4. footnotes

4.

footnotes

This is the fourth edition of footnotes and this time it’s a brief glimpse into New Zealand jazz. There’s a short piece on Dr Tree, who were responsible for producing one of the best records (jazz or otherwise) made in this country in the 1970’s. Then there’s an interview with Murray McNabb, a member of Dr Tree, Space Case and leader of many of his own groups since the late 1960’s. McNabb has been responsible as much as anyone else for defining what NZ jazz sounds like in recent years. Finally, I’ve outlined what I think would be a great NZ Jazz Compilation for Beginners like me, and a list of some great albums to check out. But before all of that there’s a short piece In Search of NZ Jazz as a means of setting the scene. As always all comments and feedback are welcome at [email protected]. TR

In Search of New Zealand Jazz In their introduction to ‘Jazz Aotearoa’ in 2009, editors Richard Hardie and Allan Thomas wrote: “...there is a concern that the history of jazz in New Zealand is not being documented and that the achievements and issues of the music are drifting away without being properly examined.” The drift has been flood-banked in recent years by Norman Meehan’s excellent 2010 biography ‘Serious Fun: The Life and Music of Mike Nock’ and of course Chris Bourke’s 2011 ground breaking ‘Blue Smoke: The Lost Dawn of New Zealand Popular Music 1918 to 1964’. Before these publications others have also been playing their part in documenting jazz in this country. Dennis Huggard, an Auckland broadcaster and jazz enthusiast, has played an integral role in archiving the history of jazz and has produced many detailed jazz discographies. And writers like Erik Gerritsen, Nigel Horrocks, Peter Thompson and Graham Reid have been covering local jazz in various publications over the years and now online with insightful profiles and reviews of artists and albums. Apart from the odd TV show in the 1980s (like ‘Nock On Jazz’ and ‘Jazz Seen’), the long standing/suffering annual National Jazz Festival in Tauranga and more recent artists like Nathan Haines, jazz has never seemed to have had much more than an underground profile here. For Wellington’s Braille collective in the 1980s and others from the more improvised end of the spectrum this has been just fine as these musicians have continued to play and thrive, especially in Wellington. For others they’ve had to go overseas. Musicians in no particular order like Rick Laird, Neville Whitehead, Mike Nock, Alan Broadbent, Dave MacRae, Frank Gibson Jnr, Brian Smith, Judy Bailey and Barry Woods to name only a few have all performed and recorded in the UK, Europe, US and Australia. In fact the influence of New Zealand musicians on the development of Australian jazz has been significant since the 1920’s. As for the music itself, it’s felt like an endangered species at times. Although there have been some great re-issues of classic albums by Mike Nock, Dr Tree, Space Case and Superbrew in recent years from Ode Records, there are many great local jazz albums long out of print and forgotten. But things are far from lost with lots of great new music being released in recent years, particularly from the likes of Rattle’s jazz imprint and iii records. Also many of the key musicians from the 1970s and 1980s, like Frank Gibson Jnr, Murray McNabb, Kim Peterson, Jim Langabeer, Anthony Donaldson and others continue to record and perform locally. It’s difficult to know whether jazz in New Zealand will ever rise above its underground status, but the search is worth the effort.

Dr Tree: Into The Twilight Zone “…Dr Tree soared across the jazz-rock world in New Zealand then the main-players went their own ways, always influencing, always making memorable music. Recognition of the comet-like career of Dr Tree is long overdue.” Graham Reid

Although they only released one album, Dr Tree provided a brief umbrella in the mid-1970s for a stellar cast of the country’s finest jazz musicians to push themselves further and in the process create some sublime jazz fusion. By the time he formed Dr Tree in the early 1970s, Frank Gibson Jnr was already considered one of the country’s finest drummers. The son of legendary drummer Frank Gibson senior, Gibson started performing as a 6 year old in 1952. By the late 1960s he was fronting his own bands, often accompanied by school friend Murray McNabb on keyboards. Gibson-led bands played regularly at the national jazz festival from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s. He was also performing regularly live, and as a session drummer in the studio and on TV for a range of local and overseas touring artists. Dr Tree played for the first time at the national jazz festival in 1973. The line-up included Gibson on drums, McNabb on keyboards, Andy Brown on bass (who replaced Dick de Gray) and Bob Jackson on guitar. Perhaps reflecting the festival conservatism, the souvenir programme to the 1973 national jazz festival cautioned that: “...owing to the complexity of free improvisation we are going to request Frank to talk to you before each number and fill you in on the finer points.” The band also played at the national jazz festival in the following year. The line-up was expanded and included Gibson and McNabb alongside Jackson on bass (switching from guitar), Martin Winch on guitar, Kim Paterson on trumpet and John Banks on percussion. This line-up also played at the Manawatu jazz festival in the same year.

