The Singapore Festival of Arts 1998 Sunday 21 June 1998 Victoria Concert Hall

New Orleans Rhythm Kings

Bye and Bye · Basin Street Blues · Fidgetty Feet · Do you know what it means · When you smiling · St. Louis Blues · Butter & Egg man · Just a while to stay here · Way down yonder in New Orleans · Tin Roof Blues · Indiana · Petit Fleur (solo - Ralph Johnson) · Lanya · Bill Bailey won't you please come home · Sweet Georgia Brown · When the Saint's go marching in Encore: Ice cream JACK FINE cornet RALPH JOHNSON clarinet HOWARD KADISON drums CARL LEBLANC banjo FRANK NAUNDORF trombone WALTER PAYTON contra bass BILL SINCLAIR piano Special Appearance by "The Jwitterbugs Swingapore!"

JAZZ NOISE RATING: 4.5 (spontaneous applause and for responding semi-enthusiastically when the musicians talked to the audience from the stage)

The Jaaaazzzzz Noise Rating Index is a totally subjective measurement of spontaneous applause, cheers for virtuoso solos, tapping-feet-during-the-catchy-bits, intra-audience camaraderie and other soouuuul-movin' noises emitted in the concert hall during actual performance of music. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 5, in increasing... ah, who cares???

Arts Fest 1998 tickets for Inkpot classical music reviewers have been kindly sponsored by the National Arts Council.

This is the original stuff. Hailing from New Orleans, the place often thought of as the birthplace of Jazz that saw such Jazz greats as 'Satchmo' Louis Armstrong and Antoine 'Fats' Domino, the Rhythm Kings champion one of the unique sounds of Jazz that enjoys immense popularity though it receives elatively less "live" performance nowadays.

New Orleans jazz, or the "Dixieland" style, is characterised musically by its form (though this is not necessarily a hard-and-fast rule). The band first plays together to introduce the tune, then each player would take turns to do an ad lib solo starting from the vocalist (usually the cornet player), to the clarinetist, cornet, trombone, banjo, piano, bass and finally the drums before they come together and reprise the tune again.

When the ensemble is playing together, however, it is also a form of "collective improvisation" with the cornet carrying the main tune and everyone else providing support and counter-melodies. So an entire performance of Dixieland music is basically non-stop improvisation, relying fully on each individual's creativity. The composer of the song only provides a basic melody and the harmonies, the rest is up to the performers. I think in no other music, except perhaps early baroque music [and present-day performance of early Early Music - Ed.], where improvisation and ensemble is so crucially important.

The New Orleans Rhythm Kings play with unbounded energy far, far from their age as betrayed by white hair and greying beards. If anything, as they first walked on to stage, they gave the impression of nonchalance and even a 'regal' air inspiring a deep respect for their person and their art. Once, the music began, it was simply a party where there was no stopping the fun! The unique sound of the ensemble was simply exciting as each individual player contibuted his own self to the music.

The bulk of the repertoire performed were classic Dixieland standards such as Basin Street Blues, Do you know what it's like (to miss New Orleans), Sweet Geogia Brown and the perennial favourite When the saints go marching in which had the crowd clapping and cheering as the musicians marched off stage into the audience. Hearing these standards "live" was just a whole new experience from listening to them time after time on CDs. Certainly, each performance of any song would be different from any other. I particularly enjoyed When you smiling - it's just such an infectious number with the line "when you smilin', the whole world smiles with you" and that's the line that best sums up the performance of the Kings.

Several players left a particularly deep impression, one being bassist Walter Payton (above left) who is a renowned musician noted for his virtuosity, versatility and "great rhythmic power", participating in jazz as well as performances of classical orchestras. When Jack Fine (right) asked the audience "how you feelin' today?", he cheekily replied "I always feel with my hands!" and this was certainly the truth. His remarkably creative bass lines were the life of the ensemble and to top it up, his bass solos just left me in awe of his beautiful sound, technique and feel as he imbued the bass with meaning and expression.

Another musician worthy of note is clarinetist Ralph Johnson who is the son of 30s' and 40s' saxophone wizard, Son Johnson. He crosses between the refined tone of a clarinet to the brash sound of a saxophone, adding much colour to the ensemble. His soulful solos throughout the concert met with great approval from the audience and his fellow musicians. In Petit Fleur, Mr. Johnson shared with the Singaporean audience the song "which he has played and is famous for all over the world". I think the great ovation that he received from the audience qualifies that!

Having especially talked about these two great players, I have to reinstate the fact that each of these musicians were wonderful and contributed uniquely to the music! Jack Fine for creating a wonderful rapport with the audience, his nice vocals and majestic cornet sound. Howard Kadison for his driving beat on the drums (at one point he even played the drums with fingers and palms!). Carl Leblanc, "banjoist extraordinaire", for demonstrating such style and finesse on the oft-unheard banjo. Frank Naundorf for his powerful trombone sound and great solos (and for leading the band!). Last but not least, the quiet pianist Bill Sinclair who offered some of the most original Dixieland piano playing I've heard for a long time!

Let's put it this way, this was certainly not the greatest of all Dixieland playing I've heard, comparing to Satchmo's Hot Five recordings and even the Dukes of Dixieland but it was a great act to bring in for the Singapore Arts Fest and one that the audience certainly did enjoy. I'm most thankful to have been given this chance to hear these seasoned players playing with the 'original style', as compared to the greater technical virtuosity of the new generation as was demonstrated by Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Centre Jazz Orchestra (Click here for review).

Clearly, the new music is more complex harmonically and the youngsters tend to be more showy in what they can do with their instruments but I think the Rhythm Kings demonstrated a style of playing that reached its epitome in the pre-war years with great affinity. Traditional, that's the word, and in our age that is refreshing.

Pity there were still empty seats in the hall (I wonder: I thought it was sold out) for a concert that would have converted non-jazz fans and a treat to the already die-hards. Would have spent that $110 for that dinner and concert at the Ritz Carlton Millenia if I had known. Let's bring more acts like the New Orleans Rhythm Kings next year...

Thanks for the great time and long live the Rhythm Kings!

Adrian Tan also wishes to give a big "thank you" to the nice guy (whom he never even got the name!) who helped him identify a couple of songs he didn't recognize!

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All Jazz Is Modern World Tour

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