Jane Irving's High 5

1. ANDY BEY – Wine Banc Sydney 2003
Andrew Dickeson drums - Carl Dewhurst guitar - Jonathan Zwartz bass
The soul in this man is remarkable. The first thing I remember was Andy’s presence as he took his place behind the piano. And at times, right before he began a new tune, you could hear a pin drop –he had the audience eating out of the palm of his hands. Something that stuck in my mind was the energy he created with really slow tempos – and his count ins! Andy’s voice, really his forte and something so unique, deeply purred through the tunes. It was a particularly intimate vibe at Wine Banc that night and I was sitting right behind Andy, watching his hands move across the piano. At one point he played a blues that he’d written, just him and the piano and it was so minimal and simple -this was a perfect example of having the ability to inspire the audience enough to fill in the musical gaps themselves.

2. EXPOSED BONE – Thredbo Jazz Festival May 08
Jeremy Borthwick trombone – Aaron Flower guitar – James Hauptman drums – Brendan Clarke bass.
Exposed Bone give me the horn! It’s been a while since I hollered like a Banshee at a gig and the combination of great harmonies, killer grooves and rhythms were irresistible. James Hauptman had such infectious energy at the drums and Jez Borthwicks tunes were just so full of life - I couldn’t sit still! On both the Friday and Saturday night’s over this weekend, I didn’t want to be anywhere else. KILLER!

3. JIMMY SOCTT – Iridium, New York City, 2003
Hilliard Greene Bass - Dwayne Broadnax Drums - Jon Regen Piano - T K Blue, Saxophone.
I didn’t know much about - ‘Little Jimmy’ Scott other than he was Billie Holiday’s favourite singer. I went to see him the night before I left New York and was feeling a bit of that happy sadness. Jimmy shuffled on stage and his small frame and unnaturally high, voice arrested me. With stretched-out vowels and melancholy intonations I found myself anticipating every move he made. His unique phrasing, central to his particular way of telling a story required just what the rhythm section gave him: space and elegance. The repertoire was pretty vast and aside from perfectly chosen jazz standards, Jimmy covered a bit of pop territory most notably with Princes ‘Nothing Compares 2U’ - which was done as a slow ballad and made all the more poignant because of it. Since that gig I’ve bought a couple of recordings and discovered just how gifted Jimmy is at reworking any tune and calling it his own.

4. MARK MURPHY – The Basement, Sydney 2004
Mike Nock, Felix Bloxam and Jonathan Zwartz.
I had been listening to various recordings of Mark’s for years - my favourite: ‘Kerouac – Then and Now’. To me, he is the quintessential storyteller. I was so excited to hear him for the first time, I could hardly contain myself. His voice had matured with caramel warmth and I wanted to jump inside those long deep cognac tones. I hung off his every phrase, movement, gesture and articulation. The range, the vocal punctuation, the acrobatics, the tone and then to top it all off he finished the gig with “Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me”, just him, singing and playing the piano. By then I was in tears. Mark swooped around the melodies and dazzled with his incredible way with a ballad. It was one of those moments that I just wanted to bottle.

5. DHAFER YOUSSEF – The Studio Sydney Opera House 2007
Jatinder Thakur and the Divine Shadows string quartet.
I had been a relatively new but completely devoted admirer of Dhafer’s and then I heard him live. This man can truly ‘sing’. His instrument like was like no other I’d heard – going from innocence, to daring to falsetto and back again. I had perpetual chills. And then he smiled! The energy he gave not only to the audience but to the rest of the musicians on stage was extraordinary. This incredibly spiritual and hypnotic performance was so full of passion, it was like nothing I’d ever witnessed. The sounds of Tunisia, India the Mediterranean were a very heady mix and I was transported, in time, place and spirit. The accompanying string quartet, weaving their way around incredibly complex arrangements - Jatinder, sitting cross legged before the tablas – Dhafer’s oud playing and voice – all combining different genres, was a spellbinding musical marathon. I was so spent after the performance, I couldn’t speak.

1.DALE BARLOW – Brisbane Travelodge 1990
I was a 2nd year conservatorium student and had heard about Dale for a number of years but had never seen him play. He had just recently returned to Australia from being in N.Y. all those years. So he was on fire. I was heavily into bebop/hardbop, playing changes and great technique, so it was everything I was looking for. I was 18 at the time and he blew my mind. For some reason Bud Powell’s Webb City sticks in my mind.

2. WYNTON MARSALIS/MARCUS ROBERTS – Lincoln Centre NYC 1993
The first time I saw Wynton was the same impact as Dale. To hear his sound and agility over the horn was strangely life changing, at the time. Later that week I bumped into Wynton walking along Broadway (like you do).We got to talking and he invited me up to his apartment for a lesson. Well I let a week go by and then I lost the vibe to actually go at all.
Then I attended a ‘jazz talk’ with Roy Hargrove and Terrance Blanchard talking about composition etc. Halfway through the talk Wynton walked in. I thought I should try and speak with him and tee up the lesson. Just as I decided to do this he left the room and went into a lift with 4 other guys. So I followed him into the lift and he’s just staring at me not saying anything and I’m feeling like an idiot because the lift is going up, to God knows where and he obviously can’t remember me. Finally, he say’s ‘Does your name start with B?’ I said “yes it’s Blaine” he said “yeah I thought you were going to come see me”. He wasn’t happy.” How’s tomorrow” I bleated. “3 o’clock. Don’t be late!” They all got off at the next floor.

3. DAVE LIEBMAN, MICHAEL BRECKER AND JOE LOVANO – Birdland NYC 2005
Three tenors and rhythm section; I was hanging with Brendan Clarke. It was sold out. We saw the 1st set standing at the back of the room. Peering between other people’s heads and shoulders. It was a drag.
Three of greatest tenor players on the planet and I can’t see them. I could hear them which was great, but I wanted to see how they executed what they were playing and the communication; all those things that happen on the band stand etc. Well, I can’t remember how it happened but we saw the 2nd set from the front table. It was like a miracle. It was not long after this gig that Michael stopped performing for ever. I was startled at how much weight he had lost. I had seen him play in Hong Kong twelve months earlier. No one knew this would be one of his last shows. It was a night I’ll never forget. Each soloist was driven to new heights of expression due to the amazing solo they had to follow. Yet it never got competitive. They just had so much to say and plenty of time to say it. At times it was very intense. All three would be soloing at the same time and throwing everything in – harmonics, multiphonics, sheets of sound, atonal and bebop. They did everything do-able on the saxophone. No stone unturned.

4. ROY HARGROVE QUINTET – Hong Kong 2007
I’ve always been a fan of Roy and his music. He came through Hong Kong and was doing selections from the current album “Nothing Serious”. Hip tunes, hip harmonies and arrangements. Nice ensemble writing. Lots of colours. All the things I love.
The night before this concert I was playing at a club called Bohemia Lounge. I knew these cats were in town. But you could have knocked me down with a feather when they rocked up to my gig with their horns. Roy and Justin Robinson (alto) sat in and we jammed till 3am.It was a great session. Roy was calling all the tunes, mainly bebop standards like ‘Stablemates’,’Round midnight’ I was high for days after.

