Album Review: STILL A GYPSY, Toni Lamond with Helen Reddy and Kerrie Biddel, Lolly Legs 932617200000, reviewed by Tony Magee

Australian showbiz icon Toni Lamond has just released this wonderful new album Still A Gypsy and it is just superb.

Featuring a selection of songs that is a kind of whirlwind review of a performing career spanning over 50 years, it also includes a great fun duet with her sister Helen Reddy called Breezin' Along With the Breeze and another with Sydney jazz icon Kerry Biddel - Stomp.

Toni Lamond is in great form on this album and together with the superb musical direction and piano accompaniments of Ron Creager and production guidance of son Tony Sheldon, the whole package is a really enjoyable cabaret on CD type journey.

Some particular further highlights include a beautiful and moving rendition of Neil Sedaka's The Hungary Years, a great arrangement and rendition of Cole Porter's Don't Fence Me In combined with Boland and Jaffe's Gypsy In My Soul, a funny Mae West send up of Ragtime Cowboy Joe and a sensual version of St Louis Blues, by WC Handy.

Also nice to see an original composition by the three collaborators - Lamond, Sheldon and Creager, entitled The Place That I'll Call Home. It's an easy, bubbling, light swing piece and very cheery too. One of those fuzzy "feel-good" tunes.

This CD is quite suitable for use as an accompaniment to dining and cocktails because the songs are all great ones, however it also has the added bonus of being a great listen for those that want to focus on the comedy and clever arrangements.

First published in Restaurant and Catering Magazine, Dec 2002

Album Review: JOE CHINDAMO TRIO - The Paul Simon Songbook - America!

Newmarket Music NEW3104.2

Review copy supplied by Abels Music, Canberra

Reviewed by Tony Magee

My choice this month is a brand new release from the Melbourne based Joe Chindamo Trio.

I think from the moment you put this on, you'll just be groovin'. In fact, why not start with track two and let it play from there. The 59th Street Bridge Song (aka Feelin' Groovy) is a great way to start practically any activity - certainly that of wining and dining.

Pianist Chindamo has produced and arranged the content of this disc and it is absolutely delightful listening. With sublime double bass from Matt Clohesy and stylish and interesting percussion from David Beck on drums, the resulting union takes the listener on a trip down memory lane with re-creations of selections from the Paul Simon songbook.

Also included are El Condor Pasa (aka If I Could), Mrs Robinson, Keep the Customer Satisfied, Scarborough Fair, Goodbye Frank Lloyd Wright, Cecilia, Old Friends, Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Sound of Silence and the title track America, which starts and finishes the album.

The arrangements generally retain the original essence of the songs, whilst at the same time enlivening them with some fresh interpretative ideas.

I think that staff and customers alike will appreciate the artistry of this album and as with many of the items I choose to review, it could be something that guests will want to know more about. Enjoy!

First published in Restaurant and Catering Magazine, November 2002

Actor Richard Harris dies aged 72

Hell-raiser: Limerick-born Richard Harris lived a tempestuous life but is remembered as one of the finest Irish actors ever. Photo courtesy Belfast Telegraph

Richard Harris, hellraiser, raconteur, rugby fanatic and actor of genius, has died aged 72 of Hodgkin's disease, a form of cancer

The man who once said "life should be lived to the last drop and then some" had begun a new and uncharacteristically sedate phase of his chequered career as the grandfatherly Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts College of Witchcraft in the Harry Potter films. The second of the series, The Chamber of Secrets, opens next month.

A few weeks ago, as he lay ill with pneumonia at University College hospital in London, he insisted he would be well enough to shoot the third, The Prisoner of Azkaban. Only hours before Harris died director Chris Columbus joked: "He threatened to kill me if I recast him - I can't even repeat what he said to me."

But this was one comeback too many for the Limerick-born legend. His sons Damien, Jared and Jamie last night announced that he had passed on peacefully.

