Steampacket Hotel in Williamstown hosts the mighty Louisiana Shakers on Sunday arvos and the Footscray Community Arts Centre has a wide array of artistic endeavours.
But mostly live music has meant a couple of bozos playing bad guitar and even badder cover versions of the Eagles or Jilly Boel. I don't mean bad as in James Brown.
Now - maybe, hopefully, fingers crossed - the Charles Street Bar is poised to change all that.
Run by, I believe, by Tony Knox of Mietta's fame, it started quite a few months back as a regulation restaurant/cafe, but now seems to have changed tack to a straight bar/cafe format with live entertainment.
The food is of the cheese-and-dips platter variety a la Bennetts Lane.
They're having DJs on Fridays and Saturdays, but it's live the rest of the way.
As far as jazz goes, my understanding is they'rehaving, at present, Michelle Nicolle (with Philip Rex and Jex Saarelaht) on Mondays and Peter Knight in a trio, with Frank DiSario and Lucas Michailidis, on Sundays.
Last Thursday's gig by Way Out West was a one-off, but I'm certainly hoping for more.
This was only the band's third gig, despite having been a work in progress for a couple of years. Having released their Footscray Station album, Peter Knight said the band was definitely looking to be playing more often.
The gig? It was magic.
Peter, who lives just a short walk from the venue, was as elated to be playing live in Seddon as he was to be performing with Way Out West.
A comfy crowd of locals (I counted more than 30), including a couple of musos, were likewise obviously rapt to be witnessing such a fine event and such cool music. I hope they keepon coming and don't baulk when/if a door charge is introduced.
The music was just wonderful.
The steady grooves of the album tracks were periodically given a jazz kick by the horns, or by the drums of the very wonderful Ronny Ferella (filling in for original drummer Scott Lambie).
Peter confessed to having a lack of original tunes to perform, so they threw in Bag's Groove and Caravan to round things out.
During Bag's Groove, Dung Nguyen ripped some tasty Wes-style riffs, but it was his playing through the rest of the show that comprehensively buried any lingering doubts I had about the Vietnamese aspect of the Way Out West sound.
He played beautifully right through both sets. As did everyone.
My neighbour Michael was grinning like an idiot.
My colleague and buddy Roger, who is delighted this joint has opened up just a block from where he lives, was bobbing his head (eyes closed) in bliss. His wife dug it all, too.
It was a very cool night.
(BTW, I'm stoked that Way Out West will be performing live on The Pearls, during PBS's live music week, on Monday 15/12, starting soon after 8pm.)
