As the cooler weather rolls in, the local live music scene continues to heat up, as some of the most prolific musicians from around the world descend on our city as part of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, and Sam Anning – our most in-demand jazz bassist – can’t wait.
Originally from Perth, from a young age Anning’s admiration for the double bass was all consuming. “I fell in love with it after hearing Oscar Peterson’s album, We Get Requests, that my dad had on vinyl. I remember hearing Ray Brown play the bass and I thought, ‘Ah, OK, that’s what I want to do,’” Anning says. “If anyone goes and puts that album on they’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.”
On completion of his studies at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Anning became deeply involved in the Victorian jazz circuit, playing with homegrown musicians including Joe Chindamo, Aaron Choulai, Paul Grabowsky, Jamie Oehlers, and legendary drummer Allan Browne.
Browne, who was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2013 for his service as a musician and to the community, left a lasting impression on the young bassist, and after his passing in 2015 their friendship is honoured on Anning’s latest album, Across A Field As Vast As One.
“The title comes from a poem that I wrote for Allan as he was passing away in Australia,” Anning says. “I didn’t know that at the time, as I was in New York, but I did write this poem for him and then I woke up to find out he had actually passed away, so it’s a tribute to Allan Browne. And although he wasn’t involved in the actual creating of the music, he’s been such an inspiration to me that he’s in there by proxy.”
Taking shape over the last few years, Anning says this collection of songs was a labour of love. “It’s been a long time coming as it’s been a distillation of compositional output over the last three years,” he says. “Some pieces have been re-worked and taken shape during the live performances, and now they’re finally ready to be put out into the world in their crystalised form.”
Not only does Across A Field As Vast As One have a personal meaning to the jazz man, it also solidifies Anning’s worth as a composer and arranger. “Not having an outside entity to censor or even tell me what to do has been a really nice feeling. There’s a feeling of autonomy over the whole creation. I think you’ll feel that in the music.”
However, no man is an island, and Anning called in a bunch of his mates to see his passion project realised. “All the people involved on the record are my friends. From Jeremy Rose, who runs Earshift, the label we are releasing on; to the photographer, Hayley – she’s Allan Browne’s daughter, so she was there for the recording taking some film and photos. Even the sound engineer, Ross, I’ve worked with him before, and all the people in the six-piece are my friends, and also my musical heroes.”
The Sam Anning Sextet will open for the incomparable Gretchen Parlato at the Melbourne Recital Centre next month. “It’s very exciting. Actually when Gretchen first came to Australia I played with her,” he says. “I was part of her band back then so it will be nice to reunite with her. She always sounds absolutely amazing.
“But my pick for the ‘must-see’ at the festival is Knower.” Knower are an electronic music duo from Los Angeles. “I’m friends with Louis Cole, who’s the front man of Knower – it’s his baby. I really love his music and I love his playing.
“They’re making some very interesting music. They will be popular with the younger generation and I think that the older generation, the more refined tastes, should be hip to this,” he says. “Everyone needs to get out there and check this music out.”