In his wildest days in the 1970s, Harris would go out for a packet of cigarettes and not come back for a fortnight. "I have made 72 movies in my life and been miscast twice - as a husband," he said.

But it will be for the mixture of violence and vulnerability he was able to convey in such classics as This Sporting Life, which won him best actor at Cannes in 1963, Cromwell, and A Man Called Horse that film lovers will want to remember him.

Had the actor died in the 80s he would have gone down as one of great wasted screen talents. But a late-career revival, kicked off with his searing performance in Jim Sheridan's The Field, won him an Oscar nomination and the respect and admiration of critics and audiences alike.

An acclaimed turn followed in Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, and the face he once likened to "five miles of bad country road" shone again in Smilla's Sense of Snow and most memorably in The Barber of Siberia, finishing with a noble cameo as Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator, the swansong of his old carousing partner Oliver Reed.

Harris was the best thing about many bad films and he cheerfully admitted to the Guardian last year that he acted in "some bloody awful films - but who's counting, it was fun".

With his mane of white hair, he said he was relishing being seen as a septuagenarian role model by the lad generation, but was sticking to a strict daily regimen of one pint of Guinness before bedtime.

First published at The Guardian, October 26, 2002

Album review: JANET SEIDEL - Don't Smoke in Bed

La Brava Music LB0050

Review copy supplied by Abels Music, Canberra

Reviewed by Tony Magee

The first album I ever reviewed for this publication was a Janet Seidel album, Comme Ci Comme Ca, which is a sensational CD, and it is an equally great pleasure to write words about her latest release, Don't Smoke in Bed.

This is very smooth mix of songs all originally made famous by Peggy Lee and contains a touching Australian connection, with the album being dedicated to the memory of the late and greatly missed jazz trumpeter, Tom Baker.

Singer Seidel is of course based here as well, and all of the players are top Australian jazz musicians: Kevin Hunt on piano, Chuck Morgan on guitar, David Seidel on double bass and Adam Pache on drums, with guest appearances on some tracks by Don Burrows on flute, clarinet and alto sax.

But it goes even further! The piano used is the stunning new Overs-Steinbach, designed and built in Sydney. It sounds gorgeous.

The main thing of course is the music and how it sounds. It is truly sublime.

Starting with the evocative Blues in the Night, the selection includes You Do Something to Me, He's a Tramp, Things are Swingin', Fever, Johnny Guitar, Black Coffee, Mr Wonderful, Bye Bye Blues, Street of Dreams and of course Don't Smoke in Bed, as well as many others.

Janet Seidel is quite simply one of Australia's top song stylists and interpreters of the jazz idiom, particularly in a commercially appealing way, and I can't recommend this new CD highly enough as being perfect for sophisticated dining experiences in classy establishments.

First published in Restaurant and Catering Magazine, October 2002

Album review: EON - The Great Indoors

Creative Vibes CVCD040

Review copy supplied by Abels Music, Canberra

Reviewed by Tony Magee

Here's a great album for funky bars and nightclubs. The perfect up tempo vibe to keep the evening moving, without having to be loud and blaring.

Eleven excellent original tunes are presented on this album from Sydney based band Eon. Most tracks are composed by Rick Robertson and Lex Wilson, who also play on the album. Another three tracks are co-written by Jade MacRae who also contributes great vocals on several tracks.

One of the many strengths of this production is that the sounds, rhythms and grooves are mostly created by real people playing real instruments. There is some programming, however this is not the main force of the album. 

Bought and Paid For opens the CD, with a tight but flowing rock groove, and excellent vocal lines from Jade. Stuart Hunter contributes a really funky piano solo. He is also featured on Hammond Organ on Cold Turkey.

Dos Por Favor keeps the mood grooving even more, with a samba style rock groove, punctuated effectively by glints of flute and melodic riffs from a Rhodes piano. Rest Your Mind delivers a solid punchy base over which Jade sings in a slightly motown style. I love track four - People Don't Come Here to Sleep. A great dance track which includes a driving sax riff from Rock Robertson.

