ESSAYS

This section includes essays on various jazz subjects, written by a number of writers. Contributions are welcome. Writers interested in contributing are welcome to contact the editor by filling out the form in the CONTACT tab. Photographs to illustrate those essays are welcome. Readers can click on the INDEX button for a list of articles in this folder.

BOB BARNARD: A JAZZ MASTER WITH NO EQUAL

by Jim Cullum

September, 2018

The iconic Bob Barnard, now well into his 80s, is a jazz master with no equal.  He climbed to this pinnacle early in his career and has held this exalted position for over 60 years. Considering his pre-eminence, it may seem odd that, with the exception of Australian jazz enthusiasts and niche fans around the world, Bob was not better known…

RON FALSON: CRASH HOT JAZZ PLAYERS

Compiled by Eric Myers

Excerpts from John Sharpe’s books “Don’t Worry Baby, They’ll Swing Their Arses Off: The Stories of Australian Jazz Musicians” & "I Wanted To Be a Jazz Musician”.

There are a million stories about John Sangster. He, at one stage in his career, had a very strange little car, a three-wheeler, which he called a Humphreymobile, or something, after a cartoon character in America. It was very small but John used to get around in it with his tymps, drum gear and things in the back. One day it stopped…

THE COLTRANE PROJECT AT FOUNDRY 616

by Ian Muldoon

Foundry 616, July 6, 2019

This programme consisted of five works performed in two sections. The first section opened with a duo improvised performance by Toby Hall and Paul Cutlan mining late Coltrane with a distinct nod to drummer Rashied Ali; followed by the only original composition of the night, Three Channels by Sandy Evans; then Ole (John Coltrane) and concluding the first half, Dahomeny Dance (Coltrane) the former by a septet, the latter by all members of the band, both compositions being from the Atlantic album Ole. The second half of the evening was dedicated to the performance of a single piece, Ascension, which was recorded by Coltrane in July 1965…