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
WILDFIRE
WILBUR WHITTA
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ABC Jazz
Four-and-a-half stars
Published in the Weekend Australian, June 15, 2024
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Wilbur Whitta has come to notice lately through performances by the legendary ensemble Ten Part Invention, where he has succeeded brilliantly in the group’s demanding piano chair. From Canberra, and somewhat unknown in Australia, he is perhaps better-known in the UK where he studied at the Royal Academy of Music and, in 2019, received a Dankworth prize for jazz composition. His extraordinary talent is confirmed here with the quartet Wildfire performing nine of his compositions, played with absolute authority and conviction. Whitta is joined by Tom Avgenicos (trumpet), Jack Stoneham (alto saxophone) and Alex Inman-Hislop (drums). Wildfire has no bassist, a highly unusual choice. While this is not debilitating, I believe the music sounds much warmer when, on three tracks, Whitta plays keyboard bass on synthesiser. In a refreshing innovation Stoneham employs a very broad vibrato in several places, unusual for a saxophonist of his generation. This album continues the fascination amongst relatively young Australian musicians with free jazz, but the free improvisations here are well-balanced by extremely interesting composed material.
Eric Myers
JAZZ
ANATOMICAL HEART
ERIK GRISWOLD HELEN SVOBODA CHLOE KIM
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Earshift Music
Three-and-a-half stars
Published in the Weekend Australian, June 22, 2024
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I have reservations about the music of free improvisers, simply because, in the name of freedom, they often do away with core elements in jazz that are essential to the music’s appeal. I may be misguided, but whenever I hear a jazz group, I am listening for the familiar as much as I’m listening for the original. The music on Anatomical Heart featuring Erik Griswold (prepared piano), Helen Svoboda (contrabass) and Chloe Kim (drums & percussion) is not far removed from the conventional piano, bass & drums set-up, which has long underpinned jazz. This conceptual framework helped me find a way into the music, which I concede has moments of brilliance, although I find Griswold’s playing generally indifferent. The three musicians spent a week in April 2023 in secluded surroundings on the Australian east coast, rehearsing and recording. The music therefore reflects a certain amount of preparation, which arguably sacrifices the spontaneity essential to free jazz. The eight tracks are interesting, but I cannot report that I found the music particularly inspiring.
Eric Myers
Eric Myers writes (27/6/24): On Wed June 26 I received the following email from Erik Griswold in relation to this review. I reproduce it in full here. Erik writes: “Dear Eric, Thanks for your coverage of the recent Anatomical Heart release. I'm a little confused by the emphasis on "free jazz" since that was not a major influence on this project. In particular, you say you are missing "familiar" elements, however the first piece is a simplified blues form, with recurring motifs, and the second piece is a ballad in A-flat major. Most of the remaining pieces have similarly clear structures. I don't mind whether you like my piano playing or not, however I think you failed to recognize key details of the recording.”