There's lots more, and it’s wonderful, so best grab a copy and hear for yourselves. Great new music - Australian style! 

First published in Restaurant and Catering Magazine, August 2002

Album review: EMMA PASK - Emma

Morrison Records 0927477282

Review copy supplied by Abels Music, Canberra

Reviewed by Tony Magee

Singer Emma Pask is well known to Australian and International audiences through her work with trumpet (and most other wind instruments) virtuoso James Morrison.

Here she is with her own album, supervised by James Morrison, with backing provided by a big band and string orchestra. The album sounds fantastic and Emma sings like there's no tomorrow.

It's all really in the style of American jazz of the 50's and 60's, and I think this will certainly be appealing to many venues that need a mood of sophistication and style.

There are such classics as L.O.V.E., here presented in classic swinging big band style, Jobim's No More Blues (with arrangement by Julian Lee) and How Insensitive (arranged by Judy Bailey). Both these beautiful Latin tracks feature the lush strings I mentioned before.

A wonderful, fun arrangement by Evan Lohning of Tea for Two includes a very clever counterpoint romp between Emma and various horns. 

There are also great originals including a beautiful slow bossa by Don Burrows entitled Whenever, plus two by Morrison/Pask called A Little Bit of What You Fancy and Mr Better.

Watch out for Danny Boy (the final track). Caught unawares, you may just get a little teary.

First published in Restaurant and Catering Magazine, August 2002

Sitsky venue opens for the sound of music

Thursday July 4, 2002

By W.L. HOFFMANN

A new music-performance venue was opened in Canberra yesterday when the ACT Minister for the Arts, Bill Wood, officially launched the Sitsky Performance Studio in Altree Court, Phillip.

Professor Larry Sitsky at the Phillip music studio named in his honour, which was opened yesterday. Picture: RICHARD BRIGGS

This intimate music venue, which has been created for the Canberra community by Chris Davis and Paul Wheeler of the My Music store in Altree Court, is intended for concerts and recitals, particularly those presented by the smaller community music organisations.

It features a semi-circular stage, concert grand piano, recording facilities and seating and amenities for up to 80 people.

It has been named the Sitsky Performance Studio to honour Canberra composer, pianist, author of a number of books and distinguished music educator Professor Larry Sitsky, who has been associated with the Canberra School of Music for the past 36 years.

In opening the studio, Mr Wood said that it was a worthy acknowledgement of Sitsky’s distinguished career and in particular his notable role in the development of music in Canberra.

He welcomed it as a significant edition to the limited number of venues in Canberra suitable for and available to small musical bodies and expressed the community’s thanks to those who had provided it.

After responding, it was appropriate that Sitsky gave the first performance in the studio by playing his piano piece E, the first movement of his Fantasia No. 11.

Then two of his more recent students, singer and composer Judy Crispin and pianist Kate Bowen, provided an accomplished performance of his song-cycle Bone of my Bones, a setting of love poems by a number of poets from Liu Ch’e, Spenser, Yeats and Browning, to the Russian Blok.

In size, facilities and acoustics, as far as could be judged from yesterday’s performances, this studio should prove a boon to those community music groups looking for a suitable performance venue.

First published in The Canberra Times, July 4, 2002

CAPO Launches 2002 Theme

by Norma Allen

The lovers said a touching farewell as they kissed in the shadow of the World War II plane, a Lockheed L12. It’s Rick and Ilsa from Casablanca  among the helicopters, submarines and tanks, in the Anzac Hall at the Australian War Memorial, just CAPO’s way of introducing their 2002 auction and ball to the media.

Rick (Tony Turner) in his Bogart trench coat and Ilsa (Lisa McClelland) in her Ingrid Bergman ‘40s suit and black hat introduced the motif of Casablanca and all things Moroccan, the theme of the CAPO ball on September 7 in the National Gallery, while the piano player (Sam) drifted us off with As Time Goes By (Daniel Edmonds).

