John Sangester
Uttered Nonsense (The Owl and the Pussycat.)
Rain-Forest (Australia) 1980
RFLP-001 (2LP) One side coated gatefold sleeve.
sleeve : EX-(some light color-faded.)
media : EX+/EX+,EX+/EX+(some slightly noise.)
An obscure record has just arrived. This 1980 release features music composed by John Sangster, a prominent figure in the Australian jazz scene since the 1950s, known both as a drummer and a prolific composer. The album draws inspiration from Uttered Nonsense, the 1946 collection of limericks by the 19th-century polymath Edward Lear—an eccentric painter, illustrator, musician, writer, and poet who pioneered the genre of “nonsense literature.” The poetry readings are performed by writer Ivan Smith, who also served as a narrator for ABC Radio. The recording features a host of Australian jazz and rock session musicians, including Bob Barnard (cornet), John McCarthy (clarinet), Tony Gould (piano), Greg Lyon (bass), Doug Gallacher (drums), Ian Bloxsom (percussion), and Jim Kelly (guitar). Blending elements from ragtime and early jazz to ethnic influences and mysterious contemporary jazz, the work unfolds like a rich musical narrative. The interplay between the jazz orchestra’s storytelling performance and the radio-style poetry reading is particularly engaging, making this a captivating listening experience. The spoken word elements are kept subtle, with the focus remaining primarily on the music.
B2: The Jumbilies
C3: The Cummerbund
D2: The Dong With A Luminous Nose
Uttered Nonsense (The Owl and the Pussycat.)
Rain-Forest (Australia) 1980
RFLP-001 (2LP) One side coated gatefold sleeve.
sleeve : EX-(some light color-faded.)
media : EX+/EX+,EX+/EX+(some slightly noise.)
An obscure record has just arrived. This 1980 release features music composed by John Sangster, a prominent figure in the Australian jazz scene since the 1950s, known both as a drummer and a prolific composer. The album draws inspiration from Uttered Nonsense, the 1946 collection of limericks by the 19th-century polymath Edward Lear—an eccentric painter, illustrator, musician, writer, and poet who pioneered the genre of “nonsense literature.” The poetry readings are performed by writer Ivan Smith, who also served as a narrator for ABC Radio. The recording features a host of Australian jazz and rock session musicians, including Bob Barnard (cornet), John McCarthy (clarinet), Tony Gould (piano), Greg Lyon (bass), Doug Gallacher (drums), Ian Bloxsom (percussion), and Jim Kelly (guitar). Blending elements from ragtime and early jazz to ethnic influences and mysterious contemporary jazz, the work unfolds like a rich musical narrative. The interplay between the jazz orchestra’s storytelling performance and the radio-style poetry reading is particularly engaging, making this a captivating listening experience. The spoken word elements are kept subtle, with the focus remaining primarily on the music.
B2: The Jumbilies
C3: The Cummerbund
D2: The Dong With A Luminous Nose