Kennedy | Laskowski | Alduca | Ahearn

aka

KLAA

or, as i like to call them,

The Gavin Ahearn Jazz McJazz Quartet

The band features the intuitive and soul stirring vocals of Samoan musicians Steve Ale, Asinate Fonua, Mariah Filoa, Kate Lauina and Loma Schaff. These 5 vocalists have roots in gospel and church music and have an intuitive way of blending and harmonizing with each other that is incredible and beautiful at the same time. The rhythm section contains bassist James Haselwood, drummer Hamish Stuart and pianist Gavin Ahearn. The music is a Unified blend of the influences/vision of all the musicians on stage; gospel, jazz, soul, r&b, pop, world and beyond.  

1. Singaporean photographer Chia Ming Chien has a number or photographic series capturing the life and architecture of South East Asia. These still images are sent to:
2. Aymeric De Meautis, our Sydney based VFX artist who renders the stills into video sequences utilising various cutting edge imaging techniques.
3. Musicians Briana Cowlishaw (Vocals), Gavin Ahearn (Piano), Jonathan Zwartz (Bass) and Nic Cecire (Drums) will interpret the video sequences in a live performance.

Gavin Ahearn, one of our favourite pianists, "is every bit the beautiful, lyrical pianist he's touted to be; not showy. In fact, he seems a little like a shy A+ student, covering his work to avoid the boy next to him copying... he tinkles and tinkers away, eking out the deeply affecting & truly extraordinary as if it's no more challenging than shaving."  Lloyd Bradford Syke

http://caviarmusic.com.au/gavinahearn/

I asked Gavin about the music.  He said it'll be more Jackson Pollock than Ken Done.

these guys are heavy.

Last week, as i rode my pushie home through the glistening streets, i was thinking about this thing that we create together every thursday night.

A generous community, a warm aesthetic, a space which invites an active engagement with a [ free/sophisticated/intuitive/embodied ] music. A vibe which perfectly marries a beautiful space, an energised audience, and excellent musicians.

Barney and Andrew (that's me) do this without material reward, because Cafe Church allows us to use their space without strings attached, and to attach our own strings might break the magic.  It's a lot of work, choosing next week's musicians from the hundreds of great players we know, and letting all of you know about them.  But every Thursday night it's worth it.

And as i thought these things, riding up the Annandale rise, i realised that i hadn't written anything for Gavin next week, and that he (like George last week, and Dave MacC who photographed this band the last time they played) is a perfect example of everything we have tried to do.  So without further ado, ladies and gentlement, Gavin Ahearn and his incredible trio.

It means "whisper" in Portuguese.  Classic and innovative readings of the timeless Brazilian songbook - echoes of Jobim, Luis Bonfa, Joao and Astrud Gilberto, Gal Costa, Djavan and others.

Forming the core of Sussurro are Jeanne Bastos (vocals, percussion) Peter Toohey (guitar) and Gavin Ahearn (piano). Jeanne is “the real deal” bringing her heritage from Bahia to down under. Peter continues his decades long love affair with the Brazilian guitar tradition. Gavin is a Colbourne regular. In the engine room are bassist Peter Gray who studied in NY with John Pattituci, Toby Hall (the happiest drummer in town) on drums, and the in-demand and diverse Tim Bradley on percussion. Sussurro are a whisper of Brazil as Sydney launches into summer.

I asked Gavin about the music.
he sent me two awesome Bruce Dawe poems.
i love bruce dawe almost as much as i love Gavin Ahearn.  Gavin is a beautifully creative improvisor whose depth of humanity is amplified through the keys.

With Nic Cecire on drums and Jonathan Zwartz on double bass, I expect an emotionally and musically powerful night of Sydney style jazz.

No right angles in this band!