Post Christmas

Now its after Christmas and Santa gets the credit for all those toys and all that excitement!

However, it is pretty good knowing that that kind of fantasy can survive the commercial world. Our six year old is definitely a romantic.

Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Jazzgroove

In the season of Christmas parties, it was great to have a final killer night at Jazzgroove. It was standing room only, which is not so very surprising as it is a small venue, but sadly we had to turn people away it was so full. However a great finish to the year.

We had James Muller and then Zoe & The Buttercups as our final lineup. It is great to see such a vibrant lively music scene. Visit http://www.myspace.com/jazzgrooveassociation for all the wonderful comments people from around the world are making for us. Or the Jazzgroove website www.jazzgroove.com.

It is amazing what the power of a collective is able to achieve.

Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Short & Sweet launch, Carriageworks drinks

A great way to kick off the week with the launch of the Sydney Short & Sweet Festival, what has now become the largest short playwriting Festival in the world. It will celebrate 5 weeks of creativity, fun, humour, romance and high drama from the 16th January.

Next on the list was the pre-opening of the Carriageworks. Another fabulous space for theatre and dance at the back of Newtown in an old railway space.

Then down to Melbourne for their last week of the Short & Sweet season at the Arts Centre, followed by the finals. Great fun, fantastic acting, such talent in Melbourne.

Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

New venue in town

Well, a new edition to the Sydney music, arts and other things - we hope scene with the Factory. It certainly beats @Newtown as a venue, friendly staff, no nazi door people.

A great space with all sorts of possibilities. http://www.factorytheatre.com.au/. The website definitely doesn't do it justic.

I was there for the launch of the NowNow Festival. The place was looking very lush, with living room lounge chic.

Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

This week

A fabulous performance by Julian Rachlan and Itamar Golan at Angel Place.
And interesting to see an audience with perhaps a touch of youthfulness at a Musica Viva performance.

Of course exellent technically, but so eclectic and wonderful work as a duo.

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Australian Dance Awards and other things

So another Australian Dance awards and I have too admit I was thinking to myself as it started that I have probably seen one too many.

The event seems to go on and on, being crammed with so many dance performances and films, awards etc. I reckon that I could have happily lived without about 60% of the performances.

It was also interesting to see a professional dance company mixed with a dance school. One artistic director I worked with, always flatly refused to work with non-professionals and after seeing this offering I can understand why. The non-professionals definitely brought the quality level down to something that would have been a poor offering in a schools spectacular. Not very inspiring.

Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

An Eighth Birthday for Jazzgroove

So a good night at the Basement, celebrating eight years of Jazzgroove with a diverse range of music and people from MFW, Triosk and the Resurrectors.

I am thankful that some musicians are more gregarious and socially savvy than others.

Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Pandoras box

An amazing little website that plays music that links your favourites to other music that is similiar. Definitely worth a visit.
http://www.pandora.com/

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Wangaratta

What a great festival, relaxed atmosphere, good food in the open air street market, lots of fantastic new music.

Saw an amazing blues/swing player Ray Beadle. Also new look makes him look like a young Elvis. If you get the chance check him out.

Some pretty out there music styles, I reckon you just have to breath into the sounds to get the most out of some of them!

Fantastic wit of the players from the ICP Orchestra. Beautiful vocals from Kristen Berardi. All round just some incredibly good music.

Joanne

www.ceressolutions.com.au

Aria awards

Well I got to watch on TV the Aria awards, seeing as being part of the Jazz/classical scene we don't rate an invite to the more glamorous affair.

What does that say about the State of music and the regard that is held for Jazz, classical and world music.

www.ceressolutions.com.au

Aria awards

What excitement when I received an invitation to the Aria awards. However that soon died down when I realised that I had been invited to the "cut down" version ie 5 awards and the Conservatorium of Music as the venue.

So Classical music, jazz, film scores and world music are poorer cousins to the glamour of the "other" Arias - the one they show on TV.

Tragic isn't it, just goes to show where we fit within the pecking order.

However I guess the best thing about them was at least with only 5 awards they were short!

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Hectic lifestyle

Time just doesn't seem to stretch.

I have so much I am trying to cram into the days of the week. Work, family, lifestyle - what lifestyle? Just snatches of thoughts of good things to do.

The weekend away becomes a work commitment, that also includes financial planning - not my idea of a relaxing way to spend time.

Interesting, I decided to leave my full time job for a more relaxed lifestyle.

That slippery thing time just won't stand still.

Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Jazz:Now

A fantastic week of Jazz music at the Sydney Opera House, showcasing a diverse range of musicians presented by Jazzgroove and SIMA.

Such a huge amount of talent in the Australian improvised music scene, playing to capacity crowds.

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Picture from Japanese Australian Jazz Orchestra at Jazz:Now Festival 2006 - taken by J Kee

Steve Irwin

Now that the dust has settled one can wonder on the age we live in, where we can cry for someone we didn't even know.

The power of mass communication.

Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Mighty Sparrow

Its really interesting seeing performers who have been around for a long time.

The Mighty Sparrow had a huge personality and vocal presence, but what is it with a band who look so bored. They looked as though they would have been happier sitting at home filing their nails.

