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.
Laurie Bennett
LAURIE BENNETT AND COMPANY DELIVER AN ALL-STAR TREAT
by Eric Myers
Sydney Morning Herald, May 6, 1982
The all-star gathering at the Musicians' Club on Tuesday night showed once again that, by taking musicians out of their ordinary playing situations and throwing them together in an old-style jam session, a great deal of satisfying music is produced. This performance was not the competitive, no-holds-barred affair that jam sessions can be. Instead it was a relaxed and beautifully played concert, showing that our top modern jazz musicians can deliver the goods…
Barry Duggan
RETURN OF THE WILD MEN
by Eric Myers
Sydney Morning Herald, May 12, 1982
The reopening of the Jazzbah, with jazz on Friday and Saturday nights, sees the re-emergence of three of the so-called "wild men of Sydney jazz." Barry Duggan, one of the foremost exponents of the alto saxophone in this country, is one of those brilliant players who gets heaps of critical acclaim in Sydney, but little employment. When he began playing at the opening night of the Jazzbah last Friday, he was flying from the first note, playing fluent, dazzling bebop-inspired solos. His style encapsulates the Charlie Parker legacy in one of its purest forms…
The Benders
JAZZ IN SYDNEY
by Eric Myers
JAMM Magazine, June, 1982
The Paradise Jazz Cellar, found amongst the strip joints and junk food shops in the middle of Sydney's Kings Cross, is fast becoming the local in-place for freewheeling, uncompromising jazz on most nights of the week. The groups who perform there seem to suffer from no commercial qualms—they play what they want, and unlike other jazz venues in this city, where people go primarily to talk and socialise, the audiences are beginning to listen intently, as if the music matters. Leading this resurgence is Dale Barlow and his group The Benders, the regular Thursday night band. A full-blooded, hard-bop quartet, this group has a solid repertoire of classic jazz standards, including compositions by Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, Mal Waldron and others who epitomise the African American jazz tradition…