StetLab / 3XE / Spank

Thursday 8^th November, doors 8:30pm

Upstairs at The Roundy

Cork Music Collective in conjunction with U.C.C. Music Department present

StetLab

3XE

Spank

StetLab is the brain-child of one Han-earl Park, from U.C.C. Music Department and one third of 3XE. Its intention is to be a performance platform for those interested in the high-rise trapeze sans net that is live improvisation. The first performers were the three members of 3XE – Han-earl Park on guitar, Bruce Coates (an established improvisational performer in his own right) on sax (tenor? alto?) and Sarah O’Halloran on ‘stuff’, as she put it, which turned out to be, for the most part, vocalisations. They did a couple of numbers to begin with, which started as sounding very disjointed and as if they were not connecting with eachother but improved with time so that the second number was sounding distinctly modern minimal and had enough inherent structure that it could have been mistaken as having been pre-rehearsed. At this point there was a call for any other musicians present to join. Andrea Bonino (of Hadasha) ventured out with his guitar. Naturally, with an increase in numbers, the sound started to fill out and what was originally rather stark, verging on thin, began to layer up and blend. This was the last we heard of Ms O’Halloran for a while (until 3XE took over again after a break) and this reviewer was not entirely sad, as she was finding the vocal work rather lacking in inventiveness – mainly long held notes. At times, she (Ms O’Halloran) could be seen to be contributing more rhythmically interesting material, which was good, you might say, excecpt that she could not be heard. And this was a disappointment. In fairness, though, her voice could be heard more towards the end and, I must admit, she was producing interesting sounds – animal growls, high yipping and shrieks – I’ll tell you, you cannot give in to feelings of self-consciousness and embarrassment if you want to do this; rather you must jump off that cliff and see what happens on the way down.

Actually, as a side bar, the volume overall was too much, even over-powering. This is a small, intimate venue. I see little reason the be forced to shout a conversation as a result of the volume or feel pinned to the wall (on occasion) by the sheer weight of noise coming at you from the stage. A word to the wise to the sound engineer perhaps?

A change of musicians later to include Coates, Bonino, Niwel Tsumbu (drums), Jason Butler (vocals) and Kevin Terry (guitar) produced perhaps the highlight for me from the improv. section of the evening. Seriously – when improvisation gels, it rocks, and this gelled. Jason joined in in the middle with free verse (I think he was making it up as he went, I could be wrong), wandered into ‘Wade in the Water’ for the hell of it and ended on more free verse. Miraculously, all up there were connecting on some plane or other – or perhaps they were latched onto Jason’s vocals, as the music began to match the words. Whatever was going on up there, it was worth every second.

3XE closed the experimental section but I confess I missed this bit as I was outside having a couple of cigarettes. Bad girl.

Spank (aka Eoin O’Sullivan) took to the stage with his cap (Dingle’s finest) and guitar and with Cian O’Mahony on drums. I find it very difficult to describe Spank’s music. I don’t know why this is – he’s a guy with a guitar (and a cap) playing rock. Maybe it’ because of all the influences which swim around your head (mine anyway) when you listen to him – Tom Waits, Howlin’ Wolf, The Doors, Blues – which cloud the issue. Despite the influences though Spank has his own sound, his own style that is Spank, something unusual in one so young (compared to this reviewer at any rate). He has an old, mature sound, one which feels like it was years fermenting.

His set had a definite garage-band sound to start with but this gave way to deep guitar, deep growling vocals, deep lyrics (I am assuming – he mumbles). There is a definite Woodstock feel to this man live – not a bad thing in this air-brushed, uber-waxed age. Or as one lady-punter put it, ‘He’s definitely got balls!’ Hmm, yes, charming. Mind you, when you heard the last number - fast, driving rock – you would find yourself agreeing. Simply superb.

A last note on StetLab. Improvisation is not easy on the ear or the head. There is little to latch onto and little of anything of which your brain can make sense. Quite a lot of the time, it is an unholy cacophony. But for every minute of noise, there are a few seconds of sheer and unadulterated joy and that alone is worth all the furrowed-brow, ‘what now?’ confusion. For those of you interested in spreading your musical wings, the next StetLab is scheduled for December 13^th, same place, same time.

As for Spank? Well, you know, I am a good, convent-reared girl … so let me just raise my hem a few inches…OOH! That’s better.

Friday 26^th October, 8:30pm

The Everyman Theatre

Cork Jazz Festival presents

Avishai Cohen Trio

E.S.T. (Esbjorn Svensson Trio)

It is a testament to both the reputations of E.S.T. and The Everyman that this gig was sold out (or very, very close to). More and more, a gig or show at The Everyman promises to be worth the ticket price and never more so than tonight.

The first half was given over entirely to the Avishai Cohen Trio, a Drum/Bass/Piano group led by Cohen on double bass. Settling in quickly, they opened with the bass on a relatively simple repeated ⁷₄ time signature theme. Joined by the piano, it was immediately apparent that these guys know their onions. You see, the piano was working to a slightly different tempo. This is often seen achieved unintentionally by less virtuousic groups who are not entirely sure of what they’re doing, but to manage it as a deliberate act? This is hellishly difficult. It was one hell of an opening and set the scene for the rest of the first half. Cohen is an exciting man to watch on stage – jumping and gesturing as he plays, attacking the bass in every way possible, you are never sure whether he wanted to slap it or take it to bed. All three musicians (what a drum solo!) were a match on stage (I did hear someone saying that they felt that the piano let the side down but I didn’t notice it).

A roaring, jump-up ovation was the result at half time. And, yes, half time is a more appropriate term than interval here, in what emerged as a contest between double-bass trios. The general feeling among the crowd was ‘How will E.S.T. match that?’

Well, E.S.T. took to the stage in an entirely more sombre setting. Led by Svensson on piano, physcally they were closer on stage, the bass was seated to play (I’ve never seen that before) and on average they are older men than those in the first half. It struck me as an archetypal setting of age versus youth. Youth is all bells and whistles, all excitement and Now! Now! Now! Age is calmer, more sedate, more ‘There’s time. Why rush? Relax and enjoy.’ And such was the case here tonight. There’s no doubting the huge talent on stage in all six musicians. Perhaps the balance of skill rested with E.S.T. due simply to the length of practice and experience. Musically they were neck and neck. And E.S.T. has a huge and justified reputation.

However, for my money, the gig of the night came from the Avishai Cohen Trio. The vibrancy and flamboyancy, the beauty and power of the music, compared with the controlled, studied performance of their seniors, left you feeling excited and alive, like an over-sugared child, wanting more, always more.