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 text of articles published in the newspaper up to Myers’s resignation in 1982. Photographs which may or may not have appeared in the newspaper have been added. From 1983 Myers was The Australian’s jazz critic until his resignation in 1987. His reviews for that newspaper also appear in this folder. Articles which appeared in other publications are also included, if they serve to document the performances of Australian jazz musicians. Headings which appeared in the newspapers were always written by sub-editors. The most excruciating of them have been modified, but mostly they are reproduced as they appeared in newspapers. Readers can click on the INDEX button for a list of reviews or articles in this folder.

MOE KOFFMAN: A TASTE OF CANADA'S JAZZ

by Eric Myers

Sydney Morning Herald, March 25, 1980

The Moe Koffman Quintet's performance at The Basement on Sunday night was seriously handicapped by two factors: a fight against sound-balance problems, which were not entirely smoothed out by the sound technician; and an oppressively loud drummer, Claude Ranger, whose volume never fell below mezzo-forte. This is not to say that the concert was a failure…

JIM KELLY: SEARCHER AND EXPLORER

by Eric Myers

Sydney Morning Herald, March 26, 1980

I believe that Australian jazz artists, as products of our own culture, often have more relevant things to say than the much-lauded American players who are arriving with some regularity these days. One such player is the guitarist Jim Kelly. He has the capacity, shared with the best rock players, to enable the electric guitar to sing majestically over the top of a high-energy, rocking rhythm section in full flight. Yet he also shares with jazz guitarists the ability to produce iconoclastic improvisations, with angular phrases and dissonances, which suggest that he is not merely a happy rock 'n' roller but also a searcher and an explorer…

ERROL BUDDLE: RARE QUALITY

by Eric Myers

Sydney Morning Herald, March 29, 1980

When I first came to Sydney in the early 1960s, the three great names in jazz were said to be Don Burrows, John Sangster and Errol Buddle. Since that time, John Sangster has become immersed in composing and rarely gives live performances. Don Burrows, of course, has achieved unprecedented popularity for a jazz musician, plays only large concerts, and is now heavily involved in jazz education as director of the jazz studies program at the Conservatorium of Music. The remaining member of this distinguished trio, Errol Buddle, is the only one who can be heard at a regular live venue in Sydney…