Review: Trio Verso
Poetry, jazz and improvised music
Acorn Centre, Inverurie
[Map]
Trio Verso was founded in 2007, combining poetry from Brian Johnstone
with the jazz idiom of musicians Richard Ingham (saxophone, bass clarinet
and low whistle) and Louise Major (double bass and percussion). They released
a CD, Stormchaser, last year. The recital was part of the New Words Festival.
As the blend of poetry and improvised music unfolded during the performance, Brian
Johnstone explained the background to each poetic theme and also how some of the
sound effects were made by the musicians. This was useful and interesting for the
audience, for although poetry has been enhanced or enlivened by music before in
film scores and documentaries as well as readings, it is usually prepared and often
scored. The group demonstrated how their music was purely improvised, by turning
their music stands to the audience — look no notes, just verse!
Brian's poetry is an eclectic mix varying from landscape evocations such as How the
Mire Thaws, nostalgic reflections on the Home Service to whimsical
commentary on the mundane like Power Cut, which came to a suitably abrupt
end. As a primary school teacher for many years, he has obviously shared and enjoyed
the children's fresh approach and fun in playing with words. His recitations included
"found poems" that are based on others' writing, such as The Method, a commentary
on the rags to riches story of Marilyn Monroe based on the writings of Alistair
Mackay — "Save the tears, you may need them, the doctor says."
The musicians' combination of double bass and bass clarinet produced dark primeval
sonorities that contrasted well with voice and they were given an improvisation
spot in each half of the concert to show off their versatile talents. As well as
the idiom of jazz, their experiments exploited the sensual aspect of music making,
such as the haunting low whistles in Place of Graves. Louise used soft drumsticks
on the body of the double bass in Stormchaser and for much of the concert,
Richard added a "trombaphone", a clarinet reed mouthpiece, to the trombone to give
the emotional senses that the group were striving for. The range of effects and
their skill in conjuring up the expressions were impressive.
Brian Johnstone has published two pamphlets and two full collections; his latest
book of poems is The Book of Belongings published by Arc in 2009. Richard
Ingham is Composer in Residence and Fellow in New Music at the University of St
Andrews and jazz tutor at St Mary's Music School, Edinburgh. Louise Major is a double
bass tutor for the University of St Andrews Music Centre and St Leonards School,
St Andrews. She leads the jazz band The Major Groove.
The next Inverurie Music concert will be given at Kemnay Church Centre at 8pm on
Friday 4 November, featuring the acclaimed Swedish pianist, Peter Johansson, who
won a special prize for the best performance of contemporary music at the Scottish
International Piano Competition in 2010.
Review by Alistair Massey
Photos by John Hearne and Alistair Massey
North East Writers and its partner organisations undertake to produce
all events in the New Words festival as advertised, but we can accept no liability
for details that are changed due to circumstances beyond our control.