WA Jazz Project launches at Perth Concert Hall with Ellington’s Nutcracker

The WA Jazz Project laid claim to Perth Concert Hall with a full-on big band sound for its debut on Thursday night.

A line-up of leading players with a strong WAAPA connection produced full effects in all sections for Frank Foster’s Blues in Hoss’ Flat.

Wailing trumpets (Adrian Kelly, Benn Hodgkin, Martin Pervan and Matt Smith), growling trombones (Jeremy Greig, Will Pethick and Catherine Noblet, with bass Bruce Thompson), and assertive saxophones doubling clarinet/flute (altos Matthew Styles and Melissa Skinner, tenors Niels Rosendahl and Brad Swope, with baritone Alex Boyd), all clustered around a tight rhythm section of Ric Eastman (drums), Kate Pass (string bass), Simon Jeans (guitar) and pianist-musical director Grant Windsor.

On-stage signage promised “Jazz done differently”, and the subsequent welcome by MC Ali Bodycoat was certainly different; spoken word over guitar and piano chords paying court to the heart of an ancient culture.

A further Welcome to WAJP, written by Kelly, broke out belltones across the ensemble, with a roll call of the instrumental sections exploiting the colour and timbre of each.

Windsor echoed Ellington’s goal of “elevating jazz music from basements and bars” to introduce the Duke’s Nutcracker Suite; consciously pitching for a home on the Terrace.

Velvety tones in the bass led-in the distinctive tilt of Ellington’s take on Romantic Christmas fare, the satirical reworkings well suited to the band: self-deprecating humour never far from the surface.

A clarinet duet led-in Toot Toot Tootie Toot (Dance of the Reed Pipes), throwing to muted trumpet and mellow trombones before taking back the lead; transitions between sections and solos handled by Windsor with energy and aplomb.

Trumpets launched the March, robustly as a group before Smith broke out with bravura, picked up by Styles on clarinet; Jeans claiming centre stage over bass and drums, trombones grabbing the tune with trumpets dazzling over the top, leading in a tenor sax solo to smash out the climax.

Sugar Rum Cherry (Dance of the Sugar Plumb Fairy) opened with a dissolute rhythm picked up in pixillated sax, setting the tone for trombone and muted trumpet; Greig leading the pack over tenor sax melody, fading to drum and bass.

Entre’acte offered another bout of energy, tripping to a sudden close; triggering a trumpet fanfare to open the Volga Vouty (Russian Dance), followed by Pervan in a high-energy, high-altitude solo.

Chinoiserie (Chinese Dance) was as faithful to Tchaikovsky as any of the songs; clarinet solo over drum and bass, with a hint of chopsticks in rim-shot and other effects, constant as a metronome.

Danse of the Floreadores (Waltz of the Flowers) leaned heavily on Smith’s tireless improvisations, as trombones and saxes duetted across the ensemble; rising to a jagged conclusion.

Finally, a sinewy piccolo led in the Arabesque Cookie (Arabian Dance), melody passed along the line and tonal variation worked deftly to sustain the build-up; bass leading out to a tambourine flourish.

After the break, guest singers Reigan Derry and John O’Hara brought high-fidelity gloss to a collection of sentimental favourites; Derry’s blonde hair and warm tones plus O’Hara’s dapper, dramatic characterisations opening vistas beyond the music.

Herman’s We Need a Little Christmas, Pola and Wyle’s It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s My Favourite Things, stirred the anticipation.

Then Derry’s rendition of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas went beyond; a breathy introduction rolling into a mellow appeal to the heartstrings over dense chords, with meditative trombone over a flugel horn choir; Derry claiming the climax in dreamy tones.

O’Hara answered with Wham’s Last Christmas; channelling the original closely before breaking to jazz mode, a chameleon-like version gradually folding into the ambience of the band.

A Frozen movie melody changed the pace with humour before O’Hara repeated the chameleon trick with Tim Minchin’s White Wine in the Sun; clear, bell-like tones with lyrical precision gradually morphing to swing measure and style.

Derry returned as the lady in red for a haunting, yearning version of The Christmas Song; hushed vocals and brushed drums over rich brass and sax oozing intimacy and affection.

Santa Baby followed with a lilting, lustrous appeal as naughty and nice as her outfit; revealing, but not quite too much.

The duo reformed for the Hawaiian Merry Christmas, Mele Kalikimaka — breezy vocals and brash accompaniment a sharp contrast — while Santa Claus is Coming to Town again exposed O’Hara’s dramatic talents.

Finally, O’Hara sang backing to Derry in All I Want for Christmas is You; exploding into sensuous celebration and a riotous conclusion.

As encore, Bodycoat rejoined the company for We Wish You a Merry Christmas; syncopated and swung with gusto.

WAJP next present Jazz at the Symphony on Friday, February 18, at 7.30pm.

www.perthconcerthall.com.au