JAZZ CONCERT OF HIGH STANDARD

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31449, 16 August 1967, Page 18

JAZZ CONCERT OF HIGH STANDARD

Jazz enthusiasts were treated to music of international standard at the New Zealand Universities’ Arts Festival jazz concert in the Repertory Theatre last evening. The 32 artists, including groups from Canterbury, Otago and Massey Universities, achieved a standard equal to that of many overseas combinations.

The music ranged from the baroque period, to traditional, to contemporary avant-garde. Diversion was provided by a series of creative dances.

A striking contrast to the general programme was given when the Modern Baroque Quartet (University of Canterbury), swung Into compositions by Bach and Handel. They then played a number, which could be best described as mongrel-British-Orlental—-“Africa,” by John Threlfall, the quartet’s guitarist and clarinettist The baroque spirit was captured by the inclusion of a flautist. Traditional-style jazz was presented by the Diminished Seven band (Canterbury). The band was inclined to lose

its timing in the faster numbers, but was at home with the more sedate style of playing, exemplified by Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen.

Tim Hazeldine, in the University of Otago group, gave a fine performance on the piano of improvisation in cross-mainstream bop style. A seven-piece band, also from Canterbury, gave a spirited bracket, including a composition by a member of the band.

The only vocalist in the concert was Malcolm McNeill (Canterbury), who sang with assurance and had an effective backing. After a false start when the sound track failed, the Otago University Dance Theatre made a splendid creative dancing effort in a mixture of drama and humour which was received enthusiastically. Although last in the programme, the James Langabeer Trio (Canterbury), provided some of the best entertainment and artistry of the evening, with numbers such as Duke Ellington’s "It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing.”