Dr Tree: Photo from ‘Hot Licks’ 1975.

In 1975, the band was playing mainly in and around Auckland, particularly in nightclubs like the Crypt. There were more changes to the line-up which at this time included Billy Christian (on bass). According to Gibson in an interview in ‘Hot Licks’: “...Around the middle of last year we reached a peak and had a good, tight sound. If we could have recorded then it would have been really good.” Unfortunately at the time there was little interest from record companies and potential sponsors for the material. This would change a year later as EMI released Dr Tree’s self-titled album in 1976. Although taking obvious cues from jazz fusion royalty like Mile Davis, Weather Report and Return To Forever, the band’s own sound resonates through strong individual contributions by all members. In the liner notes to the 2007 re-issue of the album, Graham Reid encourages the listener to: “…listen here to Martin Winch peel off an astral-flight solo in ‘Transition’ or jigsaw’n’spiral his way through ‘Affirmation’; enjoy Kim Paterson’s taut trumpet on his own composition ‘Eugino D’; be impressed by Frank Gibson’s deft and driving drumming everywhere, but particularly on his own ‘One For Dianne’; smile to yourself at the hard-won musical intuition Murray McNabb brings to this set...” After the short opening strands of ‘The Twilight Zone’, the album gets going with a cover of Stanley Clarke’s ‘Vulcan Worlds’. The next song, Winch’s ‘Transition’, is more contemplative allowing room for tasteful keys, trumpet and guitar solos. The second half of the album starts off with Paterson’s sublimely funky ‘Eugino D’. McNabb’s slower tempo ‘Affirmation’ gives the listener room to breath before Gibson’s ‘One For Dianne’ closes proceedings with an extended drum solo followed by the band flexing its musical muscle toward an abrupt but fitting end. Despite strong individual song writing contributions and some issues with the mix, the album is remarkably cohesive. Despite concerns about the production, Gordon Campbell reviewed the album favourably at the time in the ‘Listener’: “The decision by EMI to release the Dr Tree album is good news for anyone interested in young local jazz/rock musicians...who would expect a record company, in these troubled times to get behind a group of such talented but uncompromising musicians? It only remains for the buying public to show similar support for the fairy story to be complete.” Erik Gerritsen in ‘Hot Licks’ at the time was a little more circumspect than Campbell in his review of the album. Considering it ‘worth the wait’, Gerritsen was positive about the band’s musicianship, especially Gibson’s drumming: “The musicianship naturally is of a very high standard. Drummer Frank Gibson Jnr, who is extremely adept at the form of Jetstream boogaloo favoured by Cobham and Alphonse Mouzon is capably aided and abetted by Kim Peterson (trumpet, conga), Martin Winch (guitar), John Banks (percussion), Bob Jackson (bass) and Murray McNabb (keyboards).” But for Gerritsen (like Campbell) the album’s production had its flaws: “Quite often Frank’s drums seem to be off balance with the other instruments, never quite as-up-front as they perhaps should be with this type of music, and sometimes retreating too far back for their own good.”

In an interview in ‘Hot Licks’ after the album was released Gibson seemed to share Campbell and Gerritsen’s concerns about the production: “The drum sound in particular wasn’t always there and the presence on all instruments generally was lacking.” Gerritsen also didn’t consider some of the material on the album to be ‘overpoweringly original’, making not always fair or accurate comparisons with Billy Cobham’s Crosswind period band and Larry Coryell’s Eleventh House: “The next track is Winch’s ‘Transition’ mind of Coryell, especially regarding vaguely familiar too. However it sports and very Freddie Hubbard-ish trumpet Randy Brecker?”

and here you are immediately put in the guitar work. The riff sounds excellent Fender Rhodes from McNabb from Paterson. Maybe you expected

