Emily Cat 176

I love this music  Think of the jazz age. Flappers, speakeasies and sweet, sweet music. It has a distinct sound which l think is caused by the recordings. The audio industry was very basic then. But l think that adds to the sound. Leon, Bix, Beiderbecke, Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong and his mentor Joe, Oliver, King. That's just a few names. Orchestra's and big bands were around then and that's how so many musicians got their start. Paul Whiteman was a band leader who Bix played for. Can l suggest you listen to some of this music and, who knows, you may like it like l do.

I've been listening to John Coltrane this week.   The saxophone is not my favourite instrument to listen to but Coltrane made it sing. I especially like the work he did with Miles Davis's Kind of Blue. He was gone by the age of 40 but, thankfully he made many recordings that we can still listen to today. 

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue  This album is a masterpiece of jazz. Recorded in 1959 Davis played with a sextet for the album. All who played on it were such good musicians. Davis himself played the trumpet. We are so luck to be able to listen to this music all these years later. The album does not sound dated and continues to be popular today. A masterpiece indeed.

I need some names.  I love the jazz from the 1920's, but, don't know much about the current jazz scene. If you are a jazz lover you must know who the current names in jazz. Please let me know who they are so l can look into them. That's half the fun; listening to all this wonderful music. Lot's of names please. Let's start a conversation.

The jazz of the 1920's  Specifically the music of Bix Beiderbecke.  I love this music, and what l'm listening to sounds like original recordings. Yes they sound old but you can still hear the great music. Bix was gone much too soon; gone at 28. Thankfully we sill have the music to listen to. Have you heard of Bix Beiderbecke? Do you like early American jazz? I do.

Do you like jazz? On any given weekend here in Melbourne you can see jazz being played in cafes, bars, even bowling clubs. We even have some stand alone jazz clubs and this is what l'm talking about today. I also give details about the wonderful Wangaratta Jazz and Blues Festival.  It's a great weekend away over the Melbourne Cup long weekend. If you're interested tickets are on sale now, or, you may be interested in going to some of the clubs l mention. The arts thrive in Melbourne and l hope you are all getting out and enjoying them.  

Remembering the best jazz performance l ever saw at The Wangaratta Jazz & Blues Festival. This is the 34th year for this festival. It closed over COVID and we all thought it was lost.  BUT, this year they are back and it's a great weekend. Always run over the Melbourne Cup long weekend ( a lot of people take the Monday off). Opening night is November 1, running until Sunday November 3rd. For more information check out wangjazzblues.com.au Attend if you can; it's a great weekend.

Bonnie Lee Galea - www.bonnieleeglaea.com Bonnie Lee is a jazz musician based in South Australia. She tours locally, and internationally, with her partner Quinton Dunne who is also a musician playing the double bass. Nina Simone - born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in North Carolina. Nina was a talented singer and pianist. She changed her name so that her mother would not discover that she was playing piano in clubs around New York. Thankfully her music lives on.  If you are interested in knowing more please look at www.ninasimone.com

Walking to another show. Love, love. love suburban arts.

www.emilycat176.com

www.emilycat176.com

  Arts Centre Frankston Arts Centre The History of British Rock of the 60's & 70's 13/04 7.30pm John Stephan: A Salute to Roy Orbison 14/04 2pm Humans 2.0 By Circa 18/04 7.30pm artscentre.frankston.vic.gov.au Kingston Arts Centre Mordialloc Jazz Orchestra Multiple Dates. Check the website Temporal Perspective: Pilar De La Torre 20/03-20/04 www.kingstonarts.com.au Blues Clubs Hume Blues Club Thursday nights at the Thornbury Bowls Club, free entry humebluesclub.com Music Room 45 Kings 14/04 4pm to late her.melbourne/musicroom Way Out West Music Club Harry Manx 14/04 2pm wowrootsmusic.com Open Studio Bar Friefly Horns - Funk Dance Party 12/04 9pm Tom Riccioni & Call The Doctor 13/04 5pm Hornstars 13/04 9pm To The Ends of the Verse 3rd Tuesday of the month 7.30pm Sarah De La Cerda & Romy Hernandez 17/04 7.30pm Willebrant with special guest Hipwell 18/04 7.30pm www.openstudiobar.com.au Meat Market meatmarket.org.au Jazz Clubs Paris Cat ** Multiple Acts with tickets selli...

Last week l saw The Syncopaters with Yvette Johansson play at The Frankston Arts Centre. As you can see from the flyer the band played jazz from the 1920s. I have shared videos of music from that era including Paul Whiteman and the great Bix Bederbeke as you know l love music from that time.  1920s Jazz.  The stage was set and out they came. What a treat to hear that music live. The band began in the 1990s so they are older musicians now but they can still bring that sweet music to life. Trumpet, trombone, the sweet sweet clarinet and more. This is a band that knows how to play. They played 2 shows and both were in front of full crowds. I went to the 1.30pm performance and it was so good. Look at your local suburban Arts Centres, you can see some really good shows. The Syncopaters are currently touring Victoria. They are worth seeing live. https://www.thesyncopators.com/

I was in Frankston Arts Centre on Friday to see the show Goddesses of Jazz. Jennifer Vuletic and Ruth Katerelos joined together to sing the songs of some amazing women. Nina Simone, Judy Garland, Billie Holiday, Dusty Sprinfield, Edith Piaf and the late great Renee Gayer from Australia to name a few. The show consisted of the 2 singers and John Hart accompanying them on the piano. Some songs were sung together while others were performed by each singer on their own. Both of them also gave some background to each Goddess and it stuck me how sad so many of their lives were. They left us with wonderful music and after the show l listened to a few of the originals. I could hear the pain in some of those songs. Just like the ACMI Goddess Exhibition the issues female actors faced in films, this show was about the music yes, but, also about the issues female singers have faced over the decades. A very interesting show that was performed well by the Jennifer and Ruth along with John on piano. ...