The Calypso music is full of joy and life - what sort of energy and respect for the audience can be found in bored musos staring into space?

www.ceressolutions.com.au

Jazzgroove and the end of an era

This week was the end of Ross Ogden being administrator at Jazzgroove, thanks to Ross for doing a fantastic job. What a great night, fantastic music with Dale Barlow up first and then Carl Orr. It's an amazing atmosphere where people are packed into the room, listening to the grooves or so many musicians are hanging out in the bar. www.jazzgroove.com

So this was also the week of the final party at the Performance Space on Cleveland Street, ready to move on to the Carriageworks at Everleigh. Such a lot of performance history, and what a beautiful room for performance, lets hope something good goes in there.


www.ceressolutions.com.au

Art and about

Speaking to a friend of mine today and I am amazed to hear that tickets for children's shows are being scalped on e-bay. It seems to take scalping to another realm when people are after tickets for Playschool or Velveteen Rabbit.

Also seems to show how far a parent is prepared to go to provide what their precious children want.

It seems a different society where children receive toys and outings at such a cracking pace. I know of all my friends and acquaintances who have children there is a phenomenal amount of consumerism. Look out interest rates, this generation will certainly be addicted to consumer consumables.

Joanne

www.ceressolutions.com.au

Reflections on the weather and other sundry thoughts

So a winter chill has crept back into the air, and in a weekend of contrasts its a time to hang out, listen to musicians from around the globe, improvising and jamming, look at some art, hear some beats ....

As I become more involved in improvised music, I am pondering on the frame and format of classical music. On the surface, much more structured and precise than both world music and improvised jazz.

What sort of difference is there in thought processes from one form to the other? Is one about freedom of expression and the other about freedom of interpretation? Any thoughts on this - I am really interested.

Potential Music/arts venue space - image J Kee

I am working towards a music venue in central Sydney, affordable, cutting edge sometimes, sometimes not, sometimes popular, sometimes experimental and a place to hang out. This Wharf space is currently being used for the Biennale (till the end of August), if you want to have a look. The space looks incredible, if you are interested in supporting an arts space, with music at its core, let me know.

Joanne

www.ceressolutions.com.au

Tastes from around the world

In a world of escalating tensions it is heartening to experience the power of music with its ability to evoke feelings of harmony, joy and sadness.

In Sydney we are fortunate to have many opportunities to see and hear arts from around the globe.

This week I have been fortunate enough to hear the haunting voice of Ismail Fadhil, with his compelling Iraqui rhythms. In bleak times one values an opportunity to dance, to be free in mind and absorbed with music.

For some reason the middle East is at the forefront of my experiences this week. Omar Raruk Tekbilek, Hossam Ramzy and Synergy were performing at the Enmore Theatre. A fantastic fusion of cultures, creating music of our times.

From New Zealand was a dance performance of Black Milk, a pastiche of ideas, dwelling on death, with touches of humour.

Then there were the simple pleasures of sharing a meal with friends returning to Switzerland at a Belgian beer cafe.


Joanne

www.ceressolutions.com.au

Children's Theatre

With school holidays nearly at an end I feel as though I have been in a frantic whirlwind of "activities" and have attended a swag of "shows" for children. The list is extensive from Antartic clay modelling, junior disco, circus and art, Velveteen Rabbit, Disney on Ice, Angela and Penny show, craft, Mimi on stilts at the Art Gallery, not to mention a couple of trips to the movies and numerous visits to the parks, where the joy of swinging has recently been discovered. Looking at the list makes me wonder that we even had time to draw breath

Interestingly when I asked my daughter what was her favourite she said the drumming workshop, which was a free event at the local library. So it's good to know that some of the best entertainment doesn't have to cost anything. This added to her second favourite and the thing she wants to do everyday - go to the park to swing is rather refreshing.

For me the best thing about the park and the activities at the library are that there is no merchandise for sale.

Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Pick of the Week

So it was a busy week with children's activites and here is the review.

Velveteen Rabbit - I could have easily gone to sleep during this one, there was nothing that really drew me in or grabbed my attention. However my daughter liked it, mainly because of the cute furry puppets.

Disney on Ice - as expected, a Disney extravaganza, all singing, skating, dancing, fireworks and magic castle. Entertaining and I guess you could include the merchandise as another drawcard for the kids. Though a nightmare of merchandising gone wild, does anyone else think that $15 for fairy floss with mouse ears is expensive or $22 for a program with a fake rose?

Angela and Penny show - quite fun, kind of like grumpy old women do a kid's show. Extremely interactive, with lots of movement for the kids. Though I think we adults appreciated the humour more.

Mimi indigenous child's tour of Art Gallery of New South Wales - I defintely enjoyed this more than she did. Though it did raise the question of what is a "bikkie bin", for those non-Australians the answer is biscuit tin.


www.ceressolutions.com.au

Musical beats

Lots of music this week from improvised music @ Jazzgroove which specialises in young jazz based ensembles in a small funky pub in Surry Hills. Audience for some reason mainly male, intent on the music, but still relaxed. With a crowd of 80 people in an intimate, full house. Playing to an often traditional jazz form of solo following solo. Really the only thing missing was the smoke filled room. Then there was the names of the bands Willow Nielson or the opening band the Vampires .

This made me wonder about the different styles and accepted traditions of audience goers at performances. With the classical music gig of the Sydney Omega Ensemble being much more formal in all aspects from presentation, to imposing venue, to the form where you usually don't applaud until the end of the piece. Same audience size, but really, except for what looked like the ensemble's friends, mostly the older set - your traditional classical music goer.

C0ntrast this to the crossover blues/classical/fusion of Fourplay @ the Metro in a more pop/rock atmosphere. Or to the amazing percussion and mix of world music performed by Circle of Rhythm.

My pick of the week was Circle of Rhythm and Fourplay.


www.ceressolutions.com.au