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Canberra Today 15°/17° | Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Review: Jazz with a big lick of bliss

THE 2013 Capital Jazz Project kicked off auspiciously on Friday night with the John Mackey Quartet performing the world premiere of Mackey’s “Canberra Centenary Suite”.

On Sunday, the first program was from pianist Joe Chindamo and violinist Zoe Black. Having admired their stunning recording “Reimaginings”, on which they brilliantly re-interpret popular classical and classic jazz compositions, I was fearful they might disappoint in the flesh.

I needn’t have worried. Their program, which began with a unique version of Puccini’s “Nessum Dorma”, followed by Chopin Prelude, was sheer bliss.

They could have played the phone book; such was the inventiveness of their variations, which often became so complex that it was sometimes difficult to remember what tune they were re-imagining. This was a sublime performance by two consummate musicians.

Then into Street Two, decked out trendily with chandeliers and little black chairs, for a performance by the 2012 James Morrison Jazz Scholarship winner, Liam Budge, accompanied by brilliant young pianist, Tate Sheridan.

Although presenting an agreeable selection of jazz standards and original material, I found my enjoyment of Budge’s work compromised by his distracting facial contortions, silly body gyrations and total disregard for the meaning of the lyrics. Hopefully, these are a passing phase, in which case Mr. Budge could well become a very good jazz singer.

The final concert for the evening was a performance by the extraordinary Tawadros Brothers who specialise in the Arabic lute and Egyptian tambourine.

Teamed with electric bass player Steve Hunter, they charmed the audience with an intoxicating mix of mostly Middle Eastern music, brilliantly arranged and performed.

An unexpected highlight was a delightful Q&A with doyen Barbara Blackman, seated in the front row, which suggests Joe Tawadros could possibly aspire to a second career in stand-up.

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Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

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