18 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2006

[email protected]

comedy music film on line radio pop culture live

albums

easy listening Tony Bennett DUETS: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC A new book celebrates the escapades (Columbia) : He has a phenomenal, smoky voice, probably of left-field ’70s British TV comedy , Graeme Garden and Tim only rivalled by Frank Sinatra for recognisability Brooke-Taylor and class among master crooners. Given Ol’ heroes, The Goodies. Blue Eyes died in ’98, that makes Tony Bennett the king. And to celebrate his 80th birthday in August, “An agency of three blokes, who do anything, he got in a live studio with a genre-crossing who’s who of admirers including Bono, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Barbra Streisand, at any time.” Stevie Wonder and kd lang, and cranked out 19 duets. With his And for The Goodies, that pretence meant orchestral quartet accompaniment, Bennett and the luminaries everything from basic sitcom-type humour to tour his easy-listening songbook — If I Ruled The World, Put On mercilessly satirising the Grand National A Happy Face, etc. The chemistry with Billy Joel (The Good Life) steeplechase with riders hurling their mounts and Diana Krall (The Best Is Yet To Come) is delightful, while in over and through Aintree’s giant fences. Even other tunes the likes of Elvis Costello, Bono and James Taylor their own employers, the BBC (with which they seem content to let themselves be overshadowed by the master. His signature I Left My Heart In San Francisco, with only a piano never had a formal contract), copped The for company, is Bennett superbly and defiantly greeting his 80s. Goodies treatment, with news broadcasts to sex This will be a huge pre-Christmas seller and delight many, but I education films having the mickeyy think it’s a concept which doesn’t quite work. Currently floating taken from them. about in New Zealand’s top 10 album chart. Every Tuesday night, the nutty British trio of Tim Lester Thorley Brooke-Taylor, Bill Oddie homegrown and Graeme Garden climbed aboard their Jacquie Walters “trandem”, and cut loose STEP INTO THE LIGHT with a brand of madcap (Independent release) slapstick humour. In early Miriam Clancy series, each episode started with the three — Garden thehe LUCKY ONE (Desert Road Records) Auckland’s Miriam Clancy is a name which inventor, Oddie the rough will be on many people’s lips if she tours to environmentalist type, and whwhere it (The Goodies humour) came Characters and identities from different “Although it was expensive, there was very promote this, her excellent debut album. With Brooke-Taylor, the effete and often maniacal from,” says Edwards. historic eras would crop up in various sketches, little money wasted. We literally priced jokes!” deliveries ranging from the personal to the establishment figure — waiting for their next Often scathing of the British establishment some of which jumped between full colour and recalled Bill Oddie, who often drove the show’s rhythmic, Clancy’s tales are wonderfully “job”. and politics, The Goodies’ humour incorporated black and white — Frankenstein’s monster would musical elements — including the famous Funky absorbed. With crisp acoustic guitar over a Only ’s Flying Circus came elements of comedy classics like the Keystone clash with cowboys, who in turn would bowl Gibbon tune. tight band, her stark ballads — including the close to the utterly ridiculous — sometimes Cops and Charlie Chaplin. A “normal” joke or over a neanderthal (all at accelerated speed). Despite its success and cult following, the lyrically adept The Game, Solemn Brigade, And So It Begins — expose her soul, laying bare songs of sorrow surreal — humour of The Goodies. In fact, The skit would spiral into something totally absurd, Initially with the BBC before switching to a BBC was never particularly keen on The and loss. Her assured and distinctive vocal is at one with her Goodies and Python’s , and like the giant Dougal from The Magic short stint with London Weekend Television, Goodies. Unlike other popular comedies — commanding presence. Elsewhere, the catchy pop of Don’t Let all attended Cambridge Roundabout chasing the three comics across The Goodies were part of an important period Fawlty Towers, and Dad’s It Get You Down and the upfront Transistor Radio display more University at the same time in the 1960s. fields. in British broadcasting. Army — The Goodies wasn’t repeated energy. For a debut album Lucky One is mature, passionate and Perhaps, with the benefit of hindsight, the “Giant Dougal had about 10 people in it, all In the recent documentary Goodies Rule...OK! extensively. The “Beeb” refused to run Goodies highly memorable. Kerikeri’s Jacquie Walters releases her second foundations for the two famous running behind us. Thank God for silent movies, (yet to screen in New Zealand), producer John repeats after 1986. album, Step Into The Light, and it’s more in the fine folk vein, the focus on meaningful reflections. And with hints of cello and troupes were laid when the comic geniuses because there was an awful lot of swearing,” said Howard Davies said: “There was more money Perhaps, with a new book out and DVDs violin creating slight avenues between Walters’ inventive picking worked together at the Cambridge University Oddie in a recent interview. than we knew what to do with. We’d just available from various online retailers, it’s high and rich vocals, the songs are