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Salient. An organ of student opinion at Victoria University, Wellington. Vol. 23. No. 7. Monday, August 8, 1960.

Jazz Comments — The Wellington Scene

Jazz Comments

The Wellington Scene

Laurie Lewis and his group are the only musicians in town who play Jazz. The group consists of Laurie Lewis on baritone sax, Dave Tatana un guitar, Jim Wilson un bass, and Bob Little on drums. They play every Sunday night at the Picasso. The line-up is nicely balanced and not too loud. They are all good musicians and know what they are doing on their instruments.

Laurie Lewis's solos are more rhythmic than harmonic. He plays phrases a beat—giving them a rhythmic impetus or makes them fit a descending chord pattern. Or he might only give the last phrase a little twist. He plays a lot of triplets (three notes where there are usually two) and slips in a phrase of sixteenths (four notes where there are usually one) for contrast here and there. He does not always keep his phrases strictly in a four bar unit, but lets them run over through the chord changes. He really knows his chords and instrument and can take a solo in any key. He keeps strictly to the written chords and does not experiment with the harmonies at all. He is the one that holds the group together and keeps them swinging. This was shown when he could not make it one night and the trio had to carry on without him.

Dave Tatana has the technique, but always seems uneasy or unsure of himself. He does not often get above himself and play something really worthwhile, but relaxes any tension built up by Laurie. His solos usually stay in the four bar unit with simple melodic and rhythmic lines. Occasionally he plays very moving melodic solos—usually when there is a very attentive crowd.

Jim Wilson is a solid and dependable man on bass, and he is a great help in keeping the group coherent and interesting. He is not very powerful, but this does not matter so much in the small room at the Picasso. His notes are accurate and he contributes a lot to the swinging rhythm this group has.

Bob Little keeps well in the background, but he is much more adventurous now than when the group first started. This work seems to have given him greater self-confidence.

—R.T.M.