IMMERSE YOURSELF IN LIFE’S MORE PLEASURABLE PURSUITS
There’s a reason why you don’t hear so many solo albums by bass players … and no … I’m not about to launch into an onslaught of bass player jokes. The real reason, and any musician will know this … is because only the very best bass players can be technically skilled and creatively inclined enough to pull it off. Read More
On his 2006 debut release “Forgotten Melody”, Melbourne bass great Wayne Jones proved to all he’s one of the rare few who can deliver an album full of beautifully constructed musical storylines featuring the bass as the central character.
Proving he’s no one trick pony, Jones has done it again. Merely three years after his first solo effort, Wayne Jones offers us “Saturday Street”, another rich slice of sophisticated jazz flavoured pie.
The key to any successful musical endeavour in this genre is the quality and allure of the instrumental conversations between musicians. On “Saturday Street” Wayne’s collection of virtuosic buddies talk it up big time.
Assisting Jones in creating his late night lounge grooves are the considerable talents of
Gerry Pantazis (drums)
Ron Peers (guitar)
James Sandon
Benjamin Northey
Andy O’Connell (sax)
Daniel Beasy (trumpet)
Dave Carter
Mal Logan
John Grant
Ash Crick
Mike Oliphant (keyboards)
Cheryl Beattie (vocals)
Alejandro Vega
Kintsho Tshabalala (percussion)
There’s no doubt the accompanists shine, but in the end it’s Jones’ street party. His command of the bass and those nimble yet fluent licks will remain embedded in your mind long after the disc has come to a close.
In a world turning upside down, where it’s easy to get caught up in the rapid pace of life and all its negativity and complexities, it’s comforting to know that at the end of the day it’s really all about how you choose to perceive things. You can simply shut your door, kick off your shoes, and immerse yourself in life’s more pleasurable pursuits.
Better still, I heartily recommend a gentle stroll down Wayne Jones “Saturday Street” in the company of someone you love.
“Saturday Street” track by track
Opening proceedings with “Strictly Dan”, Jones wears his musical heart on his sleeve, as he pays tribute to American music icons Steely Dan. Fat bass slaps feature as the band in full flight forge ahead with purpose and precision.
The title track, “Saturday Street” finds Jones with a spring in his step, as he and his ensemble strut down his funkified thoroughfare.
The “Back in Five” vibe is one of a world we sometimes forget, a stop and smell the roses kind of feel, where things really don’t seem so bad after all.
Track four is the self-descriptive “Slow and Mellow”, a dangerously seductive device for those quiet moments with a special friend.
“Sneaky Pete” finds the band neatly in the pocket right out of the blocks. Not only are Jones’ chops remarkable, but his compositional ideas and improvisational skills are impressive too.
“MK3” provides a leisurely walk down a sumptuously textured path. A scintillating sax solo adds a scent of spice to the air.
“Time Traveler” employs some interesting time signatures as Jones displays his immense range of exceptional bass skills. However, his licks are never gimmicky and never does he give the impression of
showing off. The bass ideas are eternally tasteful and executed with style.
Any attempts to resist the samba flair of “Latin Tyme” are futile. From the opening few moments of “Hiraeth” you realise there’s some major musicianship goin’ down. Utilising the bass in a variety of guises, Jones takes total control of this substantial sonic brew.
Much like a well-deserved nightcap, “I’m In The Mood” is an appropriate end to a perfect day. Cheryl Beattie adds a smooth as silk vocal over a heart-melting melody.
Greg Phillips (Editor, Australian Musician Magazine) April 2009
CAFE JAZZ REVIEWS SATURDAY STREET
The bass phenom is back with his Saturday Street sophomore release, and from that effort, we have a great ska-flavoured tune in the rocksteady Back In Five!!
Back In Five – Wayne Jones:
Wayne Jones had started in music as a drummer but a mishap in his teens left him with only partial use of his left thumb and so he took up the bass instead. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Jones has operated in a variety of musical settings over the last three decades. With a characteristic frankness, he articulates, “You have to play many styles of music here to survive.” From cover bands and sessions to film and TV, the wonder from down under had just about ‘done it all’ – except for issuing an album under his own name. Although it was 7 long years in the making, that dream was fulfilled with the 2006 issue of Forgotten Melody, which in spite of a title that might suggest something to the contrary, was indeed a highly memorable debut and one of the more pleasant surprises for the year!! Now the bass phenom is back with his Saturday Street sophomore release, and from that effort, we have a great ska-flavoured tune in the rocksteady Back In Five!!
Featured on Cafe Jazz in Canada
AUSTRALIAN JAZZ ARTIST WAYNE JONES WALKS ON
“SATURDAY STREET”
WITH SPINE-TINGLING BASS LINES
5th July 2007
It is paved with spiky, spine-tingling bass lines, the Saturday Street that Australian jazz artist Wayne Jones walks on.Saturday Street, Jones’ latest album, is a glistening summer soundtrack that bathes in the pulsating energy of city life, from sun-drenched strolling to a midnight slow jam at a club. On the title track Jones’ bass feels like a living entity; it throbs with vigor and swagger while jumpy piano adds further electricity. Read More
The forcefulness of Jones’ bass playing is easily the most recognizable aspect of his style. On “Slow & Mellow,” Jones is downright funky on what is essentially a romantic ballad; his bass literally leaps out of the speakers. According to Jones, the two-fisted punch of his bass is rooted in his original desire to become a drummer. “I used to have a passion for playing drums in my early teens,” Jones recalled. “I started playing bass around 1969 after an industrial accident left me unable to hold a drumstick properly. I turned professional in 1976. It’s funny how fate works. I much prefer bass as I now have both rhythm and melody to enjoy. I guess I used the passion I had for the drums and applied it to the bass.”
Jones displays extraordinary command of the bass in Saturday Street, and it may cause one to assume that he received formal training with the instrument; however, that was not the case. “Like many of my generation I was self-taught,” Jones revealed. “I learned from records. I would listened to a few bars, lift the arm off the turntable, copy the phrases, and then put it back in roughly the same spot for the next bit. Eventually I had to teach myself modes, scales, and arpeggios. I’m sure glad I did as these are the tools I use to draw from when I play.”
All About Jazz Magazine
TRACK: BACK IN FIVE – WAYNE JONES
Wayne Jones had started in music as a drummer but a mishap in his teens left him with only partial use of his left thumb and so he took up the bass instead. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Jones has operated in a variety of musical settings over the last three decades. With a characteristic frankness, he articulates, “You have to play many styles of music here to survive.” From cover bands and sessions to film and TV, the wonder from down under had just about ‘done it all’ – except for issuing an album under his own name. Although it was 7 long years in the making, that dream was fulfilled with the 2006 issue of Forgotten Melody, which in spite of a title that might suggest something to the contrary, was indeed a highly memorable debut and one of the more pleasant surprises for the year! Now the bass phenom is back with his Saturday Street sophomore release, and from that effort, we have a great ska-flavoured tune in the rocksteady Back In Five!
Jazzlynx Cafe Jazz Radio
