John Shand Posts

February 12, 2016 / Concert Reviews - Archive

Foundry 616, February 1 7/10 While composed music can be playful, entirely improvised music almost inevitably is, with more overt “game” elements sometimes being emphasised or even formalised. From an audience’s standpoint improvisation unfolds in real time as both a process and a finished product simultaneously. Jump Up was a…

February 11, 2016 / Album Reviews - Archive

BORN TO PLAY GUITAR (Sony) 8/10 Delivering electric live performances at the age of 79 is one thing, but finding something new to say on record when nearly 50 albums drenched in the blues have gone before is another. That Buddy Guy – he of the huge, keening voice and…

February 9, 2016 / Album Reviews - Archive

NU YORICA! (Soul Jazz) 8/10 However you rate Sydney as a racial melting pot it has nothing on New York. There the fire under the pot was hot enough to fuse the styles of music brought by hordes of migrants from scores of countries. A major source was Puerto Rico,…