JOHN CLARE
This section is dedicated to the work of John Clare, who began writing in the early 70s, and has long been regarded as the doyen of Australian jazz writers. Helen Garner, in her preface to Clare's book Take Me Higher, describes how she used to cut out his writings under his Gail Brennan pseudonym and paste them into her diary. Originally she thought the articles were written by a woman. She describes his writing as "superbly literate and articulate, deeply informed, yet completely ordinary in tone, even at their most elated. A relaxed freedom flowed through everything he wrote. He was fearless. He rejoices. He celebrated. Years later, an art critic who admired him said to me: John Clare’s an ecstatic.” Many of John Clare's articles that were published previously in various publications are collected here. Click on the INDEX button for a list of articles in this folder.
Adrian Mears
TEN PART INVENTION: FIVE PARTS INVENTED
by Gail Brennan/John Clare
Sydney Bowlers Club, February 11
Music by Mike Nock, Col Loughnan, Adrian Mears
Sydney Morning Herald, February 14, 1992 It may seem that we review John Pochée's Ten Part Invention every six months. It is only a little less than that, but the Sydney Symphony Orchestra is reviewed quite often, too. After all, Ten Part Invention is the only ensemble as large as ten pieces that exists solely for the performance of new Australian jazz compositions. It now has 50 commissioned works in its repertoire. On Tuesday night a large and very appreciative audience heard new music by Mike Nock, Colin Loughnan and Adrian Mears, in a concert organised by the Jazz Action Society…
John Pochée with friends Jimmy Shaw (left) & David Goodman (right)
POCHÉE & FRIENDS
by Gail Brennan/John Clare
Official Program of the Sydney International Jazz Festival, March, 1992
Drummer and bandleader John Pochée has been described as one of the great spirits of our time. What precisely does this mean? It means many things to those who know him as a driving force behind the drums, an unflagging spirit behind diverse musical projects, and a man of unusual energy and generosity who has encouraged young talent and dragged the old out of hibernation. Like his long-term musical associate, Bernie McGann, he is very difficult to categorise. Both have developed styles and methods so singular that they bridge the mainstream of modern jazz and the avant-garde. Self-taught but an excellent reader, Pochée is right-handed but plays a left-handed drum kit. There is really nothing very orthodox about him…
THE STARTING POINT FOR A COLLECTION
by Gail Brennan/John Clare
The Guide, Sydney Morning Herald, April 18, 1994
In 1989, the rhythm section of Ten Part Invention toured Russia as The Engine Room. Roger Frampton then wrote his Jazznost Suite, which, as this CD movingly demonstrates, is a much greater thing than the pun might suggest. My favourite section is The Long Journey, inspired by the rail ride from Kazan to Moscow. There are no train imitations here, except for a passage of displaced rhythms which uncannily summons up the bumping and veering of coupled carriages. This is an evocation of an endless night (not too literal at eight and a half minutes), of momentum, insomnia and anticipation. Sandy Evans's tenor saxophone soars at one point, goads, and then ties itself into knots of impatience…