It’s a rookie mistake. Judging a book — or in this case, an album — by its cover. I didn’t realise I did it, but after listening to Warmbluetig’s debut album several times, I wrote: “Danica Hobden‘s music flows like a river.” Then my eyes fell on the image adorning the cover of It Was Long Ago, It Will be a Long Time — a gorgeous painting by Brazilian artist Ana Calzavara. It is not an image of a river, though; it is a sea picture, filled with texture and connotations — the sunlight spreading plates of silver-and-gold reflections on the surface, small waves and ripples accentuating the element of motion, and three small boats, idly stationed on the corner. It’s a soothing image.
Was I influenced by this, when I started writing? More than I was influenced by the sound of Danica Hobden’s two quartets featured in the album? I started doubting myself. I deleted everything and tried to start over, looking for different words, different phrases, different expressions. I failed. I conceded defeat and decided to not only surrender, but to take this metaphor and run with it to the end.
Danica Hobden’s music is a river. Its headwater is crystal clear and fresh, inviting you to dip your toes in and feel the invigorating coolness, as it flows from its rocky source to the main stem, each chord, each note, each melodic idea a different affluent, constantly moving, collecting leaves and twigs and rocks and sediment, as it flows, hosting new life as it grows deeper. The instrumentation — guitar, piano, bass, and drums — allows for several different confluences, of different strength and flow velocity. By the time it reaches the river mouth, it has travelled a long way, each tune in the album a different stop, a different town built near its banks.
The best way to listen to It Was Long Ago, It Will Be a Long Time is on vinyl record. This is because its side features a different quartet, both led by Danica Hobden. The Sydney side features rising star Lauren Tsamouras on the piano, powerhouse Harry Birch on bass, and the spectacular Chloe Kim on the drums — anyone familiar with the NSW jazz community knows this is a dream team. I’m pretty sure the same applies to the Hamburg Quartet — Martin Zamorano on piano, Henning Shiewere on bass, and Joshua Weiss on drums. This being my first introduction to these excellent musicians, I really want to listen to more of them.
My biggest challenge was to try and identify the differences between the two quartets. The main thing that strikes me is the drumming. Weiss’ is vigorous, assertive and dynamic, colouring the tunes with bursts of thunder; Chloe Kim, on the other hand, is focusing on her signature subtlety, her nuanced playing underlying ideas and phrases. In both cases, the bassists accentuate and add dramatic elements to the rhythm and harmony, building a solid base for Danica Hobden’s guitar to engage in dialogue with Tsamouras’ and Zamorano’s pianos. In both settings, there are passionate, intense interactions, weaving layers of sonic texture that captivate and invite the listener to enter, take part in the action, and surrender to the succession of emotions.
The level of musicianship throughout the album is superb, but the real star here is Danica Hobden — as a guitarist, as an artist, as a composer, and a storyteller.
Her folk-infused take on modern jazz composition is fascinating. It is a field ripe for exploration and it’s almost certain that it will prove to be as fertile as it promises. It is, after all, watered by a very healthy river.
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