5. NILS LANDGREN FUNK UNIT – Hong Kong 2005
Ok so this is some Euro funk now. I had played with Nils the year before when he came through Hong Kong. This time he brought the whole band. He had Karl Martin Almquist on tenor and Rigmor Gustafson on vocals. Rigmor would have to be my favourite vocalist right now. Music doesn’t have to be like a religious experience for it to linger in your mind. Although it does help. This was not a religious experience but I’ll always remember it. Simply put - great solos, great arrangements and fresh sounds. Just an awesome vibe.

1. ROOT 70/NILS WOGRAM – Wangaratta Festival of Jazz / Sound Lounge Sydney Nov 2007
There was a whole arc to these gigs for me. I had been into Root70 for a while, and spent some time studying their music in 2007, looking forward to seeing them live. I wasn’t prepared for how absolutely engaged and thrilled I would be, and just how astounding these guys were as instrumentalists. Even better, in Sydney I managed to complete the experience by chatting with the group about their music and their processes in performing together. It was an uplifting and hugely beneficial experience.

2. TONY MALABY/MARK HELIAS – Wangaratta Festival of Jazz - 2000
I had no idea who Tony Malaby was at this time, and knew very little about Mark Helias, and to be honest, I don’t remember a lot about what music they played together, only that it was an incredibly powerful experience for me, exhilarating and emotionally very moving. Everything they played seemed to mean something particular and important. I spent most of the gig with either goose-bumps or tears or both.

3. STIAN CHRISTENSEN/FARMERS MARKET – Bimhuis, Amsterdam, 2005
There was a certain theatre element to this gig. Impressive musicality; weaving and dodging through sudden shifts between genres, tempos and meters, as shifting the focus between Christensen on half a dozen different instruments, the fill-in bass player with a permanent grin, who looked like he’d just come from a Metallica audition, the older Bulgarian sax player decidedly unperturbed, and the clownish rhythm guitarist.

4. WORLD ACCORDING TO JAMES – Australia 1999 to present
I’ve seen too many performances to really distinguish them, but I’ve always been so inspired by the clarity and power in their music. James Greening is among the finest of the many amazing musicians Australia has produced and is still producing, and Andrew Robson, Toby Hall and Steve Elphick together with James always blow me away and fill me with such an irrepressible energy and enthusiasm for art and music.

5. HANK JONES/JOE LOVANO – Bimhuis, Amsterdam 2006
I love Joe Lovano’s playing but for me this was all about Hank Jones. I ran to the bar and back in the first break so I could snake myself a seat over on the left side of the room closer to Hank. I thought he had such a beautiful energy in his body and his hands, a really easy, on the money, virtuosic touch without ever being aggressive. I felt satisfied and at the same time hungry for more with every phrase he played; whether it be solo or accompanying Joe Lovano, who for his part played with a beauty and delicacy belying his giant frame.

1. JOE LOVANO, BILL FRISELL, PAUL MOTIAN - Village Vanguard, NY, 2002
This trio was just outstanding. Watching the way these players worked together, it seemed to be so much about listening, creating the space and time for the music; and to get to see them at the Vanguard - fantastic. One thing that really sticks in my mind about this gig is the way they created and used the space of the trio, stretching, pulling back, and letting the music dictate terms.

2. DAVE HOLLAND QUINTET - Sydney Opera House 2007
I've been listening to Dave Holland for a long time now, and seeing the band play was fantastic. This was a great gig on so many levels; the way the band worked together, the compositions, the solos, everything was just so on the money. It's always inspiring to see just how good it can get.

3. HENRY THREADGILL, TED DANIEL, BOB STEWART, NEUMAN E. BAKER - Music Omi, NY, 2002
This was a performance during my stay at Music Omi in New York, a two week residency. Henry and the other musicians came up and stayed overnight, so it was not only the gig, but the chance to hang with these great musicians that makes this so memorable. The gig was a completely free set, and the way it unfolded from the first note was a beautiful thing to hear and see.

4. PAUL CUTLAN COLTRANE PROJECT - Sound Lounge, Sydney, 2006.
Paul Cutlan, Andrew Robson, Alister Spence, Lloyd Swanton, Toby Hall. I'm a huge fan of Coltrane's music, especially the later works. There is such an intensity and direction, and this gig had all that in such a strong way. This music takes real commitment to perform in the right spirit, and the band just took off and nailed it. Rather than one particular moment, and there were many, my lasting impression is of everyone in the band hitting it, and running with it all the way.

5. DAVE DOUGLAS -Wangaratta Jazz Festival, 2002
I really enjoy Douglas' compositions as well as his playing. Technically, he was all over the trumpet, and the rhythm section especially seemed to move through a huge range of textures and rhythmic structures. This gig really opened my ears to the possibilities of the quintet.

1. JAMIE CULLUM – The Palais, Melbourne 2005
Jamie is such a phenomenal performer/entertainer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, interpreter, vocalist and overall instrumentalist with an energy that is second to none. He is unique, engaging, and a non-conformist to jazz or pop stereotypes. At The Palais he took his performance to a new level with the song Photograph and then again held the audience in the palm of his hand when he came down into the audience to sing Nature Boy with double bass accompaniment.

2. SUMI JO – Hamer Hall, Melbourne 2003
The Korean soprano Sumo Jo has the most mind-blowingly flexible voice that I’ve ever heard. It is un-human to sing the way she does. Her voice is a light coloratura that is pretty but still has depth. She only performed with David McSkimming on piano, and was so engaging and awe-inspiring, she effortlessly captured her audience. The French repertoire is her strength due to her extensive study in Paris, where in Hamer Hall it sounded so divine that it sparked my interest in the French repertoire for classical voice. My personal favourite by Sumi Jo (which every time I listen gives me shivers down my spine) was Depuis le jour où je me suis donnée from the opera Louise by Gustave Charpentier.

3. FHGR – Bennett’s Lane Melbourne 2006
This group usually has four of my favourite musicians performing. Farrugia, Howard, Grigoryan and Robertson, but this night, they also featured Ben Edgar on guitar, who supported the group perfectly with his jazz/pop style of playing. It was a very intimate setting with a handful of people in the room, but the atmosphere was electric from the virtuosic, yet beautiful playing from all the members. Luke Howard the pianist/keyboardist, in particular seemed to take exciting risks with ambitious enthusiasm, while at other times, he played sparingly and so delicately you dare not breathe. My favourite aspects about this group of musicians is their sensibility towards jazz in making it accessible, while still retaining beautiful control over the improvised arrangements with incredible lyricism, much like that of Pat Metheny.

4. GEORGE BENSON & AL JARREAU – The Palais, Melbourne 2007
These two iconic jazz/pop artists are some of the most major influences behind my latest album Allure. Their melodic writing and technical mastery are inspirational to the way I re-arrange old French repertoire, and seeing this live combined with their impressive stage craft just commanded my attention. They performed old classics like Affirmation to the re-worked 1976 hit Breezin’, with added Al Jarreau lyrics. Although I would have loved to witness some of the Absolute Benson album as well as Al Jarreau’s All I Got, I was continually impressed by the live arrangements from the Givin’ It Up album, which featured Benson and Jarreau together. One of the highlights was Benson under the spotlight performing a 10-minute guitar/vocal scat solo with a great front of house sound, reaching the depths of the theatre. The intensity and excitement of the night led to a standing ovation.

