G A D F L Y • g a l l e r y • 131b Waratah Ave, Dalkeith • www.gadflygallery.com
Finding Malila - New exhibition by Peter Ciemitis and Katherine Boland
1 - 24 August 2008
Fired by a passion for both music and painting , noted Perth artist Peter Ciemitis has undertaken a series of seven portraits with leading lights in the field of jazz and blues, music renowned for its ability to paint a picture in the minds, hearts and souls of devotees. The ‘Indigo Collection‘ is as penetrating a duet between artist and musician as it will be between painting and viewer, and will feature eminent musicians including; Dave Hole, Paul Grabowsky, Libby Hammer and Matt Taylor, Adrian Kelly, Troy Roberts and Jamie Oehlers. Ciemitis literally uses the face of his subject as a vehicle for identity, stripping away context and narrative details. From the brush to the canvas, the microphone to the airwaves, there’s a certain symmetry in the improvisational strokes of the painter’s creation and the questing notes of the musician’s sonic landscape - harnessing a style and talent which has seen Peter Ciemitis honoured by being amongst the chosen few to make the final hang in Australia’s prestigious portrait competition, ‘The Archibald’, in both 2007 and 2008. Peter shares the exhibition with Katherine Boland, an artist who\'s been inspired by the graffiti in Melbourne’s arty St Kilda.
If you wonder why Hip Mo' Toast has been quiet lately, it's because we've three new arrivals! Libby and Clem kicked things off with the arrival of Genevieve on 1 August, Felix joined delighted parents Matt and Amanda three weeks later, and only two weeks ago Shane and Mel welcomed lovely little Arwen into the world. All Mums and Bubs are doing well! But that's why the band, or two thirds of it at least, has been otherwise busy! But we're wasting no time and getting right back into it - check the Upcoming Gigs page for what's on in October...
Our beloved agent and manager Jody Harrison had celebrated her business's second birthday. The number of musicians that Solo To Symphony represents has grown over two short years from 50 to more than 200 and the future of Solo To Symphony looks bright, with loads of exciting STS events in store.
Watch this space, because together, Hip Mo' Toast and Solo To Symphony are going places!
Villa Celimontana 28 June – 1 July 2006
It's good that we had a few funny lads in the bunch because despite feeling horrible and groggy, having to stand in an impossibly sluggish airport transit queue before going through security for the forty millionth time was actually highly amusing, with laughs all along the way. In fact I wondered, judging by looks from our fellow travellers, if we were a bit too boisterous at times. We were husband Clem, myself, fellow Hip Mo’ Toast band members Mike Perkins, Matthew Styles and Russell Holmes, Speedball members Mat Jodrell, Tom O’Halloran, Linda Oh and Chris Tarr, and completing the entourage of ten was Void’s Andrew Fisenden.
Finally we arrived in Rome and after having to open our various suspicious-looking music cases, we all got through customs to find a lovely young man with a JAZZ AUSTRALIANO sign. As is often the case, the airport traffic was congested and stressful, with vans and taxi double and triple parked with no system apparent. Neither the young gent nor the taxi driver spoke English, and so far the group’s collective vocabulary was 'grazie', which we each kept saying over and over, all while trying to adjust to the overwhelming heat that had buffeted us since arrival. The many suitcases got stacked miraculously in the back of the small van, and Rome’s parched outskirts were upon us.
While it was sweltering outside, the inside of the van was blessedly air-conditioned and it was nice to have a moment to collect one's thoughts. I did however find myself making a few involuntary noises of concern when our very confident driver would turn awfully close to a parked car, or dash up close behind another vehicle. Most fun was driving through the tiniest tunnel I have ever seen. It barely fit the van and the aerial scraped cheerfully along the roof, then up a grindingly steep hill to the accommodation - Villa Santa Cecilia, in Vitinia.
Not only was it hot outside, it wasn’t any cooler in the foyer of the hotel, where Alan Corbet met us, as did gorgeous Troy Roberts who I hadn't seen in a year, so there was a foyer full of very sweaty and not so hygienic Aussies all embracing - an image for me to remember for years to come. Clem and I wasted no time getting to the room for much needed showers. The room was also at boiling point, and we quickly put the fan on, but the heat was such that after my shower, I just kept on sweating, so literally couldn't dry myself off. Russell passed on a tip after the first day or so: at the end of your shower, turn the tap to cold (and it really was bracingly cold) for as long as possible. If you could stand it, it would keep you cool for a quarter of an hour or so.
