Tim Willis & The End - Review @ The Orange Press

John Hardacker (via theorangepress.net) reviews Tim Willis & The End’s 2011 self-titled debut. Tim Willis & The End have a new album ‘Keep Your Chin Up’ set for release on June 14th, and will launch it at Bennetts Lane Jazz Club. Stay tuned for details!

Jazz has often invigorated itself over time through transfusions of the blood of other musics – musics decidedly less blue-blood than itself. Rock has, since Gary Burton’s and Charles Lloyd’s psychedelic jazz of the 60s, through Miles Davis’s Hendrix-like albums of the 70s and more current groups such as EST, given jazz a shot in the arm it has sometimes – arguably – needed.

In jazz guitar, a legion of young post-rock players have been informed by such artists as John Scofield who added heavier rock flavours and Bill Frissell who has stripped and modernized the tonality of jazz. This is a massive and sweeping generalisation but one has to start somewhere.

Melbourne guitarist Tim Willis’s band The End is undoubtedly a jazz group – free wheeling group improvisation, exciting and taut communication between players – but one within which beats a very rock heart – solid and definite backbeats, grungy guitars, not afraid to have a bit of noisy fun.

Willis has put together an intriguing combo of electric guitar, double bass and drums with a frontline of tenor (John Felstead) and alto (Jon Crompton) saxes for The End’s eponymous debut album. The twin-sax front line is a smart move, adding a layer of rock crunch and bite but with traditional jazz instrumentation. Their timbre is such that, together with the distorted guitar they make some chunky block chords, and playing in unison they take on a ringing, almost-metallic voice.

The rhythm section of Gareth Hill, acoustic bass and Nick Martyn, drums have got the balance between rock’s solid riffing and the fluid of jazz down perfectly. The guitar of Tim Willis though, is the element that excites and inflames the whole concoction. Grungy, fleet lines with blues inflections flow out of him. The heavy riffing on ‘Dark Cloud’ could be a Black Sabbath riff – ominous and sulphurous – and his solo, haloed with reverb is a standout of this collection.

This track ‘Dark Cloud’ is a good example of the freewheeling nature of Willis’s musical vision. Halfway through, the riffing drops abruptly away and the two saxes play an intertwining two-toned solo. It is a slight shock to leap between the two styles but it illustrates what is very cool about The End – this is not jazz-rock fusion as such, the two styles seem to be given more of their own space here. It is a conceptually clearer listen than many such style-pairings, bringing to mind what was so cool about Swede Esbjörn Svensson’s EST group.

Like rock, jazz never ever really needs ‘saving’ – but groups like The End and original thinkers such as Tim Willis can, by their youthful vigour and vertical vision, sometimes help the old tart out when she loses her puff.

Review written by John Hardacker, @ www.theorangepress.net

The Eastern New Release 'Hope And Wire' & Mammoth 2012 Tour

Newmarket Music is excited to announce that the hardest working folks in showbiz, The Eastern (NZ) will be returning to our shores for a phenomenal round of shows that will also coincide with the Australian launch of their new release Hope & Wire. March 22^nd will see The Eastern kick off their Aussie tour at the beloved Retreat Hotel in Brunswick before heading on to charm the masses at Yackandandah Folk Festival.

With the album concept struggling, The Eastern (not ones to do things in halves) go against the grain with Hope & Wire releasing it as a fifty track, double-disc set. Frontman Adam McGrath says the songs on Hope & Wire are dedicated to the people of Christchurch and the events that have consumed the city over the past year. ''At times it's sad, other times angry, but the overall theme of these songs is hope.”

The album was recorded in a condemned house in the now red-zoned suburb of Dallington, offered by the Harris family. “They let us use their broken little house to record in before the insurance company knocked it down. We were in the mostly abandoned suburb of Dallington/Avonside for around four months, recording 12 hours a day most days.”

Gritty, optimistic and heartfelt, The Eastern’s Hope & Wire tells a tale like no other. The first track on the release Gone tells of corporate greed and corruption, while Up Spinner tells the nostalgic story of a kiwi man paying his way playing two-up in Australia.

Hope & Wire, The Eastern’s third and most realised record yet, is loaded with stories, heart and harmony as well as the grand barroom philosophising and old time fury the band are known for. The rolling, rambling, shambling, family hoedown atmospheres they project in their live shows have endeared them to the hearts of many, and they play like the mean it, because they do.

