Finn Clarke, FCP113: Critique of a Musical Performance

Live Performance Critique: Ambassador’s Grand Finale

On the 26th of February I attended the Clarence Jazz Festival, an annual weeklong
event that showcases local and national jazz talent at several venues within and
around Hobart. Among the various acts I saw at the Bellerive Boardwalk venue,
was the Ambassador’s Grand Finale. This band starred three musicians on
violin/vocals, saxophone and trombone, backed by a rhythm section of bass
guitar, drum kit and keyboard. The performance was very engaging and the
upbeat nature of most the band’s numbers encouraged foot stomping and
dancing, and with the addition of several slower pieces the repertoire was very
well rounded. Although this was my first exposure to Jazz played live, I was able
to establish what, to me, were positive aspects of the band’s performance as well
as reflect on elements of performance and musicality that could be improved
upon.

The features of the performance that stood out to me were the technical ability,
musicianship and performance skills of the musicians. The technical ability of all
the musicians was sound, with excellent intonation across all registers, quality
tone production consistent to the style, a high level of dexterity and flexibility
and clear pronunciation of lyrics from the vocalist. The band’s high level of
musicianship relating to tone, articulation, phrasing and rhythm consistent to the
style was also demonstrated throughout the performance. In addition to this,
each member’s exemplary improvisational ability was effectively highlighted in
the many solo breaks, which provided timbre contrast across the pitch spectrum
and added interest throughout the repertoire. The exceptional performance
skills of the band were especially demonstrated at the concert through the
repertoire and the musicians’ stagecraft. The performance was very engaging
due to the variety and structure of the repertoire presented, with a mix of pieces
in various styles with different instrumentation (the band leader switched back
and forth between vocals and violin throughout the performance as well as
within some songs) presented in an order that effectively spaced out the
 Finn Clarke, FCP113: Critique of a Musical Performance

contrasting pieces across the program. Another positive aspect of the

performance that stood out to me was the band’s verbal interaction with the
audience. Their gracious attitude was evident in their acknowledgement of the
audience, the venue and the festival itself; where they talked to the crowd
between sets, praised the venue and thanked the festival for having them. This
verbal interaction effectively kept the audience engaged between pieces and was
also informative as the band gave context to the repertoire through reference to
the history of jazz and its influence on contemporary styles. One example of this
was their acknowledgement of the Original Dixieland Jass Band who recorded
their first album one-hundred years ago to the day and were instrumental in
shaping the jazz genre.

The aspects of the performance that I think could have been improved are
related to performance and musicianship skills. The band’s demeanour and
attire conveyed a relaxed vibe, and while this is consistent with jazz as a musical
style, I feel that the T-shirts they were wearing were a little too casual for the
occasion. In addition to this, I felt that the bass guitarist, pianist and drummer
could have been included more in the performance by leaning forward, smiling
and having eye contact with one another and the audience rather than looking
down at their instruments. This way, each member and not just the lead
singer/violinist, could maintain a connection with the audience. In terms of
musicianship, I thought there was a distinct lack of dynamics throughout the
entire performance, though this was somewhat achieved textually by adding and
subtracting instruments for the verses, choruses and improvisational solos. In
addition to this, although the band was predominantly well balanced in terms of
dynamics and register, there was one instance of register clash in an
improvisational break where the featuring pianist played a run which was
muddied and interfered by the bass guitar and drum kit.

Historically, jazz was performed in the bars and brothels of New Orleans,
engendering a relaxed style of performance that has become intrinsically
characteristic of jazz as both a genre and culture of music. This informal attitude
was effectively reflected at the Bellerive Boardwalk venue of the Clarence Jazz
 Finn Clarke, FCP113: Critique of a Musical Performance

Festival, which housed a stage on the water’s edge facing rows of chairs with a
grassy patch on one side, backed by food and drink stalls teeming with
customers. This allowed audience members to come and go as they pleased,
enjoying the sun and refreshments provided by the stalls in a manner that was
inclusive of the whole community and accurately reflective of the informal jazz
performance tradition. However, this coming and going of the audience
sometimes made it difficult to see the band, with people standing between the
seated audience and the stage. In terms of acoustics, the outside venue lost much
of the sound to the open air, while some sound waves bounced back in
reverberations from the surrounding buildings of the dock area. Most of the echo
was soaked up by the crowd seated at the tables and chairs of the food stalls in
front of the buildings, but this and the cleared space for dancers meant that the
mixing console had to be situated on the right-hand side of the stage; not an ideal
position for monitoring the acoustic environment.

Overall the performance was excellent, with the Ambassador’s Grand Finale playing
in a venue that flattered their style and suited the Clarence Jazz Festival, effectively
maintaining the jazz culture in Tasmania through a community event. In reflection, I
believe the band could improve their performance and musicianship skills through
considering attire, communication, dynamics and register. However, despite these
drawbacks to the performance, each of the musicians was obviously very capable and
talented. In watching these musicians play at the Clarence Jazz Festival, I feel that my
experience of music has been broadened, exposing me to music that I wouldn’t
usually listen to and making me aware of the diverse music culture present in
Tasmania. Festivals such as this allow communities to connect, music to flourish, and
for people of all ages and from all backgrounds to take advantage of the many musical
opportunities available in Tasmania due to the investment of local entrepreneurs and
councils.