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. As from October 21, 2025, the magazine Review was replaced by another magazine entitled Culture. From that date reviews by Eric Myers appeared either online in The Weekend Australian or as Album of The Week in the magazine Culture.
JAZZ
50 Years of Jazztrack: Studio Sessions by Various Artists
ABC Jazz
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Published online in the Weekend Australian’s Culture magazine on May 2, 2026.
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In 2026 ABC Jazz celebrates 50 years of its flagship radio program Jazztrack. An indispensable outlet, chronicling the development of Australian jazz over half a century, it began in 1976, compered by Jim McLeod. Since 2014 it’s been presented by Mal Stanley. 19 tracks have been selected and re-mastered by Stanley, whose main difficulty was not what performances to choose, but what to leave out. I could wax lyrical about virtually every track. I’ve chosen to mention three highlights, which particularly caught my attention: Barney McAll’s solo piano reading of Wayne Shorter’s The Albatross (1994); Sandy Evans’ composition Hand in Hand (2011) recorded with an all-star sextet; and Kristin Berardi’s astonishing redefinition of the Rodgers & Hart standard, Where or When with a drummer-less quartet (2013). This is a comprehensive documentation of the extraordinary creativity and individuality of Australian jazz musicians who’ve created a jazz culture unique in the world today. Other than those already mentioned look out for the works of Paul Grabowsky (1995); Andrea Keller (2005); Mike Nock (2006), and a host of other distinguished musicians too numerous to list.
★★★★½
Eric Myers
JAZZ
Something Borrowed Something Blue by The Pocket Trio;
Independent
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Published online in the Weekend Australian’s Culture magazine on May 9, 2026.
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The Pocket Trio, one of the most talented groups to emerge in Sydney for several years, includes pianist Andrew Scott, bassist Max Alduca and drummer Tim Geldens. On this great album they accompany four excellent singers, each of whom is on two tracks: Kate Wadey, Tilly Street, Edo Santoni and Monica Trapaga. Scott has composed one original tune with each of them. Otherwise, each singer presents a well-known standard: Richard Rodgers’ Loads of Love (Wadey); Gershwin’s Who Cares? (Street); the Mingus classic Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (Santoni); and another Gershwin tune Fascinating Rhythm (Trapaga). The ninth track is Scott’s original, entitled Let’s Get Wet. The only track without a vocal, it features to great effect Scott’s brilliant piano style. One highlight of the album is the track Inside Blues, sung by the legendary Trapaga. Her vibrant personality is well captured here, where the whimsical catchcry is “life is for livin’, so take your ass outside”. Another major highlight, sung beautifully by Street, is the ballad I Didn’t Do That Thing Today with perceptive lyrics exploring a concept, hitherto unknown to me, called “productivity guilt”.
★★★★★
Eric Myers
JAZZ
The Modern Ark by Jake Mason Trio
Soul Messin’ Records
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Published online in the Weekend Australian’s Culture magazine on May 16, 2026.
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I can’t speak highly enough of this lovely album from the Hammond B3 organist, Melbourne’s Jake Mason. He has chosen his two accompanists well: the excellent drummer Danny Fischer, who’s doing everything right – his sophistication is a memorable aspect of the album – and ex-Brisbane guitarist James Sherlock, whose lyricism colours the music throughout. Mason is not only an excellent instrumental composer (there are ten of his interesting originals here, exploring a variety of time-feels) but also a talented songwriter. He has done well to enlist the services of two great singers in the world today: American Kurt Elling, who sings the album’s title track, and Australia’s Kate Ceberano, who sings Mason’s beautiful ballad Stop Searching For Love. These singers immensely increase the album’s appeal. The left-hand bass lines played by organists on the Hammond’s lower keyboard are generally a legitimate replacement for electric or double bassists, but I believe that Mason’s lines here have the grooviest sound I’ve heard for a long time. It’s difficult to imagine a better album than this highly thoughtful work, which has so much going for it.
★★★★½
Eric Myers