After a post-travel snooze the gang headed out to look at the Villa Celimontana venue before the WA Showcase began the next night. Alan had already done some reconnaissance and showed us the way. When we exited at Collosseo metro station, bang, there it was - The Colosseum. It was magnificent, all lit up with the turquoise early twilight night sky behind it. It was big, so big I could only see a part of it. And it was right there, over the road with the world going on around it, cars rushing by and honking horns. It was an 'I-have-to-just-stand-here-for-a-sec-with-my-jaw-on-my-chest-so-don't-disturb-me' moment. It was the kind of moment when the throng is pushing you along and you don't look where you're going because you're riveted to the sight, and then you collide with another tourist doing the same thing. Our group limped along, stopping to stare, and then skipping to catch up to the group as it meandered up the sidewalk. Five minutes up the road was a few city blocks of just restaurants. Alan found us one and managed to get a table for twelve right out on the sidewalk (prime dining real estate). Alan’s fluent Italian banter with the waiters was highly impressive, I must say.
Ah, sitting down. It was so Italian, all the quick foreign speak with rolling of r's, the Vespas, or is that Vespi, zooming by and people shouting across the street. We even had an accordion player walking up and down past the tables, smiling and nodding. I just felt like tossing my hair back and laughing in a European language. The pizza was authentic, just pitta bread with real tomato sauce and cheese on it but unbelievably good. Olive oil, salt, vino del casa. An hour later I could have died happy.
The group wandered up to Villa Celimontana. Alan bargained with the cashiers to see if we could get in for free, during which Clem and I got chatting to some Italian charity collectors who, when they discovered we were Australian, laughed at us good-humouredly about losing the World Cup match to Italy the previous evening (the match had aired while we were on the plane). But let’s not get started, eh?
Alan got us through the gate on the proviso that we would only stay for 20 minutes. It was about 10pm and just getting dark. The concert would start at 10.30. It was a five-minute walk from the ticket booth to the venue, starting with the beautiful wrought iron gate entrance. Just beyond the gate, the word jazz was projected in light on the ground in front of us, and further up the villa itself had the words Villa Celimontana projected onto it. We turned a corner and walked through gardens that were lit up, passing an outdoor jazz photo poster gallery and various sculptures and artistic installations, also lit up. We walked around another corner, a fountain, past another arty poster series, to another fountain heralding the venue's entrance.
The venue was awesome. They actually construct it anew each year, and with a different design apparently. The venue consisted of decking on several levels: three higher levels with tables and chairs for dining, then an amphitheatre-style concert seating arrangement closer to the stage. The stage itself was semicircular, matching the curve of the auditorium seating. It had a high roof, strung with robotic lights. The white screen behind the stage served as a projection screen for an episode of Ken Burns' jazz while people were waiting for the show to start. There was a bar on each side of the venue and up the back was a shop selling books, cards and jazz CDs, an ice-cream cart and the sound desk. Little red lanterns glowed on each table. Waitresses wore Villa Celimontana sequined t-shirts (Italy – home of the sequined t-shirt) and the guy waiters wore black t-shirts with a caution-style triangular ‘jazz staff’ warning emblem on the back. It was very slick. It seemed so complete, almost lavish. We quickly got beers and sat to absorb.
A guy came to throw us out just as the band was starting and we managed to hang on to listen for one song. The sound was great, the lighting amazing. I wondered how the heck I was going to remain glamorous in this heat and under those lights. We headed back home by train, and had an early night. It was Hip Mo’ Toast’s first ever international gig tomorrow!
At breakfast on Wednesday morning we caught up with some more of the musicians who had arrived and listened as Troy regaled us with stories of his encounters with musicians in America, some famous, some not. Troy Roberts does a very good impression, that he does.