5. THE POLICE – Melbourne Cricket Ground 2008
What can I say about Sting and The Police? My common phrase: ‘Sting is the man’ is not used lightly. After reading his autobiography, Broken Music and re-working many of his tunes into my own style, I only ever return to the opinion of respect, admiration and appreciation for Gordon Sumner (a.k.a Sting) who really is ‘The Man’. I have studied countless Police recordings and concerts on DVD. Everything he touches is magic… therefore (even though I’m actually still impatiently waiting to see him live), I can only assume, that this will be one of my ‘Top 5’ all-time favourite gigs.

1. LOUIS HAYES QUINTET - Iridium Jazz Club NYC 2003
Vincent Herring – alto, Jeremy Pelt – trumpet, Rick Germanson – Piano, Vincente Archer – Bass and Louis Hayes – drums. Ever since I started listening to Cannonball Adderley records, Louis Hayes has been one of my favourite drummers. I think he epitomises the 1960's “Blue Note” sound so to see his Cannonball Tribute Quintet was a real thrill. The band was so swingin' it was ridiculous and Louis was playing with the energy and fire of a much younger man but of course with the maturity and completeness of a man in his seventies. Vincent Herring has long been a favourite of mine too and he was particularly inspired that night.

2. KENNY KIRKLAND TRIO - Wangarratta Jazz Festival circa 1999
Kenny Kirkland has been my favourite piano player ever since I first became interested in jazz which was around 1992. I don't think there has been a more swinging piano player in the last 20 years and his death a few years back came as a huge shock to me and I'm sure to the whole jazz world. This gig at Wang was the only time I ever saw him play and I remember he just got such a 'big' sound out of the piano. He was a genius who left this world far too early.

3. JOE ZAWINUL’S RHYTHM SYNDICATE - Continental Cafe circa 2001
This gig was a really special experience for me to see such a master musician leading an incredible band including Victor Bailey on bass. The level of groove that these guys created was truly amazing and by the end of the gig almost everyone was dancing! Possibly the most beautiful thing I've ever heard live was Victor Bailey singing and accompanying himself on 'Continuum', dedicated to Jaco Pastorius.

4. RICHARD SUSSMAN QUINTET feat TOM HARRELL - Sweet Rhythm NYC 2003
Tom Harrell – trumpet, Jerry Bergonzi - tenor, Richard Sussman - Piano, Mike Richmond - Bass, Jeff Williams – Drums.
In 1978 Richard Sussman released an album entitled “Free Fall” which has since become a bit of an underground classic. I was lucky enough in 2003 to see this exact quintet re-assembled playing some material from that album and newer compositions by the much underrated Richard Sussman. Tom Harrell has for a long time been one of my biggest inspirations both as a player and composer and it was a real treat to see his genius at work that night along with Jerry Bergonzi who was equally as brilliant.

5. MIKE NOCK QUINTET - Bennett's Lane circa 2001
I feel very honoured to share the same birthday as Mike Nock as he has been a big influence on my music. This particular gig included Phil Slater on trumpet and I think it was Dave Goodwin on drums. Mike's writing is so logical and yet so fascinating and he really has developed his own sound world over the many years he's been involved in jazz. Hopefully I'll get the chance to see him again soon.

1. SCOTT TINKLER BAND – Excelsior Hotel Surry Hills 2006
There is nothing halfway about Scott Tinkler's trumpet playing, which is what I love most about it. He always takes enormous risks and charges forward blazing. He reminded me that night a bit of a contemporary Freddie Hubbard. I was riveted by every note. I think Carl Dewhurst was on guitar and Simon Barker on drums, so it was an amazing band altogether.

2. RYAN ADAMS – Enmore Theatre, September 2007
I learnt so much from being at this concert. He went on 45 minutes late, blaming his 'f*n manager' which was a confronting start. It got me off edge. He didn't seem to be very happy but his singing was very special, as were the songs and the musicians. I was not familiar with his music prior, but I think he is unforgettably talented.

3. BILL RISBY TRIO – Bithri Inlet, June 2007
Few people know what a unique and innovative artist Bill is because he wears so many musical hats. I saw his trio with Hamish Stuart and Gary Holgate performing the first half of a concert at Bermagui and was mesmerised by their magic rapport. It was a summer afternoon with the venue right on the water. They played as one, taking the whole audience on an unpredictable musical journey with them complete with cliff hangers but never losing sight of beauty or space. I had to shake myself a bit to come back down.

4. DON RADER – Adelaide Festival Theatre, 1994
I was in the backing band for Don Rader who had recently moved to Australia from America and was the feature guest artist. I was completely knocked out by everything he played. He sounded like no trumpet player I had heard - in a way, a mix between Los Angeles - from the excitement/showmanship angle with all the technique of the top session player he is - and New York - dark twisted contrary harmonic turns and 'blue' sound. Meeting him for me was an inspiration, and in fact that concert helped my trumpet playing ex-husband and I make the decision to move to Sydney.

5. MACEO PARKER – Monterey Jazz Festival, America 1995
This was an outdoor concert with around five thousand people watching. I am not very familiar with that genre of music but he took total command of the stage from the first second and blew the entire audience away with a rhythm section that grooved harder than I thought was possible. I have never seen a performer command a stage like that, with music, energy and body language - no talking. The energy never sagged for a second. At the end of his 45 minute set, I felt like I'd been to another planet and back.

1. SVIATOSLAV RICHTER – Theatre de Chatelet, Paris, 1992
I was very excited as I made my way to the theatre on a cold night: at long last I was going to hear my favourite legendary concert pianist whose recordings of Bach, Schubert, Brahms, and all the Russian composers had given me so much. He walked on stage, blinked and bowed, and then settled somewhat awkwardly at the piano with a small desk lamp to light the music. He often used the music and he said that it kept him true to the score. His approach was a contrast to many other concert pianists. He began to play. For the first five minutes, I kept saying to myself: “this is Richter, at last I’m hearing him, how great he is!”, but then as the music and his completely self-effacing, non-histrionic approach to performance took over, I started thinking about the composer (Beethoven) and how great he was. Finally all these thoughts just went away and I just got swept up in the music and its ideas, colours and directions, no longer thinking about who or what it was. When the concert finished, I was surprised by the loud applause having forgotten my surroundings, and I walked home as if still in a dream, with the music reverberating for weeks.

2. JOE HENDERSON QUARTET – Fat Tuesday, New York, April 1990
The club was packed, hot and stuffy, and there was a real air of anticipation. The band walked on and I remember noticing how small Al Foster was and that he was wearing leather pants! Joe counted off and away they went - they burned from the very first note to the last, there was this amazing furious energy they put out. All the band members played with a terrible intensity, as if their lives depended on every note and nothing else mattered. They played from their guts but with a great concentration at the same time. The audience members were either sitting with their eyes shut, simply gob-smacked, or sort of moaning and groaning along in ecstasy. I was blown away and felt as if I had been purged by their fire! What a great way to discover the New York way of playing jazz!