CAPO (Capital Arts Patrons Organisation) which raises funds to disperse to artists is in its 19th year. Stephen Kelen is the CAPO Fellow for 2001, receiving $15,000 to further himself as a poet. Stephen Holland was granted $10,000 with the Rosalie Gascoigne award for sculpture and performance art. And the Singapore Airlines grant of $7,500 was awarded to Ian Jones, a ceramicist. Singapore Airlines are on board again this year for the seventh time.

President Tony Magee welcomed the guests, including new sponsor Richard O’Dell, the Griffith butcher and long-time supporters Bates and Pickering, My Music and wine people Madew’s and Yalumba. The two latter will continue the CAPO custom of wine labels designed by CAPO Fellows. Blackshaws are once again on the sponsor list, and Tony’s speech contained the news that since 1983, CAPO has raised and distributed the magic million dollars.

Lyn Cummings, Domenic Andreacchio, Steve Bates, Tony Brighton, Rhys Holden, Robin Hendry, Marylou Pooley and Valerie Kirk were in the audience.

First published in The Canberra Times, May 14, 2002

Celebrating the arts, Casablanca-style

Tony Turner and Lisa McClelland, as Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, 

get into gear for the CAPO gala ball. Picture: RICHARD BRIGGS

by HELEN MUSA

Arts Editor

It will be all glamour and romance on September 7 when the Capital Arts Patrons Organisation stages its annual gala ball and auction at the National Gallery of Australia on the theme of Casablanca.

So glamorous in fact, that CAPO president Tony Magee has been swapping Moroccan lamb recipes with a sponsoring butcher. The launch was held yesterday at the Australian War Memorial in front of a real Lockheed Hudson bomber - the same as in the movie.

Sponsorship is the essence of the organisation, which has raised more than $1 million in its 20 year history to support independent artists like poet Stephen Kelen, artist Dianne Fogwell and actor Kenneth Spiteri, as well as bodies like Muse arts monthly and Canberra Youth Theatre.

On hand to give the occasion the right touch of mystery were the Australian National University’s Tony Turner pretending to be Humphrey Bogart and actress Lisa McClellend as Ingrid Bergman.

Magee said his “procurement” committee was now busy persuading members of the business and arts communities to join in donating auctionable items, which in the past have included a Harley Davidson motorcycle and a night out with Bronwyn Bishop. Would-be donors can phone 6249 7860.

Once again, Singapore Airlines will come to the party with return tickets to somewhere very near Casablanca. It seems the company does not fly directly to Morocco, but it does fly to Madrid, and by Magee’s estimate, if you nip down to Gibraltar you can catch a ferry!

The airline’s done it before, the gallery has been the location before, the donations have been huge every year. It ought to be a case of “play it again Sam”.

First published in The Canberra Times, May 9 2002.

ARTS 12 does her duty as a wedding limo!

 

My Mercedes as a wedding limo! With me as chauffeur and the beautiful bride,
Meg Corson! May 4, 2002

Album review: DAZ NUANCE - Divaria II

Seratone (through Festival Mushroon) 334892

Review copy supplied by Abels Music, Canberra ACT

Reviewed by Tony Magee

I've really been looking forward to this second Divaria album from Daz Nuance, which is basically the talents of composer and arranger Andrew Thomas Wilson and invited guests. I enthusiastically reviewed the first Divaria album in these pages earlier last year and I'm equally delighted with this one.

Divaria II offers an interesting marriage between classical favourites and 21^st century electronic backings, plus a large selection of excellent easy-listening original pieces. As before, the classical reworkings are not offered as "improvements", simply an alternative approach to adored melodies and arias, whilst still retaining the essential essence of the pieces that makes them so popular in the first place.

