25 Jammers New and Old

The last Session of the Year was the longest I can remember, with over 25 Jammers new and old wandering in throughout the day and rocking the joint for a mere eight hours.

Glen (Il Duce to those in the know) went all out with a great set-up (he even put in foldbacks fergawdsake), opened up the Atrium and the Beer Garden to the street, and got blessed with a really fine day (the Gods must be tone deaf)   After a fine light luncheon (nobody died) around 25 musicians swapped and chopped all day long, ably mustered by Captain Chaos hisself, who did, it must be said, look a little stuffed by the end.

The singers – Anne Smith, Anne Hayres, Sonia Davoine, Melinda Traves and Sevil Sabah , Marita and Lehma, amongst others, really turned it on. Doug Haircut Kuhn drove that stick bass all day long, Matthias, The Hirsh,  Sebastien, and others rattled the skins, The Captain, Jason, Keef, Peter, Dennis, Kepler, Marion, and I can’t remember who else soloed, Ben and Ray Hood (the original Lounge Lizard) on guitars, Blonde Bob, Gentleman John Curtis and meself, amongst others, tickled the plastics, and there too was the invisible trombonist, Jack Morris.

A great end to a fine year of Jam Sessions – there were four people there who, to the best of my knowledge, have been going to the Jams for over 23 years. And still can’t get it right. Makes you wonder..

We will be back on 18th January.

Hortense and Madge from Altona send their regards.

Toodle Pip!

Captain Chaos Fridays at the Laika Bar: The Divine Miss Smith… it had to happen

The Divine Miss Smith

Yup, the last CCQ event of the year will feature the Divine Miss Smith, and about time too!

After last Friday’s busy little sesh with the immaculate Mme Sonia Davoine, things are going to turn decidedly quirky: always assuming the Divine Miss Smith doesn’t lose her car keys, turns up only marginally late, and hits a few of those numbers we love.. ably supported by the Captain (sax), meself (piano) and Doug “haircut” Kuhn, with Peter Cole as special guest on sax.

The Laika Bar is turning out to be a bit of a gem – there is a constantly passing parade of Fitzroy Street fashionista, gangsters, wannabes, confused tourists, poseurs and maybe even your good self. Drop in for a wine or even a fabulously expensive cocktail – and say g’day to the Diva

The Divine Miss Smith, Laika Bar, 6 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, from 7.32pm, Friday 19th December.

Jam Sessions: Captain Moonlight

I have no clue what happened at the Gold Street Gossip Shop last Sunday, much like every other week, really, but this was at least partly on account of the Captain, meself,  Doug Haircut Kuhn and Kevin all sneaking into the Comma Jam Session in downtown Castlemaine, seething metropolis of the North and home to several people.

And a damn fine session it turned out to be – kicked off in style by a somewhat svelte suave and sultry songstress, Meg Corson, accompanied by Civil Bop, who despite their collective age of about three and a quarter, keep getting better and better.

Meg Corson  and Civil Bop

We were actually there for a Planning Session for the 2015 Castlemaine Jazz Festival, all of which will go live, website-wise, any day now.

Meanwhile, back in the dusty back alleys of an untunnelled Collywobble, could fine music be heard?

I thought not, Jam session must have run as usual. Spiffin!

Don’t forget the Jammers bash next Sunday. Toodlepip!

The Last Jam Session of the year: Pre Christmas bash at the Lunatic Soup Lounge

The Annual Jammers pre Christmas bash kicks off in the Gold Street Gossip Shop Atrium at 1.00pm this Sunday December 14th for those jammers desirous of a light luncheon, with what we laughably refer to as music starting shortly thereafter. Piss elegance may not be the order of the day, but you should at least start with good intentions.

You may expect an afternoon of ballad bashing, bossa bungling, standards mangling, interspersed with malicious gossip, slander, outrageous lies and innuendo. There will be a separate room for innuendo. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that a little jazz will be thrown into the mix. In this case, try and keep a straight face, and do not call the Fire Brigade, as it will generally self extinguish in no time at all.