3. PAUL BLEY/GARY PEACOCK DUO – New Morning, Paris 1992
The New Morning is a really good room in Paris, holds about four hundred people and is a mix between concert room and club, with a long bar down one wall. All the great jazz musos have played here although in recent years it is programming more rap and reggae, and less jazz. These two musicians have known each other for years, and their mutual trust and confidence came through as they simply improvised all night. Paul would throw out ideas, Gary would respond, or play against them, and every idea seemed to work and fuel further ideas. Paul Bley didn’t seem very virtuosic in the commonly understood way, but had so many rhythmic and melodic ideas, that all seemed fresh and effortless. It was all there in the music: humour, light, darkness – they conveyed many different emotions that night. They didn’t speak to the audience until the end, and seemed to really enjoy the moment of the concert, like two good friends catching up over dinner.

4. THE BENDERS – Jenny’s Wine Bar, Chippendale, Sydney, about 1984, With Dale Barlow, Chris Abrahams, Lloyd Swanton, Tony Buck.
I was still pretty new to jazz when I discovered this band, and until then had only heard live jazz in Sydney at Soup Plus, the Basement, or Hyde Park, so this tiny venue with these young guys not a lot older than me, playing exciting fast modern Australian jazz really opened my eyes and ears. Dale was the young lion tearing into his solos and no-one else played like him at the time. The band had a very young contemporary feel and you could hear that they had listened to and absorbed a wide range of music but had come up with their own sound and were bending some of the jazz rules of the time! They were a very welcome change to some of the 70s style bands around at that time.

5. KEITH JARRETT TRIO – Town Hall, New York 1990
Well, they put this concert out as a record, so you can check it out for yourself! What can I say that hasn’t already been said about this trio and even this concert? Once Keith had got over someone sneezing in the audience (it wasn’t me), they played a great concert of standards, getting into some really good grooves and vamps, listening intently, and playing as one. Incredible piano trio playing! (I also really liked Ahmad Jamal’s trio that I heard in Paris, but their music was a lot more prepared, and less spontaneous). “So that’s my top five live gigs, and they got in ahead of the likes of Miles Davis, Freddy Hubbard, Oscar Peterson, Cecil Taylor, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau, Charlie Hayden, Bill Frisell, Lester Bowie, Henry Threadgill, Jimmy Smith – well , you get the idea. I’ve been extremely lucky to have heard many great concerts. And the last really good one? – some young Norwegian guys in Stockholm two months ago ripping into their own pieces with vigour and enthusiasm!”

1. STEPHEN GRANT’S HOT NEW ORLEANS FIVE - Fountain Inn Port Melbourne many Fridays in 1991
Stephen Grant is one of my most important inspirations and one of the most incredible musicians I have ever heard. He had a residency at this little pub in Port Melbourne every Friday night, I used to go whenever I could as did a lot of other musicians at the time. It was an awesome swinging, burning band... hardcore New Orleans music... Stevie on cornet or trumpet, Karl Hird on clarinet, Allan Browne on kit, Andy Baylor on acoustic guitar and Howard Cairns on gut string bass. I'm still yet to hear anything much better than Steve's cornet playing in that band, he just had everything going on on the horn: unbelievable tone, range, the hardest swing time, and just a constant wellspring of melodic invention that at times used to just leave me feeling quite overwhelmed, sometimes it made me want to go home and just practice practice, practice, and sometimes give up... lucky the former won out. Steve doesn't really play so much jazz on the trumpet these days. I haven't heard him for years but he plays accordion in Julien Wilson's trio... he can play almost any instrument to quite an astonishing level.

2. DAVE DOUGLAS WITH NEW AND USED - Knitting Factory NYC 4th June 1996
This gig really totally blew me away, it was like nothing I'd ever heard, it was the first time I'd heard Dave Douglas and I still think this is one of his best line-ups: Mark Feldman on violin, Andy Laster reeds and Tom Rainey I think, can't remember who was on bass. What I really loved about this gig was the way the music moved from totally improvised free chaos/noise/energy to the most detailed and delicately rendered composed material. It's a hallmark of a lot of Douglas' output and it sounds quite familiar now but in 1996 I hadn't come across that approach before, it was my first time in New York, I had only been there a couple of days and then I wound up at the Knitting Factory listening to this stuff just thinking what the f**k!?

3. THE NECKS - Wangaratta Jazz Festival 2002 (I think)
The Necks are one of my favourite groups, I have heard heaps of their gigs but this one was a standout. The performance was in the little church that is one of the best venues at the Wangaratta Jazz Festival, the acoustics are just gorgeous and it was great hearing The Necks play without amplification. They are so amazing in that they have taken the piano trio and created something quite new with one of the most well worn formats in jazz/improvised music. This concert was hallucinatory (can you aurally hallucinate?) well anyway they managed to create the illusion of instruments that weren't there... sounds that developed out of the harmonics and partials created by the piano and the bass fundamentals and shimmer of Tony Buck's cymbals... at one point I was sure I could hear a cello weaving a counterpoint... It was one of those gigs where at the end people take a while to start to applaud because the music has taken them so deep that it's a moment or two before they emerge.

4. MILES DAVIS - Melbourne Concert Hall 1988
I'll never forget that concert, I was really young and totally obsessed with Miles, in fact Miles was just about all I was listening to at the time. I had tickets to the second of his two nights in Melbourne but me and a friend decided to see if we could get in to hear the first night as well. We went to the Concert Hall and got someone else to bring a couple of ticket stubs out to us. Once we got past the ushers and into the auditorium (which was completely full) we snuck down and sat on the floor in front of the front row. Soon after the lights went down and as Miles came onto the stage other people jumped from their seats and came up to the front of the stage, so we were able to stand up with them and stay there for the whole concert. It was a great night, the buzz of getting in and just of seeing Miles, but the music itself was incredible too... great band and he still had that sound... I'll never forget hearing him start a piece just with the trumpet alone and I was standing just a few meters away, it's always different actually hearing and seeing someone play as opposed to just listening to recordings/seeing footage.

5. ELLIOT CARTER BRASS QUINTET - Melbourne International Brass Festival 2003
This quintet was formed by the phenomenal young trumpeter, Tristram Williams, specifically to play Elliot Carter's Brass Quintet. I hadn't heard much of Carter's music before this concert apart from some of his string music, but his writing for brass is incredible. At the time I was trying to write my own music for the 5+2 Brass Ensemble and this piece just did my head in, his approach sounds like nothing else. It's 'hard' listening but it's also quite beautiful and, I thought, at times quite funny (humorous as distinct from comic). The ensemble put a great amount of time into rehearsing the work and they played the crap out of what must rank as one of the more challenging works in the repertoire. Tristram's command of his instrument and of the ensemble made a real impression on me too, he's got 'the sound'... he fills the room even when he's playing pianissimo and he's all over the horn. We've since become good friends and have spent a bit of time practicing together, I've learnt a lot from him.

1. LOUISE HAYES QUINTET FEATURING VINCENT HERRING AND JEREMY PELT - Ronnie Scott’s. London 2003.
This was the first time I had ever seen any of the New York “Bop School” players perform live. Their commitment and energy was mind blowing, even at the last set at 2am! The whole band just didn’t let up, including Hayes who was about 80. Jeremy Pelt was a revelation – an amazing tone and clarity of ideas, like a young Freddie Hubbard. This band later became the Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band.

