Eric Myers Jazz

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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

JAZZ THAT MAKES YOU GO WOW!

CLAYTON DOLEY & THE FLASHY DASHBACKS ORGAN TRIO

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Interface Blue

Four stars

Published in the Weekend Australian, August 31, 2024

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I’m aware of two organ trio albums featuring the durable collaboration between Hammond B3 virtuoso Clayton Doley and guitarist Tim Rollinson: Undertones in December 2022; and Fun Times Ahead in April 2023. In both of those instances, Doley was a sideman. This new album, with Doley as leader, is a companion-piece, built once again on the considerable strengths which the B3 organ brings to small group jazz, including the groovy sound of the keyboard bass which Doley provides with his left-hand on the lower manual of the console. Seven compositions are played here, six by Doley, who in recent years has become known on the rock and pop circuit by backing artists such as Jimmy Barnes and his daughter, Elly-May. I was worried by the relatively big sound of Doley’s bass lines compared to the extremely hip sound balance of the two aforementioned albums. This is a minor quibble, however, given that otherwise this is a faultless exhibition of the art of the organ trio by Doley and Rollinson plus new recruit, the outstanding drummer Daniel Melillian Zavata, recently arrived from Chile. This is optimistic and uncomplicated music, beautifully played; a brilliant example of feel-good jazz.

Eric Myers

JAZZ

AJAR

CHUTNEY

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Independent

Four-and-a-half stars

Published in the Weekend Australian, September 7, 2024

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Klezmer, a resilient genre derived from the folk music of Jewish Eastern Europe, goes back to the 16th century, its primary elements being dance tunes, ritual melodies, and virtuosic improvisations played at weddings and other social functions. Chutney’s extraordinary album Ajar captures beautifully the essentials of the genre, primarily high spirits and passionate feelings. Chutney is an extraordinary sextet including Ben Adler (violin, keyboards), Paul Khodor (piano, keyboards, tuba), Ralph Marshall (electric bass, upright bass, Moog, keyboards), Yiss Mill (percussion), Cameron Reid (drums), Ben Samuels (clarinets & saxophone). Most sing background vocals, and double on percussion. There are three guest singers: Doron Chester, Ilan Kidron and Sarit Michael. 13 tracks include four traditional tunes superbly arranged, plus six originals. What impressed me most was how brilliantly the band has “klezmerised” the works of composers such as Nino Rota, Duke Ellington and Beethoven. There are many highlights, but the closing track, a marvellous arrangement of that memorable song from Fiddler On The Roof, To Life, sung by Doron Chester, is remarkable.

Eric Myers

JAZZ/WORLD

EMPTY VOICES

HAMED SADEGHI

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Independent

Four-and-a-half stars

Published in the Weekend Australian, September 14, 2024

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Empty Voices is not a jazz album, even though six brilliant Sydney jazz musicians are present. The album has a Middle Eastern flavour, and it’s that ambience – simple, laid-back, subtle, intimate – which is the album’s most endearing quality. In eight compositions composed and arranged by himself, Hamed Sadeghi is playing the Persian tar, an instrument from the lute family mostly played in Iran and surrounding countries. The backing musicians primarily supply a lovely bed of sound underneath Sadeghi’s virtuosic playing. Still, the flavour of Western jazz also appears in Sadeghi’s soundscape, courtesy of beautiful solos by Sandy Evans (saxophones), Lloyd Swanton (bass), Paul Cutlan (bass clarinet), Michael Avgenicos (alto saxophone), Tom Avgenicos (trumpet) and Adem Yilmaz (percussion). This album is a compelling journey and needs to be absorbed in its entirety. This is not an album where you listen to the first track to decide whether you like the music or not. As in all serious music, you need to come to it in order to fully experience its exquisite beauty.

Eric Myers