Despite the positively cautious critical reception at the time, on the strength of their album Dr Tree won top group performance in the rock category and top instrumental track for ‘Vulcan Worlds’ in the New Zealand music awards in 1976. Unfortunately almost straight after the album was released, the band went their separate ways. Gibson in an interview in ‘Hot Licks’: “We stayed together, got recorded, and suddenly we found that certain people in the band who had been available for rehearsals for the record, and did the record suddenly became unavailable for promotional concerts. This cost us a full ‘Grunt Machine’ special which would have been great for the band. People couldn’t make rehearsals or take nights off so we let them fall by the wayside...And of course there were personality conflicts as there are in every band...” Gibson soon reformed the band and by July 1976 they were playing regularly for the first time at the Globe Hotel in Auckland with original members (Gibson, McNabb and Winch) joined by Jimmy Sloggett on tenor and soprano sax and Andy Brown (for a second time) on bass. A memorable night at the Globe was when Blood, Sweat and Tears, who were touring New Zealand at the time, joined the band on stage. At the time, Gibson was interested in taking this line-up of the band overseas: “The album has had a small release in Australia, which is a start and if we can get a release in London there’s no reason why we can’t work in Australia and also in London. The aim of course is to be international, because you tend to run out of people very quickly in New Zealand.” He was also interested in recording another album: “We want to leave it, seeing that we’ve just reformed the band – Alan Galbraith wants to produce an album, he wants us to do another one soon. It’s up to him to see EMI and find out if they want to so another one. The sales on the first one are reaching 700 so were past the break-even point. I see no reason why EMI shouldn’t give us another one, which will be a back-up but it shouldn’t be too quick, maybe in four or five months time...” Unfortunately neither was to happen, as within a year Gibson had moved to the UK. Gibson in an interview in ‘New Zealand Musician’: “In 1977 I realised I needed a change. I had been working mostly in jazz groups...and a whole heap of studio work encompassing all genres. I needed

to be in a more challenging environment, experienced and superior musicians to myself.”

working

with

older,

more

In the UK, Gibson more than proved himself and played live and as a session musician with a huge range of rock and jazz artists from Rick Wakeman to Ronnie Scott. After going their separate ways in 1977, Dr Tree reformed for a one-off performance two years later in 1979. Almost 30 years later, the band performed to mark the re-issue of the album on CD in 2007. Renewed interest in the band had grown since ‘Eugino D’ appeared on an ‘Australian’ jazz funk compilation put out in 2000 by Creative Vibes. Since then, the album has been the subject of glowing features from a range of blogs. From the ‘Aussie Funk’ blog: “It's almost criminal to think that this is the only album ever released by this New Zealand fusion outfit. The group features a number of well-known New Zealand musos, but perhaps none more legendary than drummer and percussionist Frank Gibson Jr...The sound on Dr Tree's album is a mix of dark rhythms, choppy jazz funk and inventive arrangements. It's a great listen throughout, without a lot of the boring pitfalls that fusion albums often find themselves falling victim to...” Sadly, three of the original members of the band have passed away - John Banks in 1993, Andy Brown in 2005 and Martin Winch in 2011. But Gibson, McNabb and Paterson (along with Brown and others) continued together in another fusion outfit Space Case in 1980s and supporting each other in live performances and on a range of great albums released under their own names since.

Discography Dr Tree – ‘Dr Tree’ LP (EMI, 1976) CD (EMI, 2007)

Side A – ‘The Twlight Zone’, ‘Vulcan Worlds’ Side B – ‘Eugino D’, ‘Affirmation’ and ‘One For Dianne’

and

‘Transition’

[A different version of ‘Twlight Zone’ appears on Don Burrow’s ‘The Tasman Connection’ album released by Cherry Pie in 1976 which Frank Gibson Jnr plays on]

Compilations Various Artists – ‘11th National Jazz Festival Easter Weekend 1973’ 2xLP (Tauranga Jazz Festival Society Incorporated, 1973) The compilation features a live performance of ‘Ramblin' (Ornette Coleman) by Dr Tree. The compilation also features live performances from the festival by the Judy Bailey Trio, Auckland Neophonic Orchestra, Dick Hopp Quartet and Bridge City Jazzmen among others.

Various Artists – ‘12th National Jazz Festival Easter Weekend 1973’ 2xLP (Tauranga Jazz Festival Society Incorporated, 1974) The compilation features a live (Weather Report) by Dr Tree. performances from the festival by Avery Trio and Len Doran Trio among

performance of ’Boogie Woogie Waltz’ The compilation also features live Quincy Conserve, Julian Lee Trio, Ken others.

