MY SHOUT ... with Ivor Thurston
My goodness me, don’t the years just fly by! I was virtually gobsmacked the other day when a very close personal friend of mine, the lovely Clare Hansson, rang out of the blue to invite me to a little soiree she’s having at the Brisbane Jazz Club this Sunday.
I just shook my head in wonder when Clare explained what the occasion was for: her little band, The Clare Hansson Trio, is celebrating 30 years of jazz ... for all the right seasons. Thirty years!
That couldn’t be right for any number of reasons, I thought. Clare would have had to have not just learnt the piano but become brilliant at it while still a teenager! Still, I’m happy to run a few pars about the event, and I’ll certainly be there with my hushpuppies tapping out of control while I enjoy a Pimms Dakota with citrus peel – or 10.
I made up my mind just the other day that I’m going to let my hairs down more in future. Clare reminds me that it was in April 1980, when hotelier Gary Balkin – another very close chum from, dare I say it, even further back in the mists of time – booked the Clare Hansson Trio for his newly acquired Bonaparte’s Hotel.
Who didn’t get blown apart at Bonaparte’s back then, eh? History was made. Clare’s brand of trio jazz is swinging, stylish, sophisticated, classy, elegant and, above all, entertaining. She treasures her fellow musicians as soul mates and sets up an empathetic rapport as they communicate musically and emotionally.
Many of Brisbane’s finest bass players and drummers have contributed their individuality to the tapestry of the Clare Hansson Trio sound. And in this celebration concert on Sunday, Clare will honour all those who have inspired her to continue to create, to compose and to grow musically. Clare’s first note was played at the Brisbane Jazz Club was in 1974 with her late husband Bernie Hansson before she dreamed of leading a trio. On April 18 the fulfilment of a dream come true will be a reunion of music makers and music lovers.
For the Sunday afternoon of jazz by the river this Sunday, Clare will be joined by her son Philip Hansson, his beautiful double bass inherited from his father Bernie. Philip was the driving force of the trio from 1985 to 1989, and recently Clare was honoured among prominent Queensland artists celebrated at a QPAC photographic exhibition.
Two of Clare’s favourite singers, Lyn Gillett from Melbourne, and Sue Wighton – now I won’t even risk getting into trouble come Sunday by saying just how long that sassy siren of a songstress and I have been friends – will join the trio on stage to recreate some of the evergreen songs made famous by other great songstresses.
Clare tells me many of Brisbane’s musicians will be invited to the stage to pay tribute to this outstanding trio during the concert from 1pm to 4pm. So, there are so many reasons to take in this special event, not the least of them being the fact that this venue has one of our city’s great outlooks.
• To book for this special occasion on Sunday, go to: www.brisbanejazzclub.com.au and follow the prompt or phone 3391 2006.
GOT THE GOSS?
Got some pub or club news that Ivor would be interested in sharing with the hip and funky people that make up the Indie’s readership? Send Ivor and email to: ivor@theindependent.com.au and he’ll look into it!