Most people went into town to start exploring for real, but I had a gig that night, and hadn't sung for a couple of days, so I needed to find my ‘zone’. Clem went into town and I had the sweat box all to myself. I closed the curtains, made it all dark and cool and started my routine. I had a fabulously long time to do it, and slow is the way. First, of course, I gave myself a pedicure and a manicure. Don't laugh, I can't sing with out groomed extremities! OK, not really, but when one is getting ready for a big trip away, the nails get neglected, and now was my chance to make good in the hand care department. So, with nails wet and ready to start drying, I lay on the floor and did some Alexander technique while gently getting the humming going. Pretty soon I felt the voice warming up nicely and gave it a good working through. After a few hours of this, I needed lunch. I walked down to the little shop at the bottom of the hill and bought some prosciutto, tomatoes and fruit, which I took back to the room to eat. Solitude is nice before a gig. A van came to get us at 3.30 and the band all piled in. I told the guys what I'd had for lunch (in Italian as best I could) and the driver chastised me and said prosciutto is best with ‘melone’, not tomatoes. The band was in high spirits (love that air-con) and we were really looking forward to the gig.
We had arrived quite early and spent some time fiddling about on stage and getting used to the space. Our last-minute rehearsal sounded great and we were really looking forward to just playing! Thankfully it was not as hot as the night before. The Australian Embassy in Rome was holding a party to launch the WA Showcase that night at 8pm, before our gig. We swanned up there at about 8.30 and were pleasantly greeted with canapés, drinks, and the rest of the Salamander crew who had only just arrived.
So the gig, the gig, how was the gig? Well, here’s my experience, and it’s all I have! During the concert I felt somewhat detached and insincere, as if I couldn't quite be me, no matter how hard I tried. In order to compensate I took some musical risks and ended up doing some crappy solos on tunes I wasn't familiar with changes-wise. I think I was worried that I wouldn't come across as a real jazz singer if I didn't scat a lot. With all the voices in my head, I obviously wasn’t thinking too much about the actual music, which is why I can’t remember it, sadly. Amongst all my thoughts, I found myself wondering about performers who are used to performing at this high level. Thinking about this, I realised that obviously they have had more experience than I and are therefore more relaxed while performing. Then came the epiphany! I was now in the same position as when I was a beginner. I’d forgotten what that feels like. What a good thing for me to experience again! Forget what I can be or what I can't be when I’m performing in the comfort of my own town - this gig was showing me exactly where I was, what I am good at and what I need to improve on. How illuminating! My expectations of myself had been askew and altering them to fit in with reality helped me to relax immensely. The second set was much more enjoyable as I had taken some of the pressure off myself to be something I wish I could be, but am not yet. So my experience of the gig was basically dealing with brain shenanigans instead of making music, as I’m sure all you musicians understand.
After the show, the band sat and deconstructed the gig, as you do. Alan had arranged for a bus to come each night to pick up everyone from the gig, but we weren't ready to go. Much later we packed up and traipsed out the front to hail a taxi, shortly after which the cab driver and I partook in one of those astonishing international dialogues where no-one spoke the other’s language, but we understood each other perfectly, resulting in our safe and expedient return to Villa Santa Cecilia.
I stayed up to share a few drinks with Alan, Russell and Nathan Winterflood (who is also a dear friend I hadn’t seen for yonks as he now lives in Singapore) and we all talked about the difference between the performer’s perception of a gig and that of the audience. I’m betting the audience didn’t go through any of the turmoil that I was in. The feedback from Alan and the venue was apparently good, and Russell said he thought there were some really good moments, so all I can say is ‘phew’. So I suppose the verdict was that the Hip Mo’ Toast gig was a success, even if I couldn’t tell from where I stood. The sun came up at 5am and we all went to bed.
My diary showed a short entry for the next day: slept til 5pm. In the evening Clem and I ate at the same great restaurant again. The staff created a table area for us where there had been a parked car. We basically had our dinner in the middle of the road, but everyone shares the roads here, so no problemo. That night we met everyone up at Villa Celimontana and watched Void simply blow Italy out of the water. Void’s music is nothing short of mind-blowing and my insides are still cheering them for being such incredible musicians and great guys. The few times I looked around at the venue, I could see that every audience member was leaning forwards, perched on the edge of their chairs with jaws on the floor. It was a wonderful sight.
