BERNIE MCGANN / PAUL GRABOWSKY REVIEW by John Clare


Paul Grabowsky & Bernie McGann Quartet at The Sound Lounge
November 18 &19
 
It has been said that alto saxophonist Bernie McGann - certainly one of the most distinctive voices in Australian jazz - is at his very best when there is no piano in the band. By and large I would agree, but there is a certain class and kind of pianist who can also bring out McGann's best. American Kirk Lightsey is one, and SIMA has presented those two twice - both great occasions, though separated by decades. Paul Grabowsky is another, and many years ago the pair combined at the old Harbourside Brasserie. The late Jackie Orszazky, who was, on occasion, quite obsessively anti-jazz (though he hired a number of jazz musicians), turned to me and said, "This is great! They suit each other." And they certainly do, though given their backgrounds and temperaments it might seem unlikely. It has been years since they played together with a rhythm section in Sydney (I've not found their duo-performances so successful). The last Sydney occasion was at the Sound Lounge on November 18 &19, 2011. Jonathan Zwartz was on bass, and Tim Firth, this year's National Jazz Award winner at Wangaratta, was on drums. The SIMA program was printed well ahead of Firth's victory, which gave the event an added frisson.