simon TEDESCHI

& kevin HUNT

woodlands

1 Prélude from Suite Bergamasque 4’44

by Claude Debussy, arr. Kevin Hunt

2 I Got Rhythm/Fascinating Rhythm Medley 1’55

by George Gershwin, arr. Kevin Hunt

3 Buenos Air 7’28

by Kevin Hunt

4 Blue Rondo à la Turk 5’26

by Dave Brubeck, arr. Kevin Hunt & Simon Tedeschi

5 Mother Goose Suite 11’58

by Maurice Ravel, arr. Kevin Hunt

6 Woodlands 4’45

by Kevin Hunt

7 Footprints in the Snow 4’26

by Claude Debussy

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8 Black from Black, Brown and Beige 10’12

by Duke Ellington, arr. Kevin Hunt

9 Clair de lune from Suite Bergamasque 7’08

by Claude Debussy, arr. Kevin Hunt

10 Prelude No. 2 ‘Blue Lullaby’ 4’59

by George Gershwin, arr. Kevin Hunt

11 Maria from West Side Story 3’52

by Leonard Bernstein, arr. Kevin Hunt

12 C Jam Blues 1’56

by Duke Ellington, arr. Kevin Hunt

Total Playing Time 60’09

Simon Tedeschi and Kevin Hunt pianos

I got excited when I was asked to write these liner notes, because it gave me the opportunity to talkabout one of the things I like best, and that is my work with Kevin. There were a number of ways I couldapproach this: from a musical, historical or interpersonal perspective. Kevin said: ‘Tell them about yourjazz journey!’ That in itself was intriguing (and pure Kevin), as I don’t consider myself a jazz musician atall. It’s further complicated by the fact that a lot of jazz musicians don’t consider themselves jazzmusicians (let’s not go there). So rather than dive into a self-deprecatory headache I decided to takeKev’s advice and talk about this incredible duo of ours and its role in my evolution as an improviser.These two aspects of my life cannot be separated.

I’ve been listening to jazz for my entire life. I started chronologically, more by fortune than planning.Between the ages of 15 and 16, I think I heard every Fats Waller recording. I then moved to Art Tatum,Earl Hines, Erroll Garner, and then Bud Powell who pretty much changed everything (for everyone). Itwas around that time that I worked with the great harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler. I played Rhapsodyin Blue with him. At the time, I was playing it way too fast, simply because I could. I rememberplaying that difficult cubano-style cadenza just before the end, and this guy with a strong Aussieaccent said: ‘That’s so fast!’ He had on his face a mixture of admiration and deep concern. That wasmy introduction to Kevin.

Kevin was also booked on the same series of gigs, working behind Larry with a rhythm section. Iremember Kev’s arrangements of Larry’s regular Gershwin party tunes – at the time, I didn’t fullyunderstand what Kev was getting at. I think I wanted to hear ‘pretty’ harmonies only (and I think Larrydid too!). Kev’s voicings behind the I Got Rhythm/Fascinating Rhythm Medley (which is also featuredon this CD) seemed spacey at the time. I guess I was just going by all I knew.

Shortly around that time, Kev and I met at his then residence in Lindfield for a two-piano jam, whichended up sounding more like a free-for-all. I think I still have the cassette somewhere. That was thebeginning of an incredible journey and a friendship that I can safely say, without any embarrassment,is made up of the deepest love.

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Kev introduced me to a world of sounds – Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, but also Lyle Mays and WeatherReport. He also began writing/adapting for us. I have identified, regardless of the genre, that there aretwo types of composers – ones who are incredibly prolific but also those who are constantly refining afew bigger pieces, sanding down, lacquering. Kev falls squarely into the last category. For instance, hisarrangement of Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances is a constant work in progress, changing even in themiddle of a performance. As an improviser, it allows me to explore the musical language I know best –contemporary classical, spiky. Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite is also a work that Kevin is alwaysscratching away at, whether in the two-piano format or with his own trio. I love seeing Kev’s face lightup with a new idea that he has been working on. More often than not, we’ll use it.

Our first gig together was at the NSW Art Gallery in Sydney. I distinctly remember taking a solo, at Kev’sbeckoning. It was a tentative but unavoidable initiation to this world. In those early days, Kev was verymuch the leader – he would feed me ideas and send me signals, which I would, more often than not,receive and ricochet back into our musical stratosphere. Things have changed – I am more of an equaljazz partner with Kevin but am glad to say that my sound is totally different from his. And so it shouldbe, it makes for interesting playing (and listening). This is largely due to Peter Molnar, who owned theWoodfire Cafe in Double Bay. That’s where Kevin and I refined our craft and tried new things, feeling safethat if they failed, it would still be OK. So much of this CD is down to you, Peter.

Collaborations between classical and jazz artists are hardly new – jazz was always influenced byEuropean tradition, and classical music has incorporated jazz ‘sounds’ for most of the last century.What continues to excite me about the universe that Kevin and I have created is that it is true chambermusic, built on a cathedral of sound that only two pianos can bring. Textures are layered on top of eachother, co-existing, sometimes clashing, powered by a rhythmic intensity and an intermingling of ourtwo very different personalities, histories and styles. We both love each other’s sounds – when I listento Kevin play jazz, I always hear a story. I can hear a lot of Oscar Peterson, something uniquelyAustralian as well, but most curiously a real deferential quality that I can’t hear in anyone else. Kevinhas told me repeatedly that he loves my sound, my strength, my technique and my command. What

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unites us is our desire to play more like the other, a beautiful impossibility that bolsters us into highermusical spheres.

