John Shand | Music & Other Spheres Posts

April 19, 2017 / Features - Archive

1 LOSS OF A MASTER At the time of his death in late November Paul Motian was arguably the most important figure in jazz. The art form, which had been through so many evolutions over the preceding century, had largely painted itself into a corner. For all the apparent diversity…

April 18, 2017 / Concert Reviews - Archive

Australian National Maritime Museum, March 18 8.5/10 They arrived on stage one at a time, each ritually striking a brass bowl that seemed to ring for about as long as our Prime Ministers currently last. This sense of theatre remained in play, partly thanks to the colourful clothing and exotic…

April 16, 2017 / Album Reviews - Archive

FIHI MA FIHI (baska.com.au) 7.5/10 Fihi ma Fihi means “it is what it is”, which is a fair summation of this Melbourne band’s blend of traditional Turkish music and dancefloor hypnosis. This mix is much more subtle and nuanced than bulldozing a 4/4 bass drum through the middle of some…