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.
Mark O’Connor
MARK O’CONNOR: VIRTUOSO OF HIGH-ENERGY SOUND
by Eric Myers
The Australian, February 2, 1984
It says something for the blurring of categories of contemporary improvised music that there is now a so-called "bluegrass/jazz fusion" movement in the United States. The old categories are being dissipated chiefly through the assault on them by brilliant young musicians who borrow unself-consciously from all areas of music. On Tuesday night Sydney had the chance to hear one such eclectic artist, the 22-year-old American violinist and guitarist Mark O'Connor. O'Connor has been associated with a number of idioms — country music, jazz, rock, bluegrass, even an idiom which has been picturesquely described as "dawg music". But his performance at The Basement had more than just sectional appeal. It was for all people who appreciate great music, whatever the idiom; there is no disguising a master musician…
Warren Daly
WARREN DALY'S BIG BAND SWINGS IRRESISTIBLY
by Eric Myers
The Australian, February 9, 1984
Since drummer Warren Daly and trombonist Ed Wilson broke up, ending the famous Daly-Wilson Big Band, many have been wondering what lay in store for both men. This performance shows that Daly, who has dominated Australian big band jazz for over 15 years, will not be missing Wilson. For him it is straight ahead with more of the same. The performance could only be regarded as a marvellous demonstration of swinging, big-band jazz, for precision, power and musical feeling…
Maggie Nichols
FREE IMPROVISATION CHALLENGES CONVENTIONAL MODES OF PERCEPTION
by Eric Myers
The Australian, March 8, 1984
This concert was an interesting spectacle in that it placed four free improvisers, all known and active internationally, before a local audience more used to middle-of-the-road modern jazz. The English vocalist Maggie Nichols appeared in the company of Australia's Jon Rose (violin and cello), the Pole Richard Ratajczak (double bass) and from Holland Marcel Cyupers (piano and soprano saxophone). Basic to free improvisation is dispensing with the harmonic, melodic and rhythmic conventions of Western music, which means that such a performance can often be incomprehensible to some audiences. This performance, however, had its great pleasures and was only intermittently dull, with Maggie Nichols providing a central focus…