Various Artists – ‘Respect Overdue Vol. 2 – Australian 70’s Jazz, Funk, Soul and Soundtrack Music’ CD (Creative Vibes, 2000) The compilation features ‘Eugino D’ by Dr Tree. The compilation also features New Zealand artists Quincy Conserve, Golden Horn Big Band, Kevin Clark Group, Roger Fox Big Band and Mark Williams.

 

Interview with Murray McNabb

Murray McNabb has been an extraordinarily active figure in New Zealand jazz for over 45 years. A largely self-taught musician and composer, McNabb was an integral member of Dr Tree in the mid 1970s, Space Case and Modern Times in the 1980s, Band R in the 1990s, as well as leading his own hugely talented groups since the late 1960s. He has also written music for a range of films and commercials. This interview with Murray was conducted over a number of emails. TR: You seem to have started writing your own music at a very early age and your own compositions have been a strong feature not only in your solo work but also in the groups you have been in. When did you start writing your own material? MM: I was fortunate to start writing music for radio programmes in 1967. I mostly wrote my own music, occasionally arranging other more modern jazz as opposed to standards. I always felt that enough people were recording standards and what influenced me about the American musicians I liked was their originality. People like Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman and especially Canadian pianist Paul Bley. Bley is the reason I play jazz, particularly his record ‘Floater’ released in 1962 which I heard on the radio when I was 16 or 17. TR: While you’ve performed with a huge range of musicians over the years, you’ve been playing with Frank Gibson Jnr almost since you started in music. When did you start playing music with Frank? MM: I met Frank at Mt Albert Grammar. We had a band at school in 1964 and used to escape massed singing by having rehearsals which mainly meant listening to Cannonball Adderley’s ‘Greatest Hits’. We both gravitated to the harder bop music, which had more edge than the mainstream. We hung out in holidays and played music most of the time. I guess we are just on the same wavelength, even today. TR: You formed one of your first groups, the Murray McNabb Trio, in the early 1970s. Who was involved and did the group release any recordings? MM: The Murray McNabb Trio performed at the 1972 National Jazz Festival in Tauranga. In fact we had three basses for some of that including Andy Brown, Bruce Lynch and Barry Johnson from the NZSO. I arrived a little late having broken down in the National Park driving from New Plymouth to Tauranga and joined the three basses on stage. There was a piece from that

concert on the Festival LP that year. Unfortunately it was recorded a tone lower than played [a tape speed goof] and I hated it with a vengeance. I’ve worked many times with Frank and Andy Brown, but there was only the one recording as a trio, ‘Waiting for You’ which was released by Ode Records in 1987. TR: Space Case released three albums in the 1980s. How did Space Case differ from Dr Tree? Had you previously met the other local and overseas musicians that also played in the band, like Brian Smith, American bassist Ron McClure and Brazilian trumpet player Claudio Roditi? MM: Dr Tree was jazz-rock. Although we still did electric as well, Space Case went back to the jazz roots more. Brian Smith had come back from the UK with English trumpet player George Chisolm and we started because of the two horn thing. Ron McClure had been here with the John Scofield Group at a Jamie Aebersold Jazz Week in Wellington where I met him. I think it was Rodger Fox who brought Ron and Claudio over with us to back them and we toured. When we got back to Auckland we recorded. TR: When did you form Modern Times and who was involved in the band? The band’s only recording was released on your own label, MOD X Music. What prompted you to start your own label? MM: Modern Times started in 1980. The original band was Peter Wood on vibes and percussion, Bob Jackson on bass, Chris Fox on drums and me on keyboards. We had a Friday gig and we got quite good with a following so I recorded the band and started MOD X Music because I didn’t believe anyone else would sell any more than I would at gigs. Billy Kristian took over from Bob on bass and we added Martin Winch on guitar. We did some recordings (including some that were unreleased) and played the Auckland and National Jazz Festivals in Tauranga then folded. TR: When did you form the Murray McNabb Group and who was involved? MM: The Murray McNabb Group was formed in 1990 with Frank Gibson Jnr on drums, Richard Hammond on bass, Paul Kentell on sax and me on keyboards. We played regularly at the Cause Celebre nightclub for 2 or 3 years. Ken Pearson replaced Richard Hammond on bass when he went to the States. Tim Whithead took over from Frank on drums when he went to Perth. Both versions of the group were recorded on the ‘Collected Compositions’ albums volumes 1 and 2 released on MOD X Music. By 1995 the Murray McNabb Group had become Band R with Matt Gruebner on bass, Lance McNicoll on guitar and Frank Conway on percussion. This group did a couple of gigs then recorded ‘The End is the Beginning’ album and promptly folded thanks to divided loyalties. It took me until 2000 to finish and release the album on CD, again on MOD X Music. After that the band evolved into the Murray McNabb Quartet with Stephen Morton-Jones on sax, Frank Gibson Jnr on drums and a variety of bass players. This group stayed together, finally recording as the Murray McNabb Group on the ‘Astral Surfers’ album in 2010 when we had Neil Hannan on bass and added Martin Winch on guitar and Basant Madhur on Tabla. The album was released on Neil’s label SDL Music, which signalled the end of MOD X Music. In the words of the great Paul Bley who also used to record his own music, I finally figured out that I couldn’t afford it myself. TR: What was the experience of recording the ‘Song For The Dream Weaver’ album in New York like for you?