The Eastern 2012 Australian Tour Dates

Thursday 22 March 2012 - Retreat Hotel, Brunswick VIC w/Cherrywood    

Friday 23-25 March 2012 - Yackandandah Folk Festival, Yackandandah VIC           

Saturday, 7 April - (McNairs) Alexandra Hotel, Alexandra VIC                      

Sunday 8 April - StLeonard's Winery, Wahgunyah (Rutherglen) VIC

Monday 9 April Bridge Road Brewery, Beechworth VIC                                            

Friday 13 April - Baha Tacos, Rye VIC

Saturday 14 April - The Old Bar, Fitzroy VIC

Sunday 15 April - Post Office Hotel, Coburg VIC

Friday 20 April - Martians Café, Deans Marsh VIC

Saturday 21 April - Apollo Bay Music Festival, Apollo Bay VIC        

Sunday, 22April - Apollo Bay Music Festival, Apollo Bay VIC

Wednesday 25 April - TBA

Thursday 26 April - Mojo's Bar, Hamilton, VIC

Friday, April 27, 2012 - Wheatsheaf Hotel, Thebarton SA

Saturday 28 April - The Exeter, Adelaide SA

Sunday 29 April - La Mar Sunday's at Glenelg Surf Club, Glenelg SA

Thursday 3 May - The Mustang, Northbridge WA

Friday 4 May - Indie Bar, Scarborough WA w/ Boston & Chevy and Ruby Boots

Saturday 5 May - Clancy's Fish Pub, Fremantle WA

Sunday 6 May - Clancy's Fish Pub, Dunsborough WA                                   

Wednesday 9 May - Ric's Bar, Brisbane QLD                      

Thursday 10 May - TBA

Friday 11 May - Valla Beach Tavern, Valla Beach NSW

Saturday 12 May - TBA         

Sunday 13 May - Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland NSW

Thursday 17 May - Camelot Lounge, Marrackville NSW w/Ruby Boots                    

Friday 18 May - Karuah River of Music Festival, Karuah NSW                                  

Saturday 19 May - Karuah River of Music Festival, Karuah NSW                  

Sunday 20 May - Karuah River of Music Festival, Karuah NSW

Welcome Back!

WELCOME BACK!

We trust you’ve enjoyed the holidays and festivities of Christmas and New Year!

This month we say goodbye to 2011 and welcome 2012 with FREE SHIPPING on all of our releases from our website. Valid until 31/01/2012. So, if you had your eye on something now’s the time to get it! Enter the coupon code below at checkout for free shipping.

Coupon Code: FREESHIP2012

We’ve got some great new releases in the works that should excite, including all new material from Allan Browne and, further along, a new release from the Daimon Brunton Quartet – we’ll keep you posted. We’re also preparing nominations for the 2012 Australian Jazz Bell Awards, we have a few quality releases nominated, so fingers crossed!

To stay in the loop with all things Australian jazz, visit our blog at www.newmarketmusic.wordpress.com. We’ll also be updating our SoundCloud page regularly with new sounds from Newmarket Music.

And, one last thing – Newmarket Music is now on ReverbNation, so hit us up and join the network of artists and fans.

Here’s to a great 2012! Wishing you all the best! From The Team @ Newmarket Music

The Eastern: October 2011 Tour Dates Announced + More To Come

New Release: Adrian Cunningham Goes Walkabout

Newmarket Music is proud to announce the release of Walkabout  from internationally acclaimed jazz musician and composer Adrian Cunningham.  Walkabout is a wonderfully exectued collection of twelve original, self composed tracks. Adrian brings to the table a smooth, playful and notably cohesive sound, with each track drawing inspiration from his travels and time spent in New York.

Adrian Cunningham has already established himself as one of Australia's finest jazz musicians and multi-instrumentalists, with countless club and festival appearances and a number of highly acclaimed releases.

Having been been based in New York since 2008, Adrian has been playing regularly throughout the US and Europe and, in just three short years Adrian has appeared some of NYC's finest clubs, including Smalls, Birdland, 55 Bar, Fat Cat and the Village Vanguard.

"Adrian Cunningham is more proof that there's a lot going on in Australia's Jazz scene." Cadence Magazine, New York

In 2005 Adrian was nominated for two MO awards: Jazz Instrumentalist Of The Year and Best Jazz Group and has also been a member of two prominent jazz groups, the famous Galapagos Duck and the Sydney All Star Big Band.

With a long list of collaborations, performances and recordings, Adrian has had the pleasure of working with some of Australia’s biggest names in music including Powderfinger, The Cat Empire, John Foreman, Tim Freedman (The Whitlams), Ian Moss, James Morrison, Colin Hay (Men At Work) and Guy Sebastian to name but a few.

“…once in a while we stumble across a young jazz artist who plays as if he has been playing for over a century, Adrian Cunningham is this type of performer.” All About Jazz

"Adrian Cunningham's saxophone solo actually had me making whimpering noises in the front stalls" The Independent, London

“...possibly the only young saxophonist with a sound reminiscent of Eddie Miller" The Wall St Journal

Kill some time online: Newmarket Music youtube channel!!

Yet another great way to kill some time online and see your favourite artists live from the comfort of your own livingroom. We'll be updating our Youtube channel with all your favourite newmarket artists from around the country. Leave us a comment and let us know what you think!!

Head along NOW to www.youtube.com/newmarketmusic

Enjoy this track as a teaser of our great new channel, a favourite from our bootstomping kiwi lads and ladies The Eastern!