Category - Music

With all that’s been going on over the past couple of weeks I haven’t had the chance to let you know about the Adam Hall and the Velvet Playboys album launch on Friday night the 8th of June.

It was only the third time I’ve seen them live but I don’t intend it to be the last.

The venue was packed with swing dancers and music lovers of all ages. It was wonderful to see so many people buying the new CD on the night. They won’t be disappointed. I was given a pre-release copy and it’s hardly been out of my CD player ever since. I’ll be arranging a radio interview with the guys soon.

If you’re anywhere near Perth you need to put aside some time to hear these guys live. They’re an amazing six piece band and their music can be described as smooth swingin’ jazz, rockin’ blues and good ol’ boogie woogie but that doesn’t go even close to describing just what an experience it is to be in the room when the band strikes up.

As well as a lot of old time swing favourites their repotoire features the musical styles usually associated with artists as diverse as James Brown, Ray Charles & Harry Connick Jr.

If you check out their website you’ll find links to some samples of their music. Don’t be fooled. While the samples are pretty good, they don’t do the guys justice. The band is tight, as you’d expect with the kind of pedigree the guys can boast, but they make it all sound so easy.

I’m used to hearing great musicianship let down by average vocals but Adam Hall is smooth all the way. His bio on their website gives a few hints as to his musical heritage.

Adam studied the craft in America at Berklee College of Music, Boston. Playing since 1990 (from the age of 10), Adam sings and plays Trumpet, Trombone, Alto Sax, Piano, Euphonium, Mellophonium and a little bit of bass and drums for good measure.

So far in his career Adam has played with James Morrison, Darryl Somers, Rolf Harris, Frank Foster (the former leader of the Count Basie orchestra who played with Basie for 45 years), Don Burrows, Shirley Horn’s band, Vanessa Amorossi and Grace Knight to name just a few.

Adam played at the Sydney Olympics, was Artist in Residence at Southbridge Jazz Club (Singapore) and has made tours to Singapore, Boston, New York & New Orleans.

The band has a regular Friday night booking at The Mustang Bar in Northbridge. Let me know if you’re heading down there and I’ll see if I can join you.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: Adam Hall – Swing – Music

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Crofty has tagged me to list seven tracks or albums that feature in my life at present.

Mmm. I have such eclectic music tastes that such a task proves difficult but I’ll give it a go and nominate some specific tracks.

I’ll start with a couple of songs that I’m playing during my morning radio programme at the moment that I’m really enjoying.

The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani and Better by Regina Spektor are different enough from so many of the current releases to make them a real joy to play. I enjoy music that takes chances and both these tracks fit that description.

Another song that I’ve been playing on air lately is Beautiful As You by The Whitlams. Pauline bought me the CD a long time before the song was released as a single so I was very pleased when our Programme Director chose to add it to our playlist. I know that it’s about a city but whenever I hear the line, “Nothing’s to me, as beautiful as you” I can’t help but think of Pauline.

OK. We’ve got three. Just four more to go. Umm. Maybe I should choose a few songs that I’ve recently listened to on my way to and from work. When I cycle I put in the ear buds, set my iPod Mini on shuffle and enjoy the ride.

This is Not America by David Bowie has come up a couple of times lately. Brilliant. Speaking of Bowie, have you heard Rebel Rebel from the bonus disc of Reality, his album from a few years back? It’s wonderful. Quite different from the original version and sounds great when it’s turned up LOUD. (Though I don’t turn my iPod up very loud.) Well that’s two more.

Back to the iPod ‘Recently Played’ list. Take Me to Your Leader by The Newsboys got a playing a day or so ago. Great song from when the band was at its best. These Dreams of You from Van Morrison’s classic Moondance got a playing recently too. The whole album’s wonderful.

That’s seven but I could go on for quite a while. Looking through my ‘Recently Played’ list there’s stuff by The Call, Bob Dylan, Everything But The Girl, Charlie Peacock, Rick Springfield, Elvis Costello, GANGgajang, Lou Reed, Maria, McKee and so many others. On top of that I’ve been listening to Diana Krall albums as I’ve sat at the computer this evening.

Oh well. That’ll do it for now.

What are the songs or albums that are featuring in your life at the moment? Feel free to list your choices on your own blog or in the comments section below.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: Meme – Music – Tagged

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Brilliant.

How else can I describe the inaugural Hearing Aid family concert in Supreme Court Gardens on Sunday?