MM: When I went to New York for the ‘Dream Weaver’ recording we rehearsed at Ron McClure’s apartment. Ron played bass on the album. He had Paul Bley’s album ‘Floater’ and he spoke of its influence especially on Keith Jarrett. And then Adam Nussbaum who played drums on the album came in, saw Paul Bley’s record and told us how it had influenced him as well. Quite a full circle for me. ‘The Dream Weaver’ session was a dream come true. It made all the commercials I had recorded have real meaning since they paid for the pleasure. TR: You’ve recently been playing with Gianmarco Liguori on his solo records and with his band Salon Kingsadore. You’ve also played with younger musicians in your own groups over the years. What do you get out of playing with younger musicians? MM: I first met Gianmarco Liguori when he asked me to do a couple of tracks on his first solo album, ‘Stolen Paintings’ in 2006. I then did the ‘Ancient Flight Text’ album in 2009 which was mostly me, Kim Patterson and Marco. I really enjoyed that and we got some airplay in New York and other US stations. He is a tiger for punishment so the next thing was the same trio recording the ‘Duga 3’ album in 2011. That one was a breakthrough for me as I finally felt I could break free from jazz in the right context, which next came up when I subbed for Billy Squire in Salon Kingsadore at the beginning of 2012. We did a couple of gigs and Marco asked me if I wanted to keep going. The band practises every Wednesday and we started recording everything 2 or 4 track into the computer. We stopped playing the old repertoire and mostly embarked on free jams which seemed to take a shape of their own. The result of this is ‘Anti-Borneo Magic’, a double Salon Kingsadore album of this year’s work. We also along the way did a concert at Auckland’s Stardome which was very interesting. I don’t set out to work with young musicians; it just happens. Older guys are not available or I have moved musically into my own territory and I have to get players who can adapt to that. Once I find one I usually start writing with him in mind. Stephen Morton-Jones for instance or before him Paul Kentell. I have been fortunate to find some of the very best Auckland musicians, most of whom are unsung and most of whom would not be on record if not for MOD X Music.

Discography – As a leader Modern Times – ‘Modern Times’ (Mod X Music 01, 1986) Cassette

Side 1 – ‘Mid City Jungle’/’I Never Knew’/’Peace Warrior’/’Signs’ Side 2 – ‘Dream Talk’/’Message From Joe’/’Hypnotique’/’Woody’s Leap’ Murray McNabb Trio (Murray McNabb with Frank Gibson and Andy Brown) – ‘Waiting For You’ (Ode, 1987) LP (Ode, 2012) CD

Side 1 – ‘Waiting For You’/’Missing You’/’Open House’/’Holiday In Managua’ Side 2 – ‘Persian Cowboy’/’Letting Go’/’Gone Country’/’Mrs Duck’ Murray McNabb with Ron McClure and Adam Nussbaum – ‘Song For The Dream Weaver’ (Mod X Music 02, 1990) CD

‘Song for the Dream Weaver’/’In Their Time’/’Dark Windows’/’Recurring Dream’/’Blues In The Bar’/’Anthem’/’The Long Walk Home’/’Memorial’/’Instant Bossa’/’Zig Zag’ Murray McNabb Group – ‘Collected Compositions Volume 1’ (Mod X Music 03, 1995) Cassette

