The Exhibits

Space Theatre

8 May

Adelaide jazz musicians have long been the inhabitants of small venues in out of the way places plying their trade to a relatively small audience of enthusiasts. That is not to say that these more intimate venues are lesser places to hear jazz (they are great places), it is just a reflection on the size of the audience for jazz in Adelaide.

Thus, it was great to see this performance in a larger venue and tellingly, the theatre was very nearly full. Maybe the local audience is larger than we all thought.

Although International Jazz Day was on the 30^th of April, this concert celebrated that occasion.

After a very short introduction from Mark Ferguson’s Adelaide Edition, vocalist and Danica Elle and her quartet performed a selection of her own compositions showing that she is a talent not only as a fine vocalist but also as a composer.

Then followed The Exhibits, led jointly by maybe Australia’s finest jazz guitarist, James Muller, and bassist Lyndon Gray. For this performance they introduced their second album, released that day, suitably titled “2”, played in the same order as the album.

The quartet is completed by alto saxophonist Tom Noonan and new drummer Tim Firth, taking over from Josh Baldwin after his departure to live in France. Firth is a welcome addition to the band, adding a real punch to the band’s sound.

As with their first album, all the music was composed by either Muller or Gray and accordingly the group has a very definite sound of their own, completed by the fine sax of Tom Noonan. The group has moved forward since their beginnings and this was evident on this occasion. This reviewers only question was the use of some strange effects on “Suspect” from Lyndon Gray.

On this showing, The Exhibits are undoubtably a great band and Look forward to “3”!