2. MICHAEL BRECKER QUINDECTET/JOE LOVANO QUARTET WITH HANK JONES - The Barbican. London 2004.
I was lucky enough to catch this one. The Brecker band at the gig was a killer. With Clarence Penn on drums, probably my favourite drummer at the moment, Alex Sipiagin, a trumpeter from Russia; now living in New York, John Scofield, John Pattitucci, plus accordion, strings and woodwinds. A pretty amazing timbre. I remember being dazzled by the quindectet and all that virtuosity, and then Lovano’s band (Hank Jones, George Mraz, Dennis Mackrel) came on and completely changed the mood. Very laid back. Unfortunately Paul Motian couldn’t do the gig so Dennis Mackrel “sat in”.

3. DAVE DOUGLAS QUINTET - The Basement. Sydney 2002.
After “The Infinite” record Douglas brought the band to Sydney. Chris Potter couldn’t do it so Rick Margitza did the tour. This is one my favourite records. To see it brought to life was astounding, especially seeing Dave play. Watching this gig actually made me readjust my approach to live performance personally, especially the way I project myself physically on stage. The visual can be just as effective as the aural: used in combination...

4.MESSIAEN’S TURANGALILA SYMPHONY REHEARSAL - London Sinfonietta/David Robertson. Royal College of Music. London 2004.
Whilst working at the College, I had the chance to “sit in” on a few rehearsals; luckily this was one of them. Eighty minutes of gargantuan orchestral intensity. Not being an orchestral player, I didn’t play; it was a great experience being in the middle of such a dense sound. My first Ondes Martinot experience.

5. EVAN PARKER AND TONY MARSH - The Vortex. London 2003.
This gig completely blew my mind; literally. A completely improvised gig that was very, very, very intense. There was so much passion and intent. I was so physically and mentally exhausted from listening after one set that I had to leave. I remember thinking: “If that’s the only gig I see for the rest of my life, I’ll die happy.”

“After doing this, I realise there are no Aussie artists. I know this may be cheating, but there are so many great Oz shows as well… Showa 44, bo5n, Ten Part Invention, The World According to James, Alcohotlics, Scott Tinkler, Australian Art Orchestra, Matt Keegan Trio, James Muller”…

1. BOBBY McFERRIN - Montreux Jazz Festival, 2004
The first gig that comes to mind was at the time something I'd never seen or heard before. His rendition of Ave Maria was totally solo voice, singing the accompaniment, the broken 10th arpeggios for the whole song, and got the audience to sing the melody above - it was so moving.

2. HERBIE HANCOCK ‘GERSHWIN’S WORLD’ – Blue Note NYC 2000
Sitting in the front row, the tension was building up in a 'slow groove' arrangement of 'Ain't Necessarily So', and Herbie kept hinting at these burning lines, not double time, just a totally different new burning tempo - the band wouldn’t go with him but he kept jabbing at it - the musicians then hinted at going there for a split second - 2 notes - and then finally after steam was shooting out of everyone’s ears in suspense, it burst out into a burning version of 'Cotton Tail'... my eyes filled with tears...!

3. OSCAR PETERSON – Blue Note NYC 2002
Another memorable one was my time again in New York in 2002, where I went over to see Oscar Peterson at the Blue Note Jazz Club, for a week. On the last night they started off 'Satin Doll', which they played every night, and then after a few bars, a trumpet was heard from the audience, improvising, fast and in another key... The trio stopped - it was an old friend of Oscars, Clark Terry. There were gasps in the air and the room fell to silence as Clark, sitting at his table, kept the line of quavers going... After 20 seconds, the trio joined in and exploded into the number Clark had begun – ‘Mack the Knife’.... - 'featuring' Clark Terry!

4. ARTURO SANDOVAL
A really great concert that comes to mind was Arturo Sandoval and his band. I had never seen him before - amazing Cuban grooves, (a monstrous pianist with him too), and Arturo played amazing Cuban piano too, and he sang, and scatted just like his trumpet, and he played his horn like I’ve 'never' heard a trumpet before...It was funny, at the workshop he gave during the day, a young trumpet student asked the question as to whether his horn (the students) was decent or crappy, as he could never get a good sound out of it... Arturo took the horn and said 'listen!'... It’s not the horn, it’s you. How you make the sound all comes from down here, touching his stomach. He blew a super loud, long, high note out of his own horn and then swapped to the students horn, and blew the exact same note - both sounded identical! - The audience broke into hysterics!

5. GALAPAGOS DUCK – Wagga Wagga Jazz Festival
The last gig I'd like to share with you is exciting but a terrifying experience I had with Galapagos Duck at the Wagga Jazz Fest. We were inside the main concert hall, Rodney was out the front intro'ing a song, and I was noodling on the keyboard, giving him his opening chords. Suddenly a big black spider the size of a funnel-web (and probably was one!) dropped from the roof above and landed smack on middle C, right between my hands... Now let’s put the replay in slow motion.... The spider hits the keyboard, I look down and see it, I launched backwards like there were rockets on my shoes, screaming at the top of my voice... " FFFF %%%% #### @@@@ !!! ", Rodney turned around to see what happened, the spider as soon as it landed ran to the front of the keyboard and pounced on the floor, and with one dive Rodney leaped back and came down on the spider in one quick move ..... Turning his foot from side to side, making sure it was completely dead... I apologised to the audience for my obscenities...

1. KEITH JARRETT – Adelaide Festival Theatre, 1982
This concert was obviously a long time ago, but I remember it as being one of those special nights where at the end of it you feel totally musically satisfied. Keith improvised all night, and it felt like he played all the music you'd ever want to hear. Specifically, I remember being aware of the contrapuntal aspect of what he was doing, and thinking “there's all this fugal stuff going on!” There was also one part where he was doing a typical classical V - I cadence (I remember it as “Beethovenesque”), which he kept repeating because he felt unable to decide when it should finally come to rest. What was particularly memorable about this was that it seemed like the audience was right with him in this process, and able to relate to the quandary of where to finish. He played five encores, and the last one was the only pre-composed piece of the night, a beautiful rendering of “My Song” that I remember sounded like a whole band.

2. KENNY GARRETT QUARTET – Iridium, New York 2003
I remember this gig primarily for the energy, particularly from Kenny himself and the drummer, Ronald Brunner (the other members were Vernell Brown on piano and Kristopher Funn on bass). They were mainly playing music from the album “The Standard of Language”, and although there were some quiet moments, it was by and large the intense, burning modal style at which Garrett excels. I loved the tunes, which were contemporary, but accessible and not overly complex. His solos were generally long, but he seemed to have so many ideas that I never got bored. As you can imagine it was very exciting and Brunner's drumming, which was a large part of this, was so loud I had to stuff bits of paper napkin in my ears.

3. PAUL GRABOWSKY DUO WITH MARK ISAACS at the Basement (somewhere around 1999/2000)
The first time I really heard Paul was with his trio with Gary Costello and Alan Browne, and what particularly impressed me was his sound on the instrument. He played a cadenza on “My Heart Stood Still”, and his touch and level of tone production were as if he'd practiced it like a classical piece, but of course he was improvising. I've since heard him many times, and it's hard to pick a stand out because his playing is always at such a high level, but I've decided on a duo concert with Mark Isaacs.
It was a two piano gig, and the two of them just improvised freely, occasionally drifting into the odd standard. They played really well together, as they obviously had a deep knowledge of the contemporary jazz piano language, had had much experience with classical music, are both prolific composers, and also have perfect pitch. What I particularly liked was that the situation seemed to allow Grabowsky to escape from the confines of song structures (his own tunes, which he tends to play more than anything else, are usually very complex harmonically) and to play in an earthier, and perhaps less intellectual way. The moment I remember most was where he reached a climax whilst playing some kind of chordal figure, and became extremely passionate, almost primitively so. At the end of it all, I felt that Paul was very much aware of the “process” of improvisation, and the idea of “being in the moment”.

4. WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST – Walkers Arms Hotel, Adelaide, 1984
As a jazz musician in Adelaide during the early 80's, any visit by a Sydney band was a major event, and I enjoyed many such occasions. One that stands out was a concert by Sandy Evans' band, Women and Children First. Apart from the music, part of the initial impact of the group was visual, as I remember drummer Tony Buck was wearing a bright orange jump suit, and I think both him and bassist Steve Elphick were also wearing make up. It was of course though, the music that made the evening memorable for me, and this was in no small part due to the presence of the brilliant keyboard player Indra Lesmana. He was about 18 at the time, but sounded like a seasoned veteran and seemed to have the whole contemporary jazz piano thing covered, as well as the synthesizer. They started with a powerful modal piece which I recall was based on a poem of Thomas Tallis', and from then on I just remember being in the thrall of the excitement of it all, and unable to stop dancing in my seat.

5. ROGER WOODWARD – Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith, early 2000's
The thing that impressed me most about this concert was that apart from Woodward's flawless playing, he played a huge variety of styles, all from memory. The repertoire as far as I can remember was Beethoven's “Appassionata” sonata, a Mozart sonata, J.S. Bach's suite in G major from the French suites, and the Chromatic Fantasy in D minor, some Debussy pieces, and then a number of encores which included Scriabin and I think some Poulenc.

1. WAYNE SHORTER QUARTET - Melbourne 2005
The ensemble, consisting of Wayne, John Pattituci, Brian Blade, and guest Jason Moran, played for 2 nights at Melbourne's Jazz Festival. The Friday night set was incredible - I could hardly speak or sleep afterward. I walked around Melbourne in a daze on the Saturday trying to decide what to do with what I'd heard. I knew there was another concert on the Saturday night but I didn't have a ticket, had plans to see an old friend, and I thought it would be both sold out and pretty unlikely that the experience of Friday night could be repeated. In the end I decided to risk it, and I cancelled my plans with my friend and bought a ticket for the Saturday concert as well. The Saturday night set was just as incredible as the Friday night. In fact it was as if no time at all had passed between the last tune on Friday and the first tune on Saturday. It was that continuous - that fluid. The mojo from the previous night was still in the room. I was once again entranced.
Everything that was played was so fresh - the guys were completely open, following each other where ever each of them went. The music was a mix of improvised pieces and Wayne's compositions, and sounded just like you were overhearing some dear friends in a private conversation. A discussion that journeyed along a variety of serious and deep topics, coloured by strong opinions, outrageous humour, a great deal of familiarity and a long standing mutual respect.

2. DANIEL LANOIS - Sydney 2006
My wife Lea is responsible for me hearing about this incredible musician.
He is a producer of some note, known as the "5th member of U2" and is responsible for much of the great music that U2 produces. He is also good friends with Brian Blade, and uses his rhythmic love on his albums. When I saw that he was coming to the Basement I booked us a couple of tickets. I listened to his albums for the month or so before the gig so that I would be familiar with his music.
The concert was spellbinding. It is not often that I can listen to an entire show and not be distracted for its duration, but this was the case with this one. Daniel was in the zone from the get go. His guitar playing was unbelievable, he had such a direct connection to his instrument, and everything just flowed. The band was also fantastic - some of Detroit's finest. There were deep grooves, a beautifully balanced sound, gorgeous 3part harmonies, and wonderful songs. The music was straight ahead rock - done to perfection at a surprisingly low volume.
The most amazing moment for me was on the last tune. Daniel said that the band would "raise the roof" for the encore. What I expected was the volume of the band to increase. What I got was a slow burn of a groove that simmered and built for about 10 minutes with a climax that was so intense I almost went insane.
It made me want to go and buy an electric guitar.

3. MALABY / RAINEY / SANCHEZ - Phoenix 2004
My wife and I had spent a month in New York and I had followed Tony Malaby around like stink on a monkey. When I said farewell to Tony and his wife Angelica they asked me where I was headed. I told them I was going to Phoenix for a week to do a course on natural childbirth. They said they would be performing in Phoenix (their home town) the following week at a great venue called "Modified Arts".
As luck would have it, they were playing on the Sunday night - my last night in the US, and my only night off from the course.
The venue was beautiful, lit by candles, very relaxed, completely quiet, and full to the brim with an audience of fans for these "locals" visiting from the "big apple". The music was all completely improvised - with Tony on saxophones, his wife Angelica on keys, and Tom Rainey on drums and all manner of percussion instruments. The three of them had been playing together a very long time and the interplay between them was intimate and very natural. It was a beautiful night of unique and spontaneous music and a great way to finish my time overseas.

4. MICHAEL BRECKER QUINTET - New York 2004
When I first got to New York on this trip I sold some mouthpieces at Roberto's. So I was really cashed up and ready to hear lots of great music. I dragged the bassist Mark Lau along with me to as many gigs as he could afford and we heard some amazing groups. We had bumped into the drummer Craig Simon on the subway and he told us that Jeff "Tain" Watts was playing the following night with Michael Brecker at Birdland. We decided to all meet there.
We arrived pretty early the following night and when I spoke to the doorman (remembering what I'd learnt from the book "How to win friends and influence people") I said, "I'm from Sydney, Australia, and I've travelled all this way to hear Michael Brecker in the greatest jazz club in the world." and he said "Well let's get you guys to a good seat then." He proceeded to take us to the front centre table. Craig decided to sit where all drummers sit when they go to gigs. (At the side of the stage, just behind the drum stool.)
The band came on stage to thunderous applause and before it had died down Brecker and Tain played two out for about 5 minutes before heading into the first tune. The band was amazing, Mike, Tain, Joey Calderazzo, Adam Rogers, and Chris Minh Doky, and they played some new tunes as well as some old favourites. It was life changing to be in front of Brecker's horn and to hear his creations catapult out of it. He energy was limitless, and his execution was astounding on both ballads and burners.
I spent some time talking to him and gave him a copy of my OXIMETRIC album during the break. He was complete master of the horn and a very friendly guy.

5. BARNEY WAKEFORD TRIO - Sydney 2000
Barney is good friend of mine and is a very unique musician. We play improvised music together each Thursday night at an event of our own creation in Glebe called FREE FOR ALL.
This set of music was a one off gig at the "Side-On Cafe". The group was Barney on piano, Mark Lau on double bass, and Felix Bloxham on drums, and they played all of Barneys original music.
Barney had spent the week before the gig in a friend's car with a video camera and had recorded some city driving scenes. These were shown on 2 television sets on stage while the music was played and created a beautiful backdrop for the sounds that were created. The tunes were all segued together and assisted in taking you on a beautiful hour-long sonic and visual journey. The band flowed from piece to piece with great subtlety and care, showcasing Barneys beautifully endearing melodies.
This concert was a rare treat from a very underrated Sydney player.