warm performances. Driving Club, an amateur theatre group. Says Edwards: “And they weren’t just into colourised, and it was a period of huge expansion time The Goodies made us laugh again. Home, Harvest of Tears and Icarus — a tribute to David Lange While Python created iconic animated fantasy, but it was surreal fantasy. A lot of it was for the BBC at the time. — speak volumes of Walters’ sincerity. And while a country flavour humour, as Times film critic Sam Edwards to do with extraordinary narratives — the “The Goodies was very lucky — anything was The Goodies Rule OK, by Robert Ross (with is revealed on My Little Girl, the atmosphere changes once again points out, The Goodies stuck with live action images were put together in strange ways, which possible, provided you could think of what it contributions from The Goodies themselves) is as subtle harmony and the glorious cello embrace the beauty of throughout their 12-year, 70-episode run from really made people laugh.” should be.” in bookstores from tomorrow through Allen Shine On. Step Into The Light is an engaging listen with a fine and Unwin. Recommended retail price is $55. 1970. All except Americans, notes Edwards: “They Whatever they wanted to try, chances were wine on a cosy evening. www.goodiesruleok.com (Jaquie Walters) “It had a reality element — you could see just didn’t get it.” The Goodies could pull it off. (Miriam Clancy) Steve Scott nightlife television net ra p — A Knight with a Dame — Dame Malvina Music broadcaster C4 continues its Beauty is only skin deep, waikato Tuesday night music documentary series next but at www.fugly.net ugly goes clean to the 4:21...THE DAY AFTER Major and Sir Howard Morrison at Founders FRIDAY Theatre. week with Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme. The 2000 bone. This is an archive of pictures of (Def Jam/Universal) documentary explores the art of freestyle rapping, — Yawn Yawn Yawn: A Club Night — a new SATURDAY people who saw fit to post their own Wu Tang Clan heavy-hitter Method Man is an improvised or “off the dome (head)” variant portraits on the internet, despite being monthly event under the auspices of back with his fourth solo album. One of the — Deadly Deaths, Gadget Goose and Liz of hip hop culture’s verbal form. Filmed in a gritty, wince-inducingly unattractive. As the home Hamilton recording label Mole Music at best live performers on the scene, he hits Judd at Sohl. $5 entry. almost handicam style, Freestyle features some page explains: “The images in this site Castle. Mole Music DJs and guests, games, back at a lot of criticism he caught from the media for his last — Momentum at Catalyst — drum ’n’ bass of the form’s finest exponents, among them the were gathered from the far corners of the offering, Tical O: The Prequel. The 20 tracks feature guests projections and short films. $5 entry. from DJs Blazem, HSD, Q-Bik and NIG. $5 incredible New York-based MC Supernatural (pictured), an outstanding world wide web, in places where dreary, including Streetlife, , Redman and . A — Steriogram, Deja Voodoo and Shaky entry. live performer who can reel out witty, intelligent and non-stop freestyle commonplace (commonface) people strong combination of New York lyrical sword-swingers feature Hands at Altitude. — Charlie at The Loft, Sophie at Sekure rhymes better than some rap recording artists can ever dream of desperately scrabble for attention by on Ya’Meen, which has Fat Joe and Styles P banging it out with — Electrosoul at Catalyst — house, breaks (house and electro). (he also holds the world record for freestyling, producing impromptu posting their mugs for an international “Mr Mef”. Deceased rap legend ODB appears on Dirty Mef, and electro from DJs Caliph, Mach 1 and rhymes at a Welsh nightclub for more than nine hours). Other rap audience to gawk. The images that follow keeping the raw Wu sound alive. Numerous producers lend a Seth. Free before 2am, $5 after 2am. auckland stars featured include Eminem — who, compared to others, looks were all posted by people whose message hand, among them Erick Sermon, Allah , Kwame, — Charlie at The Loft, Darren Souljah positively amateurish — Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Kool Moe Dee, Tupac is ‘Hey, look at me!’. So look at them, they Havoc, Scott Storch and The RZA. The popular radio track Say (Auckland) with “a night of pure soul” at FRIDAY Shakur, Divine Styler, Pharoahe Monch, Craig G plus a 17-year-old asked for it!” Often the accompanying text featuring Lauryn Hill (The Fugees) is also here, as is 4 Ever Sekure. — John Rowles at Sky City, Auckland, then Biggie Smalls/Notorious BIG tearing it on a New York street corner. is funnier than the pictures, but this is one again on Saturday. featuring Megan Rochell singing a classic Atlantic Star hook which — Dynamo Go and Phony Bone EPs release Worth watching for an infamous freestyle battle between Craig G and of those websites your mother warned you I’m sure will be popping up on playlists soon. A strong release. show at Sohl. Also on the bill are Hollow SATURDAY Supernatural alone, this is a must-see film for students of hip hop about. It’s puerile and not nice. But in a Grinders and The Lovehaters. Entry is $5, or — The Living End, Kings Arms. Tickets from culture or anyone who enjoys quality music documentaries. cruel sort of way, it is funny. Brett “Omega B” Wagner $15 with a CD. Ticketek. Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme, C4, Tuesday, 8.30pm. Bruce Holloway

