Note: The exhibition is open until Friday 17 December 2010, even if it appears above as “expired”. The Gods is open Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5:00pm, but closed weekends and public holidays.
The old cliché that Canberra hasn’t got any soul has a new rejoinder – it has plenty of jazz instead, according to Canberra photographer Brian Stewart. A new exhibition of his images documents the thriving local jazz scene at one of its more popular venues – The Gods Café and Bar at the ANU.
The local jazz scene is being recognised nationally this month. The arts magazine Extempore, which focuses on improvised music, will feature “Jazz at The Gods” in word and image. Issue 5, to be released on 29 October 2010 at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz, features an essay by renowned poet and jazz enthusiast Geoff Page about the monthly series of “Jazz at The Gods” concerts he organises, titled “How to Shut Up and Listen – or, Let a Thousand Venues Bloom”.
Geoff’s essay is accompanied by a portfolio of Brian Stewart’s black and white images showing local and national musicians in action at The Gods. Brian’s images demonstrate both the pulling power of a quality listening venue for big name jazz artists as well as the quality and intensity of the performances that can be heard in the Jazz at The Gods concert series.
The musicians portrayed in the images include Australia’s pre-eminent jazz keyboard player – Mike Nock – together with leading exponents of other instruments, including trombonist James Greening; trumpeter Warwick Alder; and saxophonist Mark Ginsburg. Several former Canberra musicians who have made it big on the national stage are also featured: vocalist Gian Slater – who was a finalist at the recent 2010 Freedman Jazz Fellowship finals at the Sydney Opera House Studio – as well as saxophonist Andrew Robson.
Brian firmly believes that jazz is best seen in black and white. “These images demonstrate that the enduring power of black and white photography, and follow in the strong tradition of black and white jazz portraiture” he said. “People like Francis Wolff and his Blue Note images come readily to mind. While I have a strong personal preference for black and white, these images demonstrate that it’s more than just my preference – the medium really suits the music and the performers.”
Brian Stewart has been a photographer for nearly 30 years. He specialises in fine art black and white prints. His recent exhibitions have featured landscapes and Paris street photography as well as jazz. He documents live jazz at a range of venues in Canberra and elsewhere, and was the photographer for the 2010 Freedman Jazz Fellowship finals at the Sydney Opera House.
[Note : Exhibition is open Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5:00pm. The Gods is closed weekends and public holidays, but open two nights a month for jazz and poetry.]
Venue Location in Google Maps (more precise than below)