Friday was the day to start sightseeing for real. We were up at 7am and met Linda, Simon Jeans and his wife Tamara downstairs for breakfast, and we headed out to visit the Vatican. Let me sum up a range of experiences it’s possible to have in just one day: two and a half hours in the blistering heat with thousands of disrespectful tourists ignoring horribly afflicted beggars in order to view the world’s largest depository of priceless religious treasures.
Oh, fatigue. We limped home and readied ourselves for another night at now our ‘regular’ restaurant. Every step was pain and we were again glad to be able to plonk ourselves down at Villa Celimontana and enjoy some great swinging jazz from the Speedball legends. Despite the televising of the Italy/Ukraine World Cup match on the Villa Celimontana stage screen prior to the concert, the local audiences weren’t out in force that night, and they missed a great night of swinging Perth jazz.
Having held out for four days, Saturday was the day to begin some serious shopping. The Lonely Planet suggested Piazza Spagna and I had my credit card at the ready. Sadly, I returned empty-handed, for I couldn’t even enter these magnificent boutiques for fear of being forcibly removed. I resigned my sweaty, smelly self to just looking in at window after window of the most beautiful garments and jewellery I have ever laid eyes on.
Salamander put on a very groovy Saturday night show up at the Villa and was rewarded with a good turnout. On the bus home that night Carl Mackey made an excellent and inspired oration thanking Alan on behalf of the group and the WA jazz community, which was followed by an equally entertaining and moving (not just because of the erratic bus driving) speech from Alan himself. Despite high spirits and a true desire to stay up late talking and celebrating a Villa Celimontana jazz victory with the others, Clem and I were off first thing in the morning on an adventure for two and needed to get some sleep.
A million thanks to everyone who helped our four WA bands get to Villa Celimontana (and back!). Special mentions go to AbaF - www.abaf.org.au, Anthony Mazak Art & Design - 9328 4020, Arctangent Enterprises, ArtsWA - www.artswa.wa.gov.au, Austrade - www.austrade.gov.au, Australia Council - www.ozco.gov.au, Cal Swann, Concept Music - www.conceptmusic.com.au, Drum Shop - www.thedrumshop.com.au, DW - www.dwdrums.com, Eve Arnold - www.evearnoldart.com, eve@evearnoldart.com, Hyde Park Hotel - www.hydeparkhotel.com.au, Italian Chamber of Commerce - www.icci.asn.au, Jacki Coughlan, Jazz Fremantle – 9440 0636, 9384 8350, JazzWA - www.jazzwa.com, Leanne Glover, Loose Produce – www.looseproduce.com.au, Luna Palace Cinemas, Maurizio Restaurant - 235 Fitzgerald Street Perth, www.maurizioeventscatering.com, Mondo Butchers - www.mondo.net.au, Perth College - www.pc.wa.edu.au, Perth Jazz Society - www.perthjazzsociety.com, Positively Hyped (Janusz Strzelecki) - www.positively-hyped.com, RTRFM - www.rtrfm.com.au, Russell Woolf - www.abc.net.au, Solo To Symphony - www.solotosymphony.net, Sorrento Beach Resort, WASO - www.waso.com.au, Xpress, Yamaha - www.yamaha.com and of course, the ONE AND ONLY Alan Corbet, who is the biggest legend I have ever met.
We are back from Italy and of course have a swag of stories to share. From the people and the history to the food and music, Italy is a sense-fest of amazing moments and experiences. For the full report, grab a copy of the next edition of the Perth Jazz Society's Jazzreview, due out end of August, or stay tuned to this website - we'll post it here too at that time, with photos and everything.
To tide you over, here's a pic of Hip Mo' Toast performing in Rome, June 2006.
June is shaping up to be busy with lots of fundraising events, but we're spreading the love around so everyone benefits!
First up the quintet will be performing at Jazz Fremantle on Sunday 4 June from 4 – 7pm and then the very next day we get behind a very good cause at the Perth Jazz Society, where Perth musicians are raising money to help pay medical bills for jazz giant Danny Moss. Don't forget the 5pm start - it's a public holiday! Then at 8pm on Saturday 10 June, HMT, Speedball, Tom O’Halloran and Salamander get things smokin' at the Judith Cottier Theatre in a jazz extravaganza not to be missed. More details on our Upcoming Gigs page.