Chef Training Pastry Chef Wintec’s one year Certificate in Catering will give you hands-on experience Wintec’s new Certificate in Professional Patisserie enables you to study and in our industry-styled training kitchens, restaurant and bar areas. work at the same time. It incorporates three qualifications in cookery and food and beverage service. This one year programme teaches you how to professionally prepare artisan On completion you can sit the internationally recognised London City and bread, pastry, detailed chocolate work and professional cake decoration. You Guilds Certificate in Food Preparation and Cookery. will learn a variety of modern and established finishing techniques, using glazes, fillings, creams and hot and cold sauces. On completion you can sit for the London City and Guilds Diploma in Patisserie. Professional Chef The Certificate in Professional Cookery is a recognised one year qualification Waiter, Bar Manager, Maitre D’hotel designed to give you advanced skills in professional cookery. You’ll learn how to prepare complex sauces, soups, desserts, pastry, breads, Training in our live restaurant, Windows on Avalon, you’ll learn customer pastas, pâtés and terrines. You will also learn the skills essential for working service in a full working restaurant environment. in the industry including food safety, food costing and menu planning. On You’ll gain the skills of waitering, bar work, barista and cocktail preparation. successful completion you can sit the internationally recognised London City Wintec’s advanced qualification which includes function and event management and Guilds Diploma in Culinary Arts. training, will provide the skills and knowledge to supervise in restaurants and bars.

If your dream is to become a chef or qualified food and beverage professional, we’ll help you make it.

Wintec offers highly sought after professional cookery and food and beverage service programmes with national and international qualifications all taught in state-of-the-art facilities and a real life restaurant setting. There are national cookery and hospitality competitions held each year, with Wintec students traditionally performing well and winning medals. There’s a skill shortage of well trained chefs and hospitality staff - take up any of these courses and get sorted! BETTLE23129