Eric Myers Jazz

ERIC MYERS REVIEWS 1980-87

Eric Myers was the Sydney Morning Herald’s inaugural jazz critic, his first review appearing on February 2, 1980. This folder contains reviews and articles written by Myers up to his resignation in 1982. Text published in the newspaper is reproduced here, with the addition of photographs which may or may not have appeared in the newspaper. In 1983 Myers moved to The Australian, where he was that paper’s jazz critic, until he resigned towards the end of 1987.  His reviews for that newspaper appear also in this folder. Articles which appeared in other publications are included here, if they serve to document the performances of Australian jazz musicians. Readers can click on the INDEX button for a list of reviews or articles in this folder.

JACK ALLAN KATZENJAMMERS 80: QUARTET SENDS GOOD FEELINGS

by Eric Myers

Sydney Morning Herald, July 28, 1980

Those who are familiar with local films and television will know Jack Allan, 50, as one of Australia's leading character actors. But it is not widely known, outside musical circles, that he has been an outstanding pianist active, on and off, in Sydney jazz for some 30 years. Jack Allan has always called his band The Katzenjammers (the cats and jammers, get it?)…

JOHN HOFFMAN BIG BAND: AN EVENING OF IMPECCABLE SOLOS

by Eric Myers

Sydney Morning Herald, July 31, 1980

Last Sunday night at The Basement was a memorable and exceptional evening of big band music. It was also a manifestation of the great depth of talent among jazz musicians in Sydney today. The 16-piece John Hoffman Big Band primarily consists of greatly experienced Sydney professional musicians, either veterans of recording and television work, or well-known stalwarts of the jazz world…

JOHN McCARTHY QUARTET: MISSING BASS POSES PROBLEM

by Eric Myers

Sydney Morning Herald, August 8, 1980

A jazz group which functions without a bass player poses a problem for the listener. In such a group, something is needed to compensate for the lack of warmth in the lower registers of the sound. When I heard the John McCarthy Quartet at the St James on Friday, I felt initially that Chris Taparell (piano) and Laurie Thompson (drums), who usually work with the bassist Wally Wickham, had not sufficiently adjusted their playing to cope with the absence of bass. But this was the case only when the listener was a long way from the stage…