And if you're happening along Perth Jazz Society way on Monday 12 June, you could get lucky! That's if you buy some raffle tickets for the Mega Raffle that the PJS is holding to raise funds for the Villa Celimontana project. There are heaps of prizes to be won, and while you're there you'll catch James Flynn and his all-star group performing the music of Bobby Darin. You could do worse!
Here's a pic of some of the musicians going to Villa Celimontana in late June...
Well, thanks to an injection of financial support from ArtsWA, four Western Australian jazz groups will be on their way to perform in Rome - and also maybe London - in late June 2006 (that's soon!). The lucky groups are: Speedball, Salamander, Void and - you guessed it - Hip Mo' Toast (the quintet). And the race is on to raise the rest of the finances needed to get us there (and back). So if your brother owns a hotel in Rome or London, or runs a Heathrow limousine service or anything at all that might make our trip more fun, exciting and successful, then let us know!
Make sure you stay tuned for details on some very special fund-raising performances coming up in the next month too, or sign up to our mailing list (see link on homepage).
Eccitante!
For the SIXTH time in a row, Hip Mo' Toast has won the WA Music Industry Award for Best Jazz Act!
Our industrious and efficient manager Jody Harrison was at the Awards Ceremony to accept the much-coveted award on our behalf (the Toast gang were entertaining at the very classy launch of the unequaled S Class Mercedes that night) and due to Jody's unwavering commitment to HMT and Perth musicians in general, she will be indulging in a scrumshy chocolate Cake Box cake, picture attached. After all, HMT have already eaten five of the delicious creations and have to watch their weight.
So a hefty THANK YOU to all the fans and industry colleagues who voted for us - WE LOVE YOU! It is a great honour and privilege to be recognised in this way. Go jazz!
I'm sure many of you were there at the Annual Perth Jazz Society Ladies Of Jazz Christmas Concert to see the wonderful performances by lots of Perth's jazzy ladies. Maybe you were there when Libby bounced onto the stage, pretending she had won the "Future June Smith Award" (thank you MC Pete Guazzelli, and thank you June Smith - I'm honoured!) only to discover that she had actually won a not-made-up award - The Perth Jazz Society's 'Most Outstanding Individual Contribution To Jazz' Award.
Well, I am truly honoured, thank you. I honestly wasn't expecting an acknowledgement like that for many more years to come. I shall always try to contribute as much, and more, into the future. Thank you, PJS! xox
The 'Most Outstanding Performance' Award was won by supergroup Void.
Lovely photo of Libby and PJS President Trevor Knox courtesy of Positively Hyped (Janusz Strzlecki)
Well as the song says, everything must change, and things are changing for Reece Creighton, who has been the man behind the scenes for 11 years - that's even longer than Hip Mo' Toast has been around! Yes, Reece is the man who 'discovered' us and gave us more opportunities for performing and touring than any young jazz starlet and her gang could hope for, and now he's moving on. Here's a message from him:
I know there are many more to thank as well, but to all of you, I'd just like to let you know that as of the end of this month, 30 September 2005, Jam'n Music Network will 'close shop' - After more than 11 years it is time for me to move on.
I would like to thank you all for your relationships and professionalism over the years. Thank you also for being friends, easy to work with and of course the brilliant musicians and performers that you are.
I wish you all the success for the future, and hope to keep in touch.
Reece Creighton, Jam'n Music Network
Reece, you will be missed, but we all wish you the most wonderful fun and success in your new and burgeoning career with The Flight Centre - www.flightcentre.com.au (Come fly with me, come fly, let's fly away!)
And stepping ably into Reece's rather large shoes (and I mean that because he has big feet - have you seen them?!) is the talented Jody Harrison of WA's newest and most exciting management agency, Solo To Symphony. A musician herself, Jody's 15 years of experience in orchestral management and event coordination makes her well-equipped to take over the administration of Perth's favourite jazz singer and her merry minstrels. Go Jody! Go Jody! Go Jody! Hip Mo' Toast is absolutely thrilled to welcome Jody on board. Visit the Solo To Symphony website at www.solotosymphony.net