The ZELA MARGOSSIAN QUINTET played at Bankstown Arts Centre as part of SOUNDLANDS: art music in the suburbs. The Bankstown Arts Centre is located in an area of strong Vietnamese influence with many Vietnamese restaurants, hair and beauty salons, fish shops, butchers, fruit shops, and variety stores. The contrast between the Asian influenced location and the Middle Eastern and jazz influenced music is very pronounced. The location and the music are both fascinatingly exotic. Zela’s music is a brilliant mixture of improvised, classical and Armenian influences. The eclectic backgrounds of the musicians come to the fore in this fascinating fusion of styles and influences.
Zela was born in Beirut of Armenian heritage, studied classical piano and then made her way to Sydney and became immersed in jazz. These diverse influences meld together seamlessly as the band played a mixture of original compositions, and covers of some classical Armenian pieces.
The band opened with the mood setting Transition. The opening bass is very evocative and this song is fascinating opening to the evening. Another original song, Ceasefire, a plea for peace, follows. The sounds of Armenia are displayed in the traditional folk song, Hoy Nazan. Zela brings another level of complexity to the folk song by adding jazz rhythms and syncopation.
Following was Gratitude, featuring some very sweet soprano sax from Paul Cutlan and some deep primeval bowing by bassist Jacques Emery and of course Zela Margossian on her Roland keyboard. The rhythms were a feature of Alan Hovhaness composition Mystic Flute as the band switched between some strong beats and some very restrained drumming from Alexander Inman-Hislop. We are reminded not to forget our younger selves by the next piece, The Child in Me. Yet again the exceptional musicians brought their jazz skills to the fore. Drums, percussion, bass, reeds and keyboards are all of a very high standard and thoroughly entertaining.
The set included three songs, played as one piece, from their album, Transition. Triptych starts with Katil, which translates as drop and is about the loss of a love. The second and third parts are Shounch (Breath/Inhale) and Artashounch (Exhale). The musicians captured the melancholic air and the swirling and spiralling emotions of the themes in this piece.
The Long Goodbye was a moving and melancholic performance of Ara Dinkjian’s composition. The arrangement was slow and intense and featured some trembling clarinet from the skillful Paul Cutlan.
The final performance of the evening was Doumé that Zela wrote for her percussionist Adem Yilmaz. Adem used various instruments throughout the night and in Doumé he played an impressive solo on a cajon (a box shaped instrument you sit on and slap with your hands).
If the rest of the SOUNDLANDS series is as entertaining as the ZELA MARGOSSIAN QUINTET it is something to look forward to. The series is IRAQI FOLK FUSION ENSEMBLE on Sunday 29 September, 5pm, SATSUKI ODAMURA KOTO ENSEMBLE, on Sunday 27 October, 5pm and USTAD SAYD AND ALI SARSHAR AFGHAN – INDIAN ENSEMBLE on Sunday 24 November, at 5pm.
https://www.cbcity.nsw.gov.au/arts-centre
