Stars ice the cake

Press, 27 May 1981, Page 6

Stars ice the cake

By

PETER BRITTENDEN

The cake was Dave Brubeck in February. Old and New Dreams’ in March, The Rodger Fox Big Band in April, and the icing the All Star. Jazz Band at Canterbury University last evening. The band, formed strictly for a New Zealand tour, was made up of six American musicians who have conducted jazz clinics in Wellington recently. ■ . Space will not allow a blow-by-blow account of the concert. Suffice, to sa y that the. enthusiastic crowd who sipped drinks by candlelight in. the. university Is ballroom ■were imposed to some of the. best jazz .now. available. ' •.

Involved, not in order of

preference, were. Don Rader (trumpet and fltigellidrh), Lanny Morgan (soprano, alto and baritone saxophone), Bobby) Shew (trumpet and flugeihornj, Tom Garvin (piano), Gordon Brisker (teno saxophone and flute). Jeff Hamilton (drums), and two New Zealanders. Rodger Fox (trombone) and Andy Brown (bass). ; ■■ ■■ The music played varied from ' uptempo four-to-the-bar swinging tunes through io ballads, r.latin-American sambas,, . and ; sentimental waltzes) ') Gordon Btsker .composed and arranged a. lot .of the' material played, and his music is simply superb. - . The composition which’ stood out was “Oriental.”

Here Morgan. playing soprano saxophone, created an evocative Middle Eastern atmosphere while the rest of. the bandfillcd in with solid harmony. In the middle section ; Hamilton enthralled with a magnificent drum solo using -sticks, brushes, and his hands. The rest of the two-and-a-half hour concert was filled with music which was played with absolute professionalism.. Each member was outstanding -as a soloist and played a superb supporting role for the rest of the group. The -. music played last evening may have been a little commercial for some purists, but Brisker and company;, played some marvellous modern jazz.