JAZZ ALBUM REVIEWS IN THE AUSTRALIAN
In September, 2017 Eric Myers commenced reviewing jazz albums in the Review supplement of The Weekend Australian. All reviews in this folder are written by Myers.
JAZZ
OUR MAN IN MOSS VALE
ANDREW ROBERTSON
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Independent
Four stars
Published in the Weekend Australian, March 27, 2021
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This album consists of straight-ahead bop-oriented mainstream modern jazz, beautifully played by a quintet of highly skilled Australian professionals. Robertson (saxophones & flute) and Simon Ferenci (trumpet) are fluent players without greatly pushing boundaries, although Robertson’s work has enough hints of decadence to create much interest throughout. They are bolstered by one of the country’s great rhythm sections, giving the album rare distinction: pianist John Harkins, bassist Brendan Clarke and drummer Andrew Dickeson. Seven tracks are standards, imaginatively arranged, including the Dexter Gordon classic Fried Bananas, plus two well-written originals by Robertson. Two tracks are enhanced by string quartet backing. Two bonus tracks not mentioned on the album sleeve are Dave Brubeck’s In Your Own Sweet Way and the evergreen After You’ve Gone. Listen for the brilliant Harkins; his every solo is a gem.
Eric Myers
JAZZ
THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS
STU HUNTER
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Independent
Four stars
Published in the Weekend Australian, April 3, 2021
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The Australian Stu Hunter, best-known for orchestral suites dealing with large themes, such as The Migration and The Gathering, has chosen solo piano to ventilate a new theme: love and family. His music generally doesn’t reflect post-Bill Evans modern jazz piano. Instead Hunter locates his music on another level entirely, revealing a unique and completely individual personality, oriented not so much to the art of pianism, but more to the articulation of strong compositional ideas. On solid ground here, he often uses repetitive figures in the left hand, while his right hand delivers technically accomplished flights of the imagination. His rhythmic ideas suggest rock influences, while his liking for Monk-like dissonance is tempered throughout by lyricism and melodic beauty. I sense a steely determination underlying the music which has enabled Hunter to produce an intriguing album.
Eric Myers
JAZZ
MY TRIO ALBUM
JAMES BOWERS
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Earshift Music
Five stars
Published in the Weekend Australian, April 10, 2021
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This music had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. A mere debut work normally does not contain such brilliance, successfully ticking so many essential boxes. Recorded in Tokyo with Australian expatriate bassist Marty Holoubek and Japanese drummer Shun Ishiwaka, it establishes Melbourne-based pianist James Bowers as a major talent. In eight original compositions, and a surreal version of Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Bowers, with virtuosic aplomb, blazes his way through virtually every aspect of contemporary modern jazz piano. In a Monk-like composition entitled Why Not? for example, he disposes of the immortal swing-feel with swaggering nonchalance. Listen for earth-shattering bursts of atonalism, complex compositions with odd time signatures, ballads with gentle melodic beauty, and far-out sections which push into the avant-garde. This amazing album has just about everything.
Eric Myers