The Ear Science Institute Australia, a not-profit-organisation, organised the family event to fund vital medical research into ear and hearing disorders. After some initial audio problems, which the organisers handled extremely well, the concert got underway and featured over four hours of music from acts as diverse as the Rogue Traders, the Hooley Dooleys and Courtney Murphy with his band Murphy’s Lore.

I must admit that my favourite part of the event was seeing Ross Wilson performing live with his band the Urban Legends. Ross is certainly getting older, an affliction not unique to him alone, but he has lost none of the sound that put him on the top of Australia’s musical charts with his bands Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock. He’s still got the moves too.

He played some of his solo stuff but mainly stuck to favourites including Come Back Again, Hi Honey Ho, Bom Bom, Come Said the Boy, Summer of ’81 and several others before finishing with the song that was the inspiration for Elton John’s Crocodile Rock, Eagle Rock.

No party in Australia is complete without Eagle Rock pumping through the speakers so it was a fitting finale for Ross Wilson and the Urban Legends.

As I mentioned previously, I recently spoke to Ross Wilson during my morning radio programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM. You can hear our conversation using the media player at the bottom of this post.

As for the rest of the show, it was great to see Courtney Murphy performing live. At one point during his set he invited Fremantle Docker, Luke McPharlin, took to the stage and sang a couple of songs. He did quite reasonable versions of How to Save a Life and You Can Call Me Al.

The final band to take to the stage was the headline act, Rogue Traders. According to ten year old Emily, this was the act we’d all come to see. Iwasn’t quite convinced.

I listened to them and tried to enjoy their music but it all seemed to be ‘just noise’. I listened to the guitarist – he’s extremely talented. The drummer – brilliant. Keyboards – very good. Natalie Bassingthwaighte’s vocals – excellent. Even with all those great elements it just didn’t work for me. I did enjoy a couple of their songs but for the most part I couldn’t see what the fuss was about.

I was wondering about my lack of enthusiasm when it hit me. It wasn’t about them, it was about me. There comes a time in every man’s life when he becomes his father. In the same way that my musical choices sounded like ‘just noise’ to my dad, the kind of music that Emily chooses to listen to sounds the same way to me. Make no mistake, the guys in Rogue Traders are a great band, I’m just getting older.

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… Oh we’re steppin’ out

One of the things I love about my job is being able to speak to some of my musical heroes.

From my early years listening to my brother’s Daddy Cool albums through to singing along to Mondo Rock on the radio in the eighties and then onto his solo work, I’ve always appreciated the incredible musical talent of Ross Wilson.

No party in Australia is complete without Daddy Cool’s song Eagle Rock pumping through the speakers but Ross Wilson has contributed a lot more than that one song to the soundtrack of our lives.

Mondo Rock gave us a string of hits in the eighties and I’m still more than happy to sing along at the top of my voice whenever I hear their song, No Time. One of the tracks from an early Mondo Rock album became a huge hit when John Farnham recorded Touch of Paradise for his come back album, Whispering Jack.

As well as writing a string of hit songs for himself and many others, Ross has worked as a producer for some wonderful music including the first few albums for Skyhooks.

Ross has even recorded a country album so we’re left wondering if there’s anything that the man can’t do.

He’s going to be in Perth with his current band, the Urban Legends, for the inaugural Hearing Aid family concert in Supreme Court Gardens on Sunday, 25th of March. The Ear Science Institute Australia, a not-profit-organisation, will be using the money raised through the family event to fund vital medical research into ear and hearing disorders.

The concert will feature over four hours of music from acts as diverse as the Rogue Traders, the Hooley Dooleys and Courtney Murphy & Murphy’s Lore.

I spoke to Ross Wilson this morning during my radio programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM. You can hear our conversation using the media player below.

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Maybe I should be offended. After all I am a big Bob Dylan fan.

I must admit though, it’s hard to be offended by this very amusing album of ‘Dylan’ singing Dr Seuss.

Dylan Hears a Who is a very clever six song compilation of Dr Seuss rhymes done in the style of Dylan. The music’s authentic and the vocals are impressive.

The authentic vinyl ‘crackles and pops’ add to the audio experience.

I think Green Eggs and Ham would have to be my favourite. Let me know which ones you enjoy.

The best part of it all is that you can download the entire album in mp3 format in a zip file.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: Bob Dylan – Dr Seuss – Humour

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