Many men
Canberra Jazz blog - Sat 15 Aug 2026
This was the Canberra Men's Choir in its 40th anniversary year singing in Wesley and slightly amusingly directed by a woman.  But so what.  The voices are what we come to hear, this close harmony from male voices, TTBB (Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Baritone, Bass) so also pretty close and rich eve... ... More...

Exotic jam
Canberra Jazz blog - Thu 13 Aug 2026
I got to another Smiths jazz jam and the host band was playing a cute tune/song in Cantonese called Eyes on me from the computer game Final Fantasy VIII.  Suffice to say I didn't know it but there were sounds of recognition through the room.  Then a renowned pop hit Sukiyaki, originally... ... More...

Play it again
Canberra Jazz blog - Tue 11 Aug 2026
This was a fascinating choral outing, perhaps limited in theme and definitely in lyrics but consistent and varied in style and periods.  This was a concert by the Llewellyn Choir under Rowan Harvey-Martin with accompaniment from Anthony Smith and the content was 9 versions of Dona Nobis Pace... ... More...

Astonishments
Canberra Jazz blog - Mon 10 Aug 2026
There was something very Japanese about Mitsuru Tabata and Shoji Hano performed at Smiths, single minded, committed, excellent, but also connected in joy.  It's not an image we think of but it's what I saw well enough in Japan when there for a few weeks.  Very busy so that's a first ima... ... More...

In our veins
Canberra Jazz blog - Sun 9 Aug 2026
I heard only hours later on BBC World Service a passing comment that there are more punk bands and the like now than in the '70s/'80s when it all happened and also that those old punks are still pogoing.  It was something like that for band and audience when Fowl Weather Vein played at Smith... ... More...

Dalla Sicilia
Canberra Jazz blog - Sat 8 Aug 2026
We don't hear music like this too often, meaning authentic performers from Sicily or otherwise, but we did this night, upstairs, in the bar, at Smiths.  It was a small gathering, Fabio and Barbara were travelling and performing in various cities, with daughter Adele who sat in for the final ... ... More...

Miro and Miles
Canberra Jazz blog - Fri 7 Aug 2026
Miro returned for Geoff at Smiths and we got what we love, his tuneful glorious tunes, his fabulous players, his good understated good cheer and this time there were extras.  Firstly up a second set with a dedication to Miles to celebrate the anniversary of Miles' birthday (26 May 1926) play... ... More...

Kingslanders
Canberra Jazz blog - Thu 6 Aug 2026
We heard a few CSO Kingsland Fellows before but not a feast of them as in this concert: flute, violin, trombone, accompanied by piano.  It is a good thing to see our local symphony orchestra offering this positions, it being an opportunity to develop and test yourself, I guess, amongst the p... ... More...

Jampacked
Canberra Jazz blog - Wed 5 Aug 2026
I got to the latest Smiths jam and it was a string of varied players of various levels but as always a love of the art.  Many were local I'd seen at this session, but there were also new people with various instruments, not least singers.  This incarnation was led with inspiring bass pl... ... More...

Ancients don't go cheap
Canberra Jazz blog - Tue 4 Aug 2026
I'd been to some live or recorded presentations to ABC radio and they were interesting but essentially just a chance to see what you hear on radio, although there were live questions.  This was a chat for a podcast, perhaps a video podcast, and the first of this group's (HistoryHit) first in... ... More...