THE WEINTRAUBS

Evening Star, Issue 22891, 24 February 1938, Page 19

THE WEINTRAUBS

EXUBERANT INSTRUMENTALISTS CLEVER SEXTET ENTERTAINS Whatever the adherents of the more orthodox (and more tuneful) order of musical form may have thought of the concentrated jazz dispensed by _ the . Weintraubs at their concert last night, it would be admitted that here was jazz interpreted at its best by a clever and intriguing sextet. Their complete success was not scored so much by their music, however, as by their clever buffoonery, which caught the fancy of the crowd that packed His Majesty’s to such an extent that the music became a background for the ingenious and infectious fooling in which they indulged at the slightest invitation. And this invitation did not come only from the audience. It seemed to issue fijpm a desire by the Weintraubs to enjoy themselves without any restraint at all. They literally overflowed with spirits, and seemed to relish the performance equally as well as the crowd. It is a pity that their decidedly unconventional brand of wit when they appear as radio' artists cannot be appreciated to the full, for their humour is born of action and not of speech. • There is an amazing aspect of their playing, and that is their versatility as instrumentalists. Among them they can play 45 different instruments, and play them all well. Music in its “ hottest ” mood exudes from them as naturally as the breath • from their bodies. Tonally, their jazz is impeccable, and so is the sensuous rhythmic sense that is translated so clearly. The much despised saxophone is made quite a respectable member of the trumpet family when played by any one of the sextet, and specially so when in the hands of Mr Freddy Wise. The others in the band are Mr Many Fischer, Mr Horst Graff, Mr John Kav, Mr Stefan Weintraub, and Mr Leo. Weiss, the pianist. One of the most clever presentations was a Russian Cossack song, in which they produced sounds faintly reminiscent _of the Comedy Harmonists. The pianissimo quality achieved here was so tenuous that it lay on the limits of audibility. The variations on the theme of Oscar ißasbach’s ‘ Trees ’ had their representations from tho works of various classicists, and in each the predominating melody of the modern composition, was cleverly preserved. It was when the jazz was at almost its sizzling heat that the Weintraubs threw any conventions that may have been contained in their music to the back of the stage as it were -and began their mad excursions into the ridiculous. They did everything except smash their instruments, and it almost appeared that they might do that at times. Their eccentric antics proceeded without pause. Water was squirted over one another, they pushed and hit each other in true Marx Brothers style, imaginary beer was imbibed near tho wings, and accompanying it all was the blatant screech of weirdly played tones. One could not but enjoy their almost insane display. They are accomplished jesters, and therefore artists. The only sober note introduced all evening was when the sextet had made a temporary escape from the stag© and two vocalists replaced them. A remarkable reputation, built up in Australia, where on two occasions he hes won the Melba Trophy and also the tenor championship at the Sydney Eisteddfod, among other awards, preceded the appearance of Mr Edward M. Smith, who is shortly leaving for England to continue his studies. He has a tenor voice that would be heard with delight anywhere, and though his first number—Dvorak’s * Songs My Mother Taught Me ’ —was barely a correct indication of his accomplishments, his succeeding songs certainly were. He possesses an alert and penetrating musical judgment, and his interpretations are the product of wellordered thought. The celebrated ‘La Donna e Mobile ’ was exquisitely sung. The other vocalist was Miss Cara Jupp, who sang modern romantic numbers.