MP3 Jon Delaney - 7 out of 10

Modern Jazz in the vein of Jim Hall/Brad Mehldau trios. The Jon Delaney Trio weave baroque counterpoint and free improvisation into their original compositions

7 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Modern Creative Jazz, JAZZ: Traditional Jazz Combo



Details:
"7/10" is the debut CD from the Jon Delaney Trio, based in Melbourne, Australia. Featuring Tom Lee (Vada, Michelle Nicole Quartet) on bass and Ronny Ferella (Ish Ish, Michelle Nicole Quartet), the band interprets Delaney's compositions in an open setting influenced by the trios of Bill Evans and Jim Hall, but borrowing heavily from Baroque counterpoint, free improvisation, independant rock and modern compositional techniques. These influences and techniques are combined with an overarching concern for texture and dynamic, and the creation of music as a priority, rather than just a succession of impressive solos.

"7/10" was rcorded live over two nights at the Paris Cat jazz club in Melbourne in October of 2006, and the 7 tunes selected represent the trio at their best, covering a range of diverse material and textures.

"Bounce" begins with a freely improvised group contrapuntal improvisation before building into a uptempo modern piece based on motivic and textural development.

The opening theme for "Anthem Song with a Beat" is an attempt at serial composition, followed by a joyous chordal passage which leads into a free improvisation reminiscent of 90's alt-rock.

"The Admission" is a gentle piece in 3/4 time with some beautiful moments in both bass and guitar solos before the theme is reintroduced.

"A Good Time Was Had By All", named after a volume of poetry by English writer Stevie Smith, is a ballad performed entirely colla voce. It begins with a beautiful bass solo, which gives way into a bowed accompaniment for the guitar. The theme is introduced over the ecstatic drum solo to bring it to a close.

"Little Song For Karen" is almost a country song, inspired by Bill Frisell's album "Nashville". It features beautiful bass and guitar solos of uncluttered simplicity.

"One More" is an uptempo straight eights tune inspired the compositions of Brad Mehldau. The highlight is an improvised transition out of the guitar solo into the stunning bass entry.

"Twice in a Week" is a slow ballad, ushered in by a lush drum solo. The theme is followed by tuneful guitar and bass solos before the album is brought to a quiet close.

About Jon Delaney
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Jon Delaney is a freelance guitarist, composer and teacher from Melbourne, Australia. He performs regularly with his own band, "The Jon Delaney Trio" and in many other contexts, with some of the foremost talents on the Melbourne improvised music scene.

Jon's musical development began while he was ostensibly studying philosophy and literature at Monash University, playing rock guitar and bass in pubs, clubs, and friend's living rooms and doing serious diservice to Descartes and Shelley. Taking a year off after graduation to practice and catch up on reading, he was accepted into the Victorian College of the Arts in 1998, from which he emerged some years later with Bachelor (hons) and Master of Music Performance degrees (he has also taken part in the Banff Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music (2006), a 3-week ferment of creativity and discovery in the Canadian Rockies).

His studies and the predictable onset of tinnitus contributed to a broadening of his musical taste, and Jon developed an attachment to small group jazz, baroque, and 20th century classical music. He now performs predominanty in a modern jazz style, incorporating elements of free improvisation and textural variation, and plays Bach and strums indie-rock songs to himself on weekends. He has a special interest in the continuing evolution of accompaniment roles in jazz, which he explores in "The Jon Delaney Trio", and is influenced strongly by Jim Hall, J.S. Bach, Jimmy Guiffre, Art Farmer, Don Thompson, Janeâs Addiction, Sonny Rollins and countless others.

Jon is the author of two theses: "Jim Hall Live!: Advancing Conceptions of Instrumental Role Playing in Jazz Ensembles", and "In Search of a History: Selection and Performance of Transcriptions for Pick-Style Guitar and Bass Duo of J.S. Bachâs Contrapuntal Keyboard Works". He is a faculty member of Victoria University, and also teaches guitar at Fitzroy High School.