1. CREAM REUNION CONCERT - The Royal Albert Hall 2005
It was awe-inspiring to see Cream live. The band walked out to an incredible roaring standing ovation and each song was greeted with a standing ovation. At one particular time after the crowd had sat down after a song, mid-concert, for no particular reason, people started to clap again and then for a whole minute people were yelling and screaming, I suspect merely out of sheer delight at being at this momentous event. The band just had to stand there and take the applause, and couldn't start until the tumult died down.
During “Toad", as Ginger began his drum solo, Jack and Eric wandered over to the side of the stage where they sat down on two chairs. They looked like the odd couple on a park bench – quite cute – would never have been done in the 60s … they just sat and listened to Ginger's solo and had a little chat.
The band played for two hours, and in general the songs were shorter and slower than the versions we know and love. Eric was in top form, though playing through Fender guitars and amps rather than the classic Gibson Marshall combo.

2. THE ALLMAN BROTHERS – Alabama 2005
I've never heard a better band – everything was fabulous. Great mix, great playing, great songs. I think this is the best band I've ever seen. The audience was very in tune with the band, solos and dynamics. A great vibe – very party atmosphere. We had a chat to the sound guy after the gig and got backstage and talked to Derek Trucks, the young genius slide guitar player.

3. BUDDY GUY, JUNIOR WELLS, FREDDIE KING, HOUND DOG TAYLOR, ARTHUR (BIG BOY) CRUDUP, THE FOREDAY RIDERS
Buddy and Junior Wells were great, pretty straight, but great....Freddie King was pretty full on...kinda Stadium blues. Arthur Crudup was a bit overwhelmed by the occasion I thought, the Buddy Guy band backed him...Arthur would add + cut + paste bars here and there, the band just kept up with him...they didn't seem to enjoy it that much I felt. But the hit of the concert was Hound Dog Taylor. Out came this skinny, big toothed old guy (about my age now...!)...with a lousy looking guitar, and sat down on a seat and we're all saying.."What the hell's this...?"...anyway, he said..."let's rock" and he did. Two guitars and a small drum kit, everyone loved him from the get-go. I've rarely seen an artist grab an audience so quickly and fully, he was wonderful.

4. JACKIE ORSZACZKY & BLAND FRENZY, being in a band with him...!!!
My penultimate is the time I was in a band called Bland Frenzy with Jackie. It was a great band with all original material. some pretty wild stuff let me tell you, kinda Frank Zappa – ish, but I learned heaps from Jackie. We didn't talk that much about music really, but I absorbed it through osmosis I guess. He's probably the most "complete" musician I've ever played with. It was a privilege.

5. ANY MISSIPPI SHAKEDOWN GIGS
Self indulgent yes! Well, we love playing gigs....and we're thrilled that we don't get kicked out of gigs and that people actually love our little combo that is Mississippi Shakedown so get on our email list and we'll let you know where the next Mississippi Gig is... jeff@asharp.com.au

1. ELVIN JONES - Shinjuku Pitt Inn 2004
Duane Eubanks(tp), Delfeayo Marsalis(tb), Mark Shim(ts), Carlos McKinney(p), Gerald Cannon(b), Elvin Jones(ds)
Elvin's band was staying at the Hotel where I was working, the Hilton in Shinjuku. They would come down to the bar where I was performing each night after there gigs and hang out. I got quite friendly with Duane Eubanks who was recording each set on video carefully placed on one of the speaker boxes, and he managed to get me some free tickets. Elvin was on fire, from the moment he stepped on stage to the last crash of his cymbals, he was magnetic. I felt humbled and honored to be in the audience that night. He was struggling to breathe though and was finding it hard to talk which made for a very confusing speech before the set. He died only a few months later. May he rest in peace!!

2. DAVE LIEBMAN - 1999-Escola Estudio, Santiago De Compestela, Spain IASJ meeting
This concert took place in an outdoor piazza, or square. I was here for the annual jazz meeting, it was hot and I was sick due to a combination of jet lag and sangria. Dave was performing with local flamenco guitarist/singers. The music was totally improvised as far as I could tell and featured some Spanish modes or scales. The music was thick in the air, you could smell it. What an atmosphere, a million miles away from home, 10pm at night, stars overhead, and a hundred or so people. Dave has an intensity that shone through, building and building throughout the performance.

3. AMON TOBIN - The Knitting Factory New York 1st Feb 2002
Taken from my diary of the time while I was in the states; "WOW! Not only is Amon Tobin a genius but I just finished 3 weeks of a serious music injection. My mind and body will be reeling for eons. From all the promotion and info I had seen on him, I was expecting a cut up jazz breaks type deal. What I got was a peak inside the warped mind of a musical genius. Track after track of mind blowingly good production, from f**ked up trip hop to drill and bass, square-pusher style. A very shy and humble person on stage, with little or no communication with the audience, he still left me feeling refreshed and confident that was creative and meaningful music".

4. PAUL MOTION TRIO - Village Vanguard June 5th? 2005
Paul Motion dr, Bill Frizell gt, Joe Lovano ten There is a cd out that has some of this music on it, although I am not sure which nights they recorded. Seeing a trio such as this at the Vanguard is a MUST! This place has been home to some of the most influential jazz of all time. One of my favorites being Bill Evans trio, so to see the same drummer perform here was a dream come true. The gig did not disappoint, even though the music was so very different to that of the '60s. Paul's playing has evolved to an incredibly pure art form that was great to see live, an exercise in understatement. The same can be said of Bill. Also great to see how he triggered his delays and loops live. Joe took quite an aggressive approach to gig, almost to balance the lightness of the other two.
I feel like I now owe it to all the local musicians both here in Sydney and my hometown Auckland who have inspired me, to say something. So before I make a last high 5 addition, I would like to thank Tim Hopkins, Bernie McGann, Nathan Haines, Andrew Robson, and Jason Jones among others for their inspiring performances.

5. TIM O'DWYER TRIO - Sound Lounge, Sydney, 10th June 2005
Tim O'Dwyer alto Clayton Thomas bass Darren Moore drms I've often lamented at the lack of truly inspiring saxophonists performing regularly in this country so this night was a real treat. Tim totally blew me away. I had to take a few deep breaths and just let the music work its magic. The last time I had heard him play he was playing totally improvised and using extended techniques. This time he had a great rhythm section behind him and some great compositions. His sound and energy was powerful. I think he inspired not only the other musicians on stage that night but every one in the room. Sad to say, Tim now lives in Singapore.

1. CAPTAIN BABY AND THE ANZAC BIZKIDS - Wangarratta 2006
Jeff Henderson is an improvising multi-instrumentalist, predominantly a saxophonist from Wellington, New Zealand. This performance at Wangarratta was a very special occasion, mostly because of the musicians who were recruited specifically for the gig. On drums was Darren Moore, who was living in Singapore at the time. On bass was Brett Hirst, originally from NZ but lives in Sydney. James Wilkinson on trombone who is an exceptional musician from Melbourne, and finally Gerard Crewdson on trombones and cornet, another New Zealander who lives in poverty on a farm in Port Kembla (south of Wollongong). It was a particular act of generosity from Jeff to have Gerard in the group. As far as I know, none of the musicians had played with each other apart from Jeff who had played with each of them. They played a two hour set and Jeff had structured the whole thing the night before, the music moving from dense sound blocks, to an intense drum solo to a beautiful Chinese melody, to a whimsical Ayler-esque fanfare. It was clear that the musicians had full respect for each other and the music, and there was a sense of selflessness in everyone's playing. This was a one-off performance which I am glad to have witnessed.