Side 1 – ‘Accordion 2 Red’/’741’/’The Journey’/’Three Deaf Mice’ Side 2 – ‘Cartel Farewell’/’Cosmisonic’/’Two Speed Monk’/’Screaming White Boys’ Murray McNabb Group – ‘Collected Compositions Volume 2’ (Mod X Music 04, 1995) Cassette

Side 1 – ‘Zulu Tears’/’The Soft Touch’/’Texas T’/’Sad Situation’/’Zed’/’Outward Focus’ Side 2 – ‘Cool Fool’/’Hi Life In Jo’Burg’/’Polarization’/’Zulu Tears’ (live version)/’Other Roads (To Other Places)’/’Mariposa’/’Magenta’ Band R – ‘The End Is The Beginning’ (Mod X Music 05, 2000) CD

‘Entry’/’On Film’/’Centres-Shifting’/’Kool Banana (Das Ist Ein)’/’Who’s On M-Base?’/’Holes For Donuts’/’Ninth Of Tomorrow’/’Exit’ Murray McNabb Group – ‘Astral Surfers’ (SDL, 2009) CD

‘Marco Polo Returns’/’Sub-Continental’/’Astral Surfers’/’Snake’/’Badawi Groove’/’Snake Radio Edit’

A NZ Jazz Compilation for Beginners In 2000, Australian label Creative Vibes released their second volume of the Respect Overdue series, ‘Respect Overdue Vol. 2: Australian 70’s Jazz, Funk, Soul and Soundtrack Music’. Like the other compilations in the series it’s a great collection of obscure jazz, funk and soul. The only issue I had with it was that most of it came from New Zealand. While there’s some overlap with the Creative Vibes compilation, here’s my track list for a short ‘NZ Jazz Compilation for Beginners’:

The Fourth Way – ‘Everyman’s Your Brother’ (1969, Capital Records) From its slow groove beginning and opening bassline to the sensitive keys and soaring violin breaks, ‘Everyman’s Your Brother’ brilliantly kicks off The Fourth Way’s first self titled album from 1969. Its place on this list might be a little touch and go given Ron McClure, Michael White and Eddie Marshall were all Americans and the band was based on the West Coast (of the US). But the band was led by Mike Nock and he wrote much of their material including this song. At the forefront if not before jazz fusion became its own creature, Nock’s Fourth Way probably still have yet to receive the recognition they deserve.

Mike Nock Underground – ‘Space Bugaloo’ (MPS Records, 1970) Brilliant well known funky track from Nock’s criminally rare ‘Between Or Beyond’ album from 1971. Featuring Ron McClure and Eddie Marshall the ‘Underground’ is almost the Fourth Way. Surely someone needs to re-release this and the Fourth Way albums?

Dr Tree – ‘Eugino D’ (1976, EMI) Kim Paterson’s standout track from Dr Tree’s brilliant self-titled album.

Pacific Eardrum – ‘Desert Dance’ (1977, Chrisma) ‘Desert Dance’ is from Pacific Eardrum’s first self titled album from 1977. Led by Dave MacRae, Pacific Eardrum were made up of many ex-pat luminaries including MacRae’s partner Joy Yates, Billy Kristian and for their second album Brian Smith. Although like most of their recorded work, ‘Desert Dance’ is in a light jazz/funk vein it has its own twists and turns with the individual band members flexing themselves to the end into territory they probably should have explored further.

The Golden Horn Big Band – ‘Peter Gunn’ (1977, Ode Records) Essentially a long and very funky bass solo hung together by some great drumming and horns particularly toward the end, ‘Peter Gunn’ comes from the second and last Rodger Fox-led Golden Horn Big Band album from 1977 ‘It’s A Dream’.

The 1860 Band – ‘Porky’ (1978, Ode Records) This is longest and most interesting track from the 1980 Band’s one and only 1978 album, ‘Von Tempsky’. The prolific Roger Fox had only released the last Golden Horn Big Band album a year before and would also be fronting his own Big Band by 1978. Most of the stuff he touched (even an album with the Mana College Big Band album!) in this period was great.

Alan Broadbent – ‘Tonto’s Revenge’ (1978, Ode Records) Probably one of the most successful New Zealand jazz musicians ever, Broadbent has played piano and arranged for a huge range of artists including Woody Herman and Irene Kral. ‘Tonto’s Revenge’ comes from Broadbent’s ‘Palette’ album from 1978 and has an easy swagger featuring some really nice Rhodes.

