Album: Spiel
Artist: Paul Grabowsky & Niko Schauble
Release Date:
Label: Jazzhead – 4 stars
Album: Provenance
Artist: Paul Grabowsky & Vince Jones
Release Date:
Label: ABC Jazz
Rating: Three and a half stars
In terms of Australian jazz and piano/composition, the foremost name must be Paul Grabowsky. Although Melbourne-based Grabowsky seems to defy localization: he could be recording in New York, Europe, or Australia, recently gave concerts in Cairns, appeared at the Wangaratta Jazz Festival and toured nationally launching a new CD.
One of two new releases is a duo recording by Grabowsky with long term drumming associate Niko Schauble, The absence of bass or guitar in rhythmic numbers could put pressure on a pianist’s left hand, but Grabowsky coasts through 17 totally improvised pieces with matchless ease and ceaseless invention.
Some tracks are almost out of tempo and flow in a semi-classical way as Schauble provides soft effects with brushes. Pieces with a pulse are provided with either a running single note bass line or rhythmic left hand chords, and drums fit perfectly.
Provenance has Grabowsky accompanying long-established vocalist/trumpeter Vince Jones in a collection of ballads, several of which have lyrics by the vocalist. Some of Jones’s many fans – he’s sold over 200,000 albums – who might have suspected that the 61 year old was approaching his use-by date will be surprised at the vocal dexterity and expressive ability here. His delivery of the tricky melody in Stella by Starlight is passionately eloquent. The same applies to the Joabim original If You Never Come to Me, and Harry Warren’s This is Always. Of course Garbowsky’s sympathetic accompaniment is faultless throughout.
These two new examples of Grabowsky’s mountainous work are both worthwhile additions to his fast-growing output, here in disparate duos with drums or vocalist.
