"One of the best" confesses jazz critic

"In2deep" Album Launch
Rachael McNally (vocals) and Mike Dooley (piano) and guests
at North Belconnen Uniting Church
December 19, 2020

Reviewed by Tony Magee

I’ll dive straight into the deep end by saying that this was one of the best jazz concert performances I’ve ever attended. And that’s covering a period of more than 40 years.

Singer Rachel McNally has a unique and superb voice. A curious combination of opera style at some times and jazz/rock at other times.

Canberra jazz duo In2deep

Her vocal phrasing is more aligned with jazz. She has the ability to reach low notes similar to Sarah Vaughan and a middle and upper register that reminded me in some ways of Doris Day.

In addition, McNally has a perfect sense of pitch and there was never a moment where one could say she was flat or sharp. Every note was perfect.

Pianist Michael Dooley, who wrote many of the songs in this concert, played with sensitivity and lyrical phasing, combined with a beautiful tone production.

Alas there was no program, but suffice to say that the entire concert was a masterclass in quality music making.

Another astonishing thing about this concert was the “and guests”, which in the publicity there was no clue has to who these would be.

Well, I have to say that the “guests” were of the highest calibre. Miroslav Bukovsky on trumpet and flugelhorn; Con Campbell, tenor sax; Richard Manderson, alto sax; Darren Ormsby, trombone; Camilo Gonzalez, guitar; Phil Dick, bass; Steve Richards, drums; Michael’s son Anthony Dooley on percussion and three members of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra playing strings: Tim Wickham, violin; Iska Sampson, viola and Alex Voorhoeve, cello.

Michael Dooley added a humorous ending to the list of musicians by introducing another of his sons, William Dooley, also playing violin. To quote Michael: “William wants to be in the Canberra Symphony Orchestra – but he’s a bit young for that at the moment. Patience boy – patience!”

Dooley’s original compositions are of an extremely high calibre and two that stood out for me were a rhumba based on spoonerisms entitled “Keep on Running” and “Blessed”, which he wrote off-the-cuff while playing a gig at the Hyatt Hotel in 2017.

Throughout the concert, both Miroslav Bukovsky and Con Campbell delivered superb improvised solos during many of the pieces. World-class playing at its finest and all right here in Canberra.

In closing, I would like to mention especially that all the arrangements, including for the four horns, were by Michael Dooley.

This concert was a huge success by both the choice of musicians and the quality of the compositions.

First published in Canberra City News Digital Edition, December 21, 2020

Eddie Van Halen's son criticises sale of his father's guitars

Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang has criticised a recent auction of three of his late father's guitars, which fetched $422,050 (£313,000).

Wolfgang Van Halen on stage with his father Eddie. Getty Images

Wolfgang said the sellers were "taking advantage of my father's passing", and he had "nothing to do with" the sale.

"I don't EVER plan on selling any of my father's iconic guitars," he said.

Julien's Auctions said two of the guitars were submitted for sale weeks before Eddie Van Halen, co-founder of rock band Van Halen, died in October.

The revered 65-year-old guitarist had been receiving treatment for throat cancer.

Wolfgang Van Halen added that one of the guitars sold had been a gift, adding: "It WASN'T for charity. They're just taking advantage of my father's passing. What a surprise."

He also suggested the only place they could "possibly belong in is a museum".

Eddie Van Halen is considered one of the greatest guitartists of all time. Getty Images

Julien's Auctions said the instruments in the sale were a custom-designed 2004 "stage-played" guitar, a "customised and played" guitar and a "music video guitar" that was used for the 1984 single Hot For Teacher.

The latter was a non-playing prop that was used by a child actor who played a young Eddie Van Halen, according to Rolling Stone magazine.

Darren Julien, president and chief executive of the auction house, said: "We, along with Eddie Van Halen's millions of fans, are mourning his family's and rock music's tremendous loss, and are honoured to keep his music legacy alive with the offerings of his memorabilia and instruments.

"We've auctioned many of Eddie Van Halen's iconic guitars in the past years and this year was no exception with these two guitars which were consigned to our Icons & Idols Trilogy: Rock and Roll sale weeks before we learned the sad news of his passing."

        Tributes paid to 'Mozart of rock' Eddie Van Halen.

        'He scared the hell out of a million guitarists'

Van Halen were best known for their song Jump, which hit the top of the US charts in 1984. Their other hits included Why Can't This Be Love and When It's Love.

Wolfgang, who became Van Halen's bassist in 2006, paid tribute to his father when he died. "Every moment I've shared with him on and off stage was a gift," he wrote.

Kiss singer Gene Simmons remembered the musician as a "Guitar God", while Queen guitarist Brian May remembered how "those truly magical fingers opened a door to a new kind of playing".

First published on bbc.com December 4, 2020.