Kevin and I both love ‘old’ jazz, as can be demonstrated in C Jam Blues. In many ways, when Kevin andI begin our unison walking bass lines, we are really touching upon the roots of this music, somethingvery seminal and organic. Some works are more challenging for one of us than the other; DukeEllington’s Black (from Black, Brown and Beige) presented to me rhythms that required immersion intoan almost elemental pre-jazz language far removed from everything I had as yet experienced. DaveBrubeck’s curious pop-jazz composition Blue Rondo à la Turk certainly reflects his own classicalinclinations, and I know Kevin had to work pretty hard at that! Kevin’s original, Woodlands, is almostcompletely free improvisation, a chance for both of us to explore different contours, shapes andgestures. And, to predicate questions, it just happened to come out that way on the recording session.It’ll probably sound completely different next time.

This CD, in many ways, has emerged because we are ready for it.

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Simon TedeschiAt age 28, Simon Tedeschi is one of the finest artists of his generation. He has performed in recital and inconcert in cities throughout the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Central America and Australia.

Simon has earned many international prizes and scholarships, including first prize in the keyboardsection of the Royal Overseas League Music Competition in London, Symphony Australia YoungPerformer of the Year, a Queen’s Trust Overseas Study Award and a Centenary of Federation Medal. Whilebased in the US, Tedeschi featured in New York’s Emerging Artist series and in 2009 he was awarded theCreativity Foundation’s Legacy Prize.

He has recorded with all the major Australian symphony orchestras, with such conductors as RichardBonynge, Alexander Briger and Benjamin Northey. He has performed for many high-profile figuresincluding their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark. Simon is also committedto charitable causes, playing for the Dalai Lama at a fundraising concert in London and at the SydneyOpera House gala concert for the Wayside Chapel. He is the Roving Ambassador for The AustralianChildren’s Music Foundation and the patron of the Bowraville Cultural Festival.

Simon‘s universal appeal is exemplified by his collaboration with acclaimed musicians such aslegendary harmonica player Larry Adler (who described him as the finest pianist he had ever workedwith), pianist Roger Woodward, jazz violinist Ian Cooper, guitarist Slava Grigoryan and flautist JaneRutter. He is one of the rare classical pianists able to cross over into jazz improvisation. He played thehands of acclaimed pianist David Helfgott in the Oscar-winning movie Shine, and was the subject inCherry Hood’s portrait Simon Tedeschi Unplugged, winner of the 2002 Archibald Prize.

Simon continues to perform extensively throughout the US, and in rural and regional Australia.

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Kevin HuntKevin Hunt has performed regularly on the Sydney jazz scene since 1979. His first jazz teachers wereChuck Yates, John Speight and David Levy. In 1981 Kevin studied jazz at the Sydney Conservatoriumwith Don Burrows, Judy Bailey, Paul McNamara, Roger Frampton, George Golla and Dick Montz. Since themid 1980s, Kevin has led his own jazz ensembles, specialising in performances of his owncompositions as well as those of classical composers including JS Bach, Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussyand Leonard Bernstein. Kevin received rich composition and performance experience by workingregularly with the Kinetic Energy Theatre Company. As a mature-age student, Kevin studiedcomposition at the Conservatorium with Martin Wesley-Smith, Greg Schiemer, Gillian Whitehead andTrevor Pearce. In 1993 Kevin went to Europe for a jazz workshop week with Josef Zawinul.

Kevin has recorded albums with Marie Wilson, James Morrison, Tim Hopkins, Adrian Mears, Janet Seidel,Steve Hunter, David Jones, Col Loughnan, Sandie White, Trevor Griffin, Debra Dicembre and Australianjazz icon Don Burrows. He has also performed and toured regularly with Burrows, a partnership thathas provided Kevin with an opportunity to share musical worlds with one of the world’s finestmusicians, as well as actually travelling the world! Another very important musical partnership is thatwith pianist Simon Tedeschi. The two met in 1999 when both were accompanying harmonica virtuosoLarry Adler on his final Australian concert tour. Kevin has said of Simon that he finds both his musicalability and friendship truly inspirational.

In 2001 Kevin studied piano and composition in New York City with a scholarship from the AustralianElizabethan Theatre Trust. He completed a Masters in Jazz performance in 2004, under the supervisionof Bill Motzing and Phil Slater, with piano tuition from Stephanie McCallum. Kevin now teaches jazz atthe Sydney Conservatorium and is also doing a PhD there on the jazz capabilities of the new Australian-made Stuart & Sons piano.

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Executive Producers Martin Buzacott, Robert Patterson

Recording Producers Simon Tedeschi, Kevin Hunt

Recording Engineers Phil Punch, Steve ‘Espa’ Petridis

Editors Kevin Hunt, Steve ‘Espa’ Petridis

Mixing Phil Punch

Mastering Don Bartley (Benchmark Mastering)

Editorial and Production Manager Hilary Shrubb

Publications Editor Natalie Shea

Photography Brendan Read

Cover and Booklet Design Imagecorp Pty Ltd

ABC Jazz thanks Prue Vercoe, Amanda Harris, Virginia Read, Claudia Crosariol, Laura Bell

and Alexandra Alewood.

Recorded July 2008 at Electric Avenue Studios, Camperdown, Sydney.

Simon Tedeschi and Kevin Hunt played Yamaha C7 pianos.

� 2010 Australian Broadcasting Corporation. � 2010 Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Distributed in Australia and New Zealandby Universal Music Group, under exclusive licence. Made in Australia. All rights of the owner of copyright reserved. Any copying,renting, lending, diffusion, public performance or broadcast of this record without the authority of the copyright owner is prohibited.

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