You are encouraged to bring wives, husbands, partners, children and grandparents, but they are not to be eaten before 4.00pm. The whole shebang is expected to descend into a shambles some time after 6.00pm, so there will be plenty of time for those wishing to play.

Feel free to enjoy yourselves, but preferably in private.

Enthusiasm essential, charts a bonus, performance anxiety optional and competence to be well concealed as a kindness to others.

The last Jam of the year – see ya there?

The Laika Bar: Sonia and the CCQ

It is all going rather well, although sometime fairly soon, the drummers are going to realise that there isn’t room for drums… but after last week’s smooth as perfomance by Sevil Sabah, who cares! This week, we are throwing Mademoiselle Sonia to the lions; Doug “Haircut” Kuhn, meself and quite possibly Captain Chaos himself will be denying all  responsibility in the background.

The Laika is a classy little cocktail lounge at the beach end of Fitzroy Street, St Kilda and the tres chic Mme Sonia will be doing her eclectic mix of bebop toons, French ballads, gypsy jazz and maybe even a song in Mandarin. Quite what the locals will make of that remains to be seen, and you can see it too by dropping by…she would love to see you there.

Sonia Davoine chanteuse de soiree at the Laika Bar, 6 Fitzroy Street St Kilda,  Friday 12th December from 7.30

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The Lunatic Soup Lounge last Sunday: sweet!

Sunday arvo at the Leinster can be a hit or miss affair. After last week’s shenanigans, one could hardly have thought this would turn out to be much at all. And for starters, it wasn’t… but as it turns out, this was about as enjoyable an afternoon as I can remember – the regular crew, ably lead by Captain Chaos himself, all got up and boogied, or sat back and gossiped over the occasional cooling draught, as they are wont to do.

Doug Kuhn, Colonel T of the Fourth Light Punjab Horse, Noel the Sax, Ben Stewart, Is Don Is Good, Monsieur Sebastien, Peter Cole, Kevin the Krooner, Glen (Il Duce to those in the Know), Bob the Piano, Curtis at his debonair  best, the Divine Miss Smith, Ivan Five String Bass, Jason The Hat, trumpets, chord wranglers,  drinkers, gossipers, the lightly medicated and confused… all conspired to produce an afternoon of aural delights that occasionally veered into the dangerous waters of real jazz, but in a good way.

Possible highlights of the afternoon were the Tyro piano player launching into a tune he didn’t know and making a pretty fair fist of it; and that rarest of occasions,  the Captain forgetting to call fours, although the pick of the bunch, for me, was Jason on sax, making the rest of us sound better than we really are. Any time, feel free…

Ya wouldn’t be dead fer quids…

TW

 

The Jammers Christmas Bash

Mme Hortense, together with her lifelong brief acquaintance, Madge, (Altona’s finest and slapper to the stars) wish to invite you, as a regular reader of this august organ, to the Annual Jammers Christmas Bash, to be held at the Gold Street Gossip Shop and Tea Rooms on Sunday 14th December.

The plan is a for a  1.00pm start with a spot of lunch, followed by an afternoon of ballad mangling, bossa bashing, bad blues and trainwrecks galore,  in the finest traditions of the Jam. Stuff it, if you do turn up, you could even play a little jazz. Just don’t make a habit of it, as that sort of thing can frighten the horses, sets a bad example for the kiddies, and could lead to the downfall of Society As We Know It, if big boy Tony doesn’t get us there first.

We will be taking over the Atrium for the afternoon, and absolutely anyone is invited – you can  tell it is going to be classy. ..

The Laika Bar: Fridays on Fitz

Sevil Sabah steps up to the mic: 7.30 this Friday at the Laika Bar , with her regular bassist Doug “Haircut” Kuhn and meself on piano, for an evening of lounge. If you haven’t been to the Laika yet, you will be in for a bit of jazz, a frisson of blues, and a touch of soul: summer evenings in St Kilda, sipping cocktails under the palms and watching the world go by…

And there is always the possibility of a surprise appearance: The Captain…

Sevil Sabah sings the Laika, 6 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, Friday  4th December from 7.30pm.