Many happy returns
Canberra Jazz blog - Thu 9 Jul 2026
It's a regular event and quite fascinating in its presentation of development through musical education.  Jinbo Huang comes regularly to Wesley and I've seen him and the students playing this day over time.  This time, Naomi, Daniel, Arabella, Charlie and presumably sons Frank and Charl... ... More...

Repeats
Canberra Jazz blog - Sun 5 Jul 2026
Could this become repetitive?  No, never.  Perhaps the greatest excitement I have in music these days in a big orchestral choral concert.  Doubly so in a good location.  This was my second play of Carmina Burana, again with National Capital Orchestra and Canberra Choral Societ... ... More...

Guitars
Canberra Jazz blog - Fri 3 Jul 2026
Mike Price talked of a band with two Carls, Dewhurst and Morgan, sometime in the past and I've got reports on CJ of various combinations of the 3 guitarists.  Mike was teaching and leading the jazz scool while the Carls were there, although at different times and has got together with them a... ... More...

Immersion
Canberra Jazz blog - Thu 2 Jul 2026
Mark Jurkiewicz presented a string of Chopin works for the latest Wesley lunchtime concert and I was mulling over such depth of immersion in the topic and long term commitment.  Chopin gets a poor showing at times, given every young pianist has a go at his waltzes or other and thus they can ... ... More...

Mo' blues
Canberra Jazz blog - Mon 29 Jun 2026
Well I don't have pics of all the bands at the Canberra Blues Society jam session, a few because I had to leave early and another because I was playing in it.  It's fun to get out an e-Bass (my preference is a run-of-the-mill Fender MiM JB) but I never play it other than for the Blues jams, ... ... More...

History repeats
Canberra Jazz blog - Sun 28 Jun 2026
It just goes to show that my interests have long histories.  It's a Blues weekend for me and a guitar trio was playing Hendrix and heroes and I soon realised I'd seen this very trio in this very place only 18 months before.  Someone mentioned it was better this time.  That gig had ... ... More...

Neighbours
Canberra Jazz blog - Fri 26 Jun 2026
It was a stunner that such a complex performance would be gathered by singer and pianist for a Wesley lunchtime concert, it being unpaid as a musical donation to the music centre.  The works were complex, demanding and the performance of great worth.  To be expected with Rachel Mink sin... ... More...

10+10=~14
Canberra Jazz blog - Wed 24 Jun 2026
It was only at the last minute that I noticed two dectets, from Melbourne and Sydney, coming together to play at Smiths.  After 10 Part Invention, this was a shoe-in.  I love a little big band and what it can achieve and these were young and adventurous and playing original music. ... ... More...

Feel like a pro
Canberra Jazz blog - Sun 21 Jun 2026
Feel like a pro?  Nothing to do with money.  What I loved was a program that we could get together in a week, admittedly just for one half, but we had just one fairly short orchestral rehearsal, then a rehearsal with the choir, then a playthrough warmup on the day, on the mighty and ver... ... More...

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...