Included are Puccini's O Mio Babino Caro, the duet from Delibes' Opera Lakme, and a beautiful setting of Faure's Pavan, with additional lyrics by Maurice Blackman. The mezzo-soprano on all these tracks is Karen Cummings, who sings with charm and style.

The other original tracks are breezy, innovative and highly appealing and feature many guest instrumentalists including Carl Dewhurst on guitar, Craig James on saxophones with additional vocals from David McLeod and Kimmy Tupaea.

This one's ideal for all kinds of restaurants - new age sophisticated, or cool and laid back. Lunch or dinner. Not a dance album though.

First published in Restaurant and Catering magazine, April 2002

Dudley Moore Dead at 66

Dudley Moore. Photo courtesy Knowledge Seeker

March 28 -- Dudley Moore, the comic star of Arthur and 10, died in his New Jersey home Wednesday morning after a long struggle with a degenerative disease. He was 66.

Moore had been battling progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare and incurable brain disorder similar to Parkinson's disease. In the last years of his life, he was in great pain, gradually losing control of his body until even simple movements, like swallowing, became difficult.

Still, in his debilitated state, he used his celebrity to shed light on PSP and the estimated 20,000 Americans who struggle with the illness.

"I know very well what is happening to me," he told ABCNEWS' Barbara Walters in one of his final interviews, in June 2000. "I just want them to know that I am going through this disease as well as I can."

An Unlikely Star

Moore is best remembered as the drunken playboy in Arthur who offers to give up his fortune to marry a waitress (Liza Minnelli) against his family's wishes. The role showed Moore's potential as a comic with pathos.

Sadly, Moore said that many friends and fans mistook him for his Arthur character when his illness first caused his speech to slur. "It's amazing that Arthur has invaded my body to the point that I have become him," he said. "But that's the way people look at it."

Even from the start, Moore's career seemed like a long shot. He was born in East London with a clubfoot that stunted his growth. As an adult, he stood 5 feet 2 ½ inches.

He went on to study music at Oxford, where he met his future partner Peter Cook, along with other performers with whom he formed Beyond the Fringe, a comedy troupe best described as a precursor to Monty Python's Flying Circus.

One of Moore's celebrated contributions to the show was his impersonation of the pianist Dame Myra Hess, playing a bombastic version of "Colonel Bogey's March" that he couldn't seem to end.

'I Would Love to Do Serious Roles'

The Moore-Cook team appeared on TV and records before making their screen debut in 1966 in The Wrong Box.

First published at ABC News, March 28, 2002

Album review: ENDORPHIN - AM : PM

COLUMBIA (Sony Music) 5034822000

Review copy supplied by Abels Music, Canberra

Reviewed by Tony Magee

As I was grooving around my office listening to this CD and thinking of the words I might use to describe it and recommend it to you, it occurred to me that the act of grooving was happening whilst listening to the “AM” disc. What’s wrong with a little daytime dancing I thought? Nothing!

Then listening to the PM disc, I discovered it to be more laid back. So I might suggest that the “AM” disc is actually also very suitable for night clubbing and hip early evening vibes, and the PM disc is for much later, when things start to mellow and the atmosphere requires “mood”.

Yes, this is a two CD set and represents very good value for money at a retail price of $31.00.

Devised, produced, engineered and mixed by Eric Chapus, Endorphin AM:PM delivers twelve tracks on AM and ten tracks on PM, all totally self contained, but also collectively melding into a sort of musical journey and story. Very danceable and very “now”, this double album would suit funky bars, nightclubs and any “hip” joints.

Chapus has also engaged some highly talented supporting artists, including singers Luke Hannigan, Jimmy Little, Tyrone Noonan and Abi Tucker, with guest soprano saxophonist Fiona Burnett and guitarist Jay Mogis. Something for everyone!

There is an “explicit language” warning on the cover, which amounts to one track that I noticed with the “f” word, so perhaps avoid playing at the Ritz Carlton. Otherwise, enjoy!

First published in Restaurant and Catering magazine, March 2002