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.

JAZZ OASIS SUPERSEDES GARDEN DISCO

by Eric Myers

Sydney Morning Herald, October 7, 1981

The transformation of the former discotheque Pitt Street Gardens into a jazz venue on Monday night is an exciting experiment for Sydney jazz. The Pitt Street Jazz Club, as it is to be known henceforth, is unquestionably the biggest of its kind in town, holding up to 1,500 people. If successful, it will confound the conventional view that jazz clubs need to be small and intimate…

DAVID LIEBMAN & RICHARD BEIRACH: WORTHY OF A BIGGER AUDIENCE

by Eric Myers

Sydney Morning Herald, October 10, 1981

With so much jazz around Sydney at the moment, there are signs that the available audience is being stretched to its limit. On Tuesday night only 40 people attended the performance at Luke's, given by the American stars David Liebman (soprano saxophone and alto flute) and Richard Beirach (piano). Therefore, many people missed some stunning and unique music, played by two leading virtuosos in American jazz…

CALL FOR A NATIONAL JAZZ BODY

by Eric Myers

Sydney Morning Herald, October 13, 1981

At the first National Jazz Conference held at the jazz club The Cellar in Brisbane on Sunday, some 20 speakers agreed that Australian jazz, if it was to flourish, must "get its act together". Exactly how this might occur in practice was not clear. But some 60 delegates - including jazz musicians, writers, authorities, teachers, promoters and publishers - felt generally that the time was ripe for the disparate elements of the jazz world to form a national body and speak with a united voice…