Stan van Hooft

“Standing Tall” was formed as a workshop in late 2012 with various members of informal jams around Melbourne. It explored the kind of jazz popular in the 60's and 70's when the likes of Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, The Crusaders, Eddie Harris and Joe Zawinul were exploring funk, blues and Latin rhythms. After a number of gigs at venues around the inner north of Melbourne and a number of line-up changes during 2013, monthly gigs at The Open Studio in Northcote and at Dizzy’s Jazz Club in Richmond in 2014 allowed the band to consolidate its personnel and its repertoire so as to include original compositions and arrangements. Led by bassist Stan van Hooft and propelled by percussionists Simon Atkinson and Dean Constable, the band features Tim Beresford on guitar, Suzanne Andrews on keyboards, Brae Grimes on trumpet, Nikola Shaw on trombone, Ann Craig on flute and Laurie Savage on hot R'n'B saxophone.

The band has appeared at the Grampians Jazz Festival, The Castlemaine Jazz Festival, and on the community stage of the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues and plays at the Open Studio in Northcote on the third Sunday of every month.

The band’s 2014 album, “Live at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues”, recorded off the mixing desk in performance has been a popular success with our audiences and has encouraged us to produce our first studio album.

Recording of the album has already begun at Pughouse Studios but more money is needed to complete the project. You can see photos of us working in the studio at www.facebook.com/SvH.StandingTall



Why call a jazz album “NUTS”?

As a noun, “nuts” refers to a nutritious and enjoyable food. While there is no literal sense in which the music on this album is nutritious, it is certainly enjoyable. A lot of music these days is expected to be either commercial or artistic. Our view is that the most important thing is for the music to be enjoyable. We have mixed some original compositions with our arrangements of modern jazz classics for you to enjoy.

As an adjective, “nuts” is a slang term used to describe people who have gone a bit crazy. And you have to be a bit crazy to assemble a nine-piece band in today’s music scene. There is no money in it and few willing venues. And, while some of the members of the band are musical professionals, the rest are amateurs who could spend their free time much more usefully. So, yes, we are a bit nuts.



Track listings


1

Blind Gumbo Jenkins

This is a composition by the bass player in the band, Stan van Hooft. Not that a lot of mental energy went into it – it is a simple 12-bar blues. But the band really grooves on it. Laurie’s sax rips into this one, followed by Tim on guitar, Ann on flute, and Suzanne on keys.

2

Elbow Room

This is our arrangement of a funky/bluesy composition by Greg Lyons, who is a British born saxophone player who lives and works in Singapore. I came across this tune as part of the in-flight entertainment on a Garuda flight some years back. It was on Greg’s album: “Smoke Signals” and Greg was kind enough to send me some lead sheets of tunes on that album. Nikola on trombone, Tim on guitar, and Laurie on saxophone take solo honours.

3

Tom Collins

Tim Beresford, our guitar player, wrote this tune and named it after a cocktail drink for reasons that are known only to himself. (Though the tune would not be out of place in a groovy cocktail bar.) Solos are taken by Ann on flute, Tim on guitar, Brae on trumpet, and Stan on bass.

4

Red Clay

The band has performed “A Special Tribute to Freddie Hubbard” at various jazz festivals around Victoria and this is one of Freddie’s tunes featured in that set. Unsurprisingly, it features a trumpet solo from Brae as well Tim on guitar and Ann on flute.

5

Cha Cha Francesca

A musical friend of ours, Alan West, wrote this tune to celebrate a monthly musical “Soirée” held at Francesca’s Bar in Northcote. The Soirée has moved to a different venue but the melody lingers on. It gives our piano player a chance to show her Salsa chops. The percussionists, Simon and Dean have a workout at the end of this but not before Ann has a go on flute, Nikola on trombone, Suzanne on piano, and Brae on trumpet.

6

Blues by five

Red Garland wrote this for the Miles Davis Quintet (hence the “five”) in the 1950’s. It is our nod to the jazz tradition and features solos by Laurie on sax, Nikola on trombone, Stan on bass, and then the whole band “trading fours”.

7

Boogie Stop Shuffle

This is a Charles Mingus classic blues arranged by the band to suit the funky sensibilities of today’s listeners. It features solos by Brae on trumpet, Suzanne on keys, Laurie on sax, and Nikola on trombone.

The funds raised will be used on the following essential items:

Recording: two days @$600 a day

Mixing and Mastering $1000

CD design and art work $ 500

CD pressing and packaging $1200

Distribution and marketing $500

As you can see, this totals to more than the $1500 we are seeking but some money has already been spent and the rest is needed to complete the project.

Our only potential problem is lack of funds.