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[Excerpt from: Funk, Joanna. SabahSongs: Contemporary Music in Sabah. Kota Kinabalu: Opus Publications, 2013. 168-173. Print.] Blame It On My Youth Guitarist Joe Ravo grew up in the Bronx and loved music before he really realised it. “When I was a kid, we used to go to my uncle’s house in the holidays. I was … Continue reading The Johnny Rodgers Band
My take on this fabulous metal-jazz big band, originally published in Scenestr. http://scenestr.com.au/music/valtozash-brisbane-review-crowbar-20171221 Valtozash, Brisbane’s 17-piece jazz-metal big band, headlined X-Mess II at Crowbar in Fortitude Valley (20 December). They crammed onto the stage and brutalised us with an onslaught of their very, very loud, maniacal humour. Bandleader Andre Bonetti said: “We are the largest … Continue reading Valtozash Brisbane Review @ Crowbar
In the late eighties, my mind was deliriously shot to pieces by the maniacal brilliance of a group of London jazz musicians called Loose Tubes, under the mirthful goading of their band leader, enfant terrible Django Bates. Today, I am listening to Iron Maiden Voyage, the new EP by metal jazz big band Valtozash, and … Continue reading Iron Maiden Voyage, Valtozash EP review
Here is the link to Chris Poulsen Trio published in Scenestr magazine.
[Originally published in Scenestr] How sweet it was to be blown away by the sheer exuberance of the Chris Poulsen Trio on Friday (June 17) at the Brisbane Jazz Club. With Poulsen on keyboards/synth, Jeremy O’Connor on electric bass and ukulele bass, and Dan Smith on drums, these musicians delivered a stellar night to a … Continue reading Chris Poulsen Trio at Brisbane Jazz Club
Originally published in Scenestr. Valtozash Bigband appeared at the Brisbane Jazz Club (8 April) as Gregorian monks, on a smoky stage set against the magnificent city skyline. They opened the first set with a metal take on Herbie Hancock’s jazz standard ‘Maiden Voyage’. Valtozash played ‘Iron Maiden Voyage’ with a canon fire of the signature … Continue reading Valtozash at Brisbane Jazz Club
Here’s the review in Scenestr.
It was still daylight and there was a queue outside the Brisbane Jazz Club on Annie Street, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane. Full house then? I asked.
Hungarian clarinettist Joe Fritz’s tone is the cream on an Irish coffee in winter. He plays melodies which weave in-and-out and break your heart with their unpredictable prettiness. He was at the Brisbane Jazz Club playing the music of Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, and plenty of driving, straight-ahead jazz. His sidemen were sublime. A tight … Continue reading Joe Fritz and his All Stars at BJC review
Their horns assault you with a stabbing dissonance. An electric guitar invades your mind with frenzied brilliance, then wails like a banshee. Bass guitar and drums build that sound of despair, the relentless thudding eventually impales your heart.
Everyone has heroes. Jazz pianist Jeff Usher’s is the maverick genius Thelonious Monk. The uncompromising quirkiness of Monk’s music just blew Usher away.
