Eyeing the future
Canberra Jazz blog - Thu 18 Jun 2026
Wesley runs a music scholars program.  I don't know much about the services it offers, but I do see the scholars once or twice a year and when they perform and I record and it's always quite fascinating.  This time was five performers of various instruments playing a range of musics, ev... ... More...

Never wearied
Canberra Jazz blog - Tue 16 Jun 2026
It's their 45th anniversary concert tour and CD and these are masters and seasoned of our jazz craft so it's so surprise that this was such a deeply satisfying gig to attend.  Sure, we see them in smaller groups but to hear the compositions, the solos, the personalities, the arrangements of ... ... More...

Just how good
Canberra Jazz blog - Mon 15 Jun 2026
Best composition?  I wondered about that but it's a stupid question, especially given my limited knowledge, but my favourite work?  I think so.  I've listed every classical piece I've performed in concert (now 506 with some repeats) and it includes Beethoven 3,4,5,6,7 and plenty mo... ... More...

Salut
Canberra Jazz blog - Sun 14 Jun 2026
Salut can mean both hi and bye in French and it's a greeting between family and friends so it's apt for Salut! Baroque, partly for the intriguing invitations to the musics of composers or places or purposes that S!B explore in their programming and explain in their programs.  This concert wa... ... More...

Songs of lament and reflection
Canberra Jazz blog - Fri 12 Jun 2026
They advise The Elegy Project is "a contemporary chamber music ensemble blending classical, jazz and folk".  It's strange, yes, but beautiful and deeply satisfying.  Think a vocal dectet (a nonet on this day) singing Megan Washington or Lonely woman by Horace Silver and Leonard Feather,... ... More...

Plucks
Canberra Jazz blog - Thu 11 Jun 2026
Alice Giles introduced this concert by observing that the instruments being played, harp and guitar, are both plucked but they sound quite different given the structures of the instruments themselves.  The guitar has its strings (usually 6) over the soundboard; the harp has strings (6 octave... ... More...

A cousin reads
Canberra Jazz blog - Sun 7 Jun 2026
I was at a family event and talking reading with cousin Licette and got an invitation to her presentation at the State Library the next day.  This was a monthly Tuesday Talk of the Friends of the State Library of South Australia and Licette was talking of influential books in her life. ... ... More...

Where's this now?
Canberra Jazz blog - Sun 7 Jun 2026
I missed a busy Euro day in Canberra with two jazz duets the previous weekend so I was happy to see at least one of the duos were featured with a full 2-set performance at COMA in Adelaide.  Suffice to say this was a stunner.  The duo was Reinier Baas and Ben van Gelder, guitar and alto... ... More...

Gremlins not
Canberra Jazz blog - Sun 7 Jun 2026
A pub with a flying saucer hovering over: another boho venue, this time in Adelaide's city centre and with a weekly jazz jam.  I took my e-bass and the crowd and the space was fairly small.  The full range of Coopers on tap.  I drank dark.  Then the host band started and they ... ... More...

Descend to COMA
Canberra Jazz blog - Sun 7 Jun 2026
COMA seems to always have two sets with two ensembles, mostly jazzy but sometimes exploratory classical.  Presumably with frequent connection to the Elder Con.  But it can feature others, including various Euro musicians coming to Smiths Alt in coming weeks.  Nice. And these nights... ... More...