Space Case – ‘Knight’ (1981, Ode Records) Space Case was another super-group of sorts, featuring Frank Gibson Jnr, Murray McNabb, Bruce Lynch, Kim Patterson and Brian Smith. ‘Knight’ was written by Smith and after a slow starts kicks life into of the second side of their first album ‘Executive Decision’ released in 1981. They released

two more albums and while the second has some high points, the first is my favourite.

Superbrew – ‘In Out And Around’ (1987, Ode Records) Led by Jim Langabeer and Barry Young, Superbrew released one excellent album ‘Africa Aroha’ influenced in equal parts by the sounds of South Africa and the Pacific. Off the album, ‘In Out And Around’ is a Mike Nock song given real punch by a sadly short-lived band.

Some more New Zealand jazz albums All the albums mentioned so far are great and deserve your attention. While some of the albums outlined below stretch the ‘jazz’ definition, all are within the spectrum and all are worth your time: Mavis Rivers – ‘Take A Number’ (1959) Primitive Art Group – ‘Five Tread Drop Down’ (1984) Gianmarco Ligouri – ‘Ancient Flight Text’ (2009) Mike Nock – ‘Ondas’ (1982) The Black Sheep – ‘The Black Sheep’ (1985) Judy Bailey Quartet – ‘Colours’ (1976) David Watson – ‘Reference’ (1987) Brian Smith – ‘Brian Smith’ (1986) Quincy Conserve – ‘Epitaph’ (1971) Roger Manins – ‘Trio’ (2010) Alan Broadbent Trio – ‘Song Of Home’ (1985) Reuben Bradley – ‘Resonator’ (2011) Hermione Johnson – ‘Colour Code’ (2012) Mike Nock – ‘Solo’ (1979) Nathan Haines – ‘The Poets Embrace’ (2012) Rabbitlock – ‘The Backbone’ (1986) Charlie Munro Quartet – ‘Eastern Horizons’ (1967) Raw Deal – ‘Raw Deal’ (1985) Jeff Henderson – ‘Fuck You Bureaucratic Fucks’ (2004) Frank Gibson’s Jazzmobile – ‘Spreading The Word’(1987) Mark de Clive-Lowe – ‘Tide’s Rising’ (2004) Gianmarco Ligouri – ‘Duga-3’ (2012) Kevin Clarke Group – ‘On Saturday’ (1975) Mike Nock – ‘Strata’ (1984) Brian Smith Quartet – ‘Southern Excursion’ (1984) Four Volts – ‘Something’s Burning’ (1986) Mark de Clive-Lowe and the Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra – ‘Take The Space Trane’ (2013) Pacific Eardrum – ‘Pacific Eardrum’ (1980) CL-Bob – ‘CL-Bob’ (1997) Jonathan Crayford – ‘Big Foot’ (2007) Quincy Conserve – ‘Quincy Conserve’ (1975) The Labcoats – ‘Acid and Alkaline’ (2004) Alan Broadbent Trio – ‘Song Of Home’ (1985) Various – ‘Frank Gibson’s Parallel 37’(1982) Mike Nock Quartet – ‘In Out And Around’ (1979) Phil Broadhurst – ‘Sustenance’ (1982) Mike Nock – ‘Magic Mansions’ (1977) The Melancholy Babes – ‘Opium’ (2012) Evan Parker and Richard Nunns – ‘Rangirua: Two Voices’ (2001) Edwina Thorne Electrik Band – ‘Edwina Thorne Electrik Band’ (1989) Moving Lines – ‘Moving Lines 1’ (1987) Gianmarco Ligouri – ‘Stolen Paintings’ (2006) Mike Nock – ‘Succubus’ (1980) CL Bob – ‘Stereoscope’ (2002) Power Band – ‘In The Gallery’ (1990) Mike Nock and Frank Gibson – ‘Open Door’ (1986) Various – ‘Special Edition 25 Years National Jazz Festival’ (1987) NZ Jazz Trio – ‘NZ Jazz Trio Plays Exotica’ Mike Nock – ‘Climbing’ (1979) Syzygy – ‘Tongue Grooves’ (1997) Primitive Art Group – ‘Future Jaw Clap’ (1985) Alan Broadbent Trio – ‘Further Down The Road’ (1985) Salon Kingsadore – ‘Anti-Borneo Magic’ (2012) Buckle – ‘Cut Lips’ (1998)