2. SACHIKO M – The Studio Sydney Opera House 2002
Sachiko M played a solo set for the "What is music" festival 2002 at the Studio. The night was an introduction for me to the world of improvised electronic music that is so important to today's creative musicians. Also on the bill that night was Robbie Avenaim, Oren Ambarchi, Otomo Yoshihide, Voice Crack and others. Sachiko's set stood out because it revealed to me the physical properties of sound and how powerful these things can be. She played a loud sine tone basically unchanged for a long time. Maybe twice in the set the tone was altered slightly but essentially it was static. The music was so physical it was as though the act of hearing this sound weakened my other senses. I had the feeling that the sound was affecting my visual senses stronger than my sight was. I completely lost a sense of time, and I have always thought that music is successful if it accomplishes this. Sachiko's set was a small revelation for me.

3. MESSIAEN – Sydney Town Hall 2001 & Sydney Opera House 2002
I will actually include two Messiaen concerts here. The first was at Town hall in 2001 while I was at high school. The first piece was L'Ascension for orchestra. The second piece was Chronochrome for orchestra. The music was unlike anything I had heard at the time. A particular section in Chronochrome – the bird call section – stood out to me. It was so dense. Similar to the Sachiko M gig it was very physical and went straight to the senses. The music in both pieces was very colourful. The second concert was at the opera house in 2002 and the piece was I think the last orchestral work Messiaen composed. The piece has a sense of completeness and finality, as though he knew this was his last major work. The many facets and stages of his career are all present here, modal melodies, complex rhythmic structures, colourful percussion, serial techniques, and of course the bird calls. Apparently Australian birds are used in the piece though I didn't notice them.

4. STEVE COLSON QUARTET - AACM New York Community Church, May 2006
I have never heard of pianist and composer Steve Colson before or since this gig. Yet this was probably the most beautiful music I have ever witnessed. The band consisted of Andrew Cyrille who is one of the greatest living drummers, Reggie Workman on bass, and Steve's wife Ira Colson on vocals. It became immediately apparent that these musicians had been living music for a very long time and had long since arrived at a musicianship which could be considered sublime. This performance exemplified to me that music can contain things unrelated to sound that have to do with the nature of the people making it. It can often be hard to perceive how and why music is made but these elements can be the most powerful communicators.

5. JIM DENLEY'S WEST HEAD PROJECT – Kuringai Chase National Park Dec 2006
Jim Denley is for me one of the most important Australian musicians today. He has greatly influenced me and the musicians I work with and has also supported the music scene in Sydney with a selflessness that is very rare. The West Head Project was run by Jim and consisted of a performance in Kuringai chase National Park on a large, flat rock formation that is a sacred Aboriginal site. The musicians were Jim, Clayton Thomas, Dale Gorfinkel, Monica Brooks, Clare Cooper, Adam Sussman and Karen Booth. For the musicians the gig seemed to be unsuccessful. All the musicians felt very uncomfortable for one reason or another, whether it was because of the sacredness of the location, the bad weather (the gig was cancelled after half an hour because of rain), or issues to do with the New Music Network who funded the event. This unease could be sensed from the audience yet I was determined not to let this disturb the occasion for me individually, which was in actual fact very beautiful. How could it not be when one is listening to the natural surroundings, which seem to be free of the thoughtful nonsense that musicians usually deal with? The musicians though uncomfortable, played out of respect for this strength that nature's music has. Much of the time I spent exploring the location, sometimes out of reach from the music. This was the first time that I have been to a concert where I have felt free to leave the music and yet still feel as though I am witnessing the performance. The occasion showed me that a musical happening involves all the senses all the time. In the bush this becomes apparent simply because of the beauty that is around us. I remember in particular Jim's playing. At one stage he spent time playing with each of the musicians, perhaps trying to accommodate them individually through playing. This is an example of Jim's generosity and thoughtful support.

1. SARAH VAUGHAN - Sydney Opera House
Sarah Vaughan was getting on a bit. I reckon I was about 15 when my mum took me to see her. That was the night I realized I wanted to sing. Sarah sang "Send in the Clowns", a song I have never particularly liked and my mum and I sat there and wept I have no idea what happened to me but realized how powerful interpretation was and will never forget it.

2.TONY WILLIAMS – Catalinas L.A. 1992
After back-packing around Europe and America, drummer Graham Hilgendorf and I were heading back home via LA. It must have been our last night and we went to see Tony Williams. It was the most incredible music I have ever heard live. The thing that really grabbed me was his passion for the music and the intensity with which he played it. The soloing of all the guys was incredible and the communication was great as well. I must say it was probably the loudest jazz gig I have ever been to but definitely one of the best. We begged the door lady to let us stay for the second set without paying and she did. Tony was as cool as all get out, strutting around in the break with these 2 gorgeous looking ladies and a cigar that was as long as he was tall or maybe short, looking like one of those pimps in a Dirty Harry movie. It was unforgettable he played so amazingly well. Wallace Roney- Trumpet, Bill Pierce – Sax, Mulgrew Miller Piano and Ira Coleman on Bass

3.MARK MURPHY – Live at Club 606 London August 15 2005.
Mark has long been one of my heroes. He invited me down to his gig which was both his and my last night in London. I sat there with two other Aussies, guitarist - David Blenkhorn and singer - Nina Ferro, in awe of this incredible storyteller that just made standards sound like he had written them ( I guess that's the trick isn't it). He was then 73 years old and still so on top of his game. The crowd went absolutely nuts. The highlight for me was when Mark invited me to sit in I have never felt so nervous but wasn't going to let the opportunity slip what a buzz. He is still so passionate about jazz and where he sees it heading and is forever trying to change things like a true improviser. He is one person that continually inspires me. The other cats were Pete Churcill – piano, Andy Hempill – bass, Mark Fletcher - drums

4.STEVE TURRE with McCOY TYNER LATIN BAND - Blue Note NYC 2002
Steve Turre has that totally unmistakeable sound on the bone and to finally get to a gig and sit in front of him and I mean right under his spit valve was mind blowing. What a player -time, sound, ideas and the shell thing I really dug as well. McCoy Tyner was as great as ever and I really enjoyed Dave Valentin on the flute. The band had loads of fire and energy.

5. MILES DAVIS OR JAMES BROWN?
Readers, you can pick number five [because] I can't. Miles Davis or James Brown go on I dare you! Miles Davis Sydney Entertainment Centre. Wow! He could have just stood there. I would have loved it just for the bragging rights but the gig was great. Killer band and Miles still with that incredible sound. What a vibe, he came out and the place erupted like it was a rock concert. James Brown Hordern Pavillion, Sydney 1988. My wife Elisa bought me tickets for my birthday and we were so excited. Not only was James and the band on fire, he had the great Fred Wesley (bone) and Maceo Parker (alto) on the gig. What a groove! I never thought I could dance!