ALLAN ZAVOD BURSTS with ENERGY by Eric Myers ______The Allan Zavod Trio the Basement Sydney Morning Herald, April 30, 1982 ______
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
ALLAN ZAVOD BURSTS WITH ENERGY by Eric Myers ____________________________________________________________ The Allan Zavod Trio The Basement Sydney Morning Herald, April 30, 1982 ____________________________________________________________ n a dazzling performance at The Basement on Wednesday night, the Australian expatriate pianist Allan Zavod successfully divided the audience. I A zany figure, with a shock of long, curly, black hair exploding from under a canary yellow baseball cap, Zavod showed that his approach has a mixture of virtuosity and showmanship. Some maintained that he has the balance wrong. One fan who left halfway through the performance, remarked derisively: "Allan Zavod is only one step up from Peter Allen." Allan Zavod: a mixture of virtuosity and showmanship… Zavod, who left Melbourne 12 years ago for Hollywood and now enjoys great success in the US, has a habit of turning away from the keyboard and beaming at the audience. At first, it was engaging. Also, his crashing runs and plonks up 1 and down the piano could be regarded initially as eccentric mannerisms. But the persistent use of these ploys began to grate. By the end of the evening, some were saying that Zavod was so interested in theatricality that jazz tended to fly out the window. Nevertheless, in his quieter and more laid-back moments, he played such tasteful and beautiful piano that it was breathtaking. Sydney has rarely seen a more authoritative, disciplined and technically brilliant jazz pianist. In many ways, the real star of the night was Alan Turnbull (above), who had to draw on all his staying power and physical energy to stay with Zavod's lightning tempos and bright feels… PHOTO COURTESY DAVID MARTIN Zavod was accompanied by Ed Gaston (bass) and Alan Turnbull (drums). In many ways, the real star of the night was Turnbull, who had to draw on all his staying power and physical energy to stay with Zavod's lightning tempos and bright feels. With unflagging agility, Turnbull articulated complex, highly subtle and busy rhythmic foundations throughout the performance. Few other Australian drummers could have handled the job as well. Allan Zavod's virtuosity is unquestioned. He is a pianist bursting with knowledge and energy, and is as fast as they come. It is little wonder that he has been working in the US with musicians such as Jean-Luc Ponty, Frank Zappa, Woody Herman and Maynard Ferguson. But why does a man with such incredible ability play so much music that some would consider tasteless? 2 .