The exemplary music of Pyramid is melodic, fun, athletic and spontaneous it hardly seems technical because the melodies make such sense as accessible music. Seeing music be enjoyed and hearing the conversations in play gives insight to how sophisticated, performers David Hirschfelder keys, David Jones drums, Bob Venier trumpet and flugal horn and on bass, Roger McLachlan's contributions really are. David Hirschfelder composes all but one track here, having no limits to varying sentiment or environment captured in these musical adventures. A goldmine off riffs in guitarist speak.The melodies that work in odd time signatures moving through options so plausible to never be stilted or repetitive qualified the music as genius, enviously built from a wishlist of perfect ideas! And of course the band that has liberated the pieces assured them this invitation to play with woodwind master Don on 'The Burrows Collection' as well as the trip to Europe to play the 1983 Montreaux Jazz Festival. The story there, I can see it now, new Aussie jazz band ambitiously goes to play in the big smoke, under jazz scrutiny like nowhere else and plays this repertoire that floors the whole event with actual pop-jazz-rock accessibility, smuggling technically well-resolved virtuosity behind smiles from all band members and announcing to the world, Australia has arrived and we have fun, tearing down jazz restrictions to play in a different part of the playground. The organiser in chief of the event, after hearing Pyramid's scheduled 'little known band, Friday night slot, at Europe's finest jazz festival' for the first and only time in the history of the event insisted this band fill a headlining spot the following day. The spot was to be broadcast on all television and radio shows across Europe as the genre is well appreciated and events attended en-mass. I've had the European touring experience, of playing eleven gigs in three weeks, whereas in Australia, we'd be lucky playing three gigs in eleven months! Pyramid's music is so refreshing. The absence of guitar or saxophone allows space for inventive drum rhythms to add substantial melodic content, the horn sounds from staccato trumpet contrasting the lavish flugal horn tones, timbale' and conga percussion occupying space above the bass warmth and keyboard midrange, it is a revealing combination where everything has space in the realistic mix. With Don Burrows guesting with an incredible flute performance for the track Sunshower, the more this performance occasion is understood, the more respect for these talented musicians amasses. The outcome is impossible to imagine another band achieving. Apart from my other biggest musical influence being Canadian band Rush, where the humorous, peaceful, gentlemen, involved, has had such defining individual mindset to shun all hierarchical constrains. The outcome is high art, not compliance. Enjoy, Pyramid, 'Sunshower' The Burrows Collection, ABCTV 1983. Rest In Peace - Don Burrows 1928-2020. -------------
My biggest inspirations.
As a young drummer I was aware that the drummer I saw on product posters was a part of this band, I was eager to see them and so, was taken by my 'fellow, school big band, bass player' Craig Newman, to Melbourne's Tankerville Arms in Fitzroy to see Pyramid in 1982. I got grounded for going to a pub while under age. Haha, I got grounded for going to see a jazz band! That's hard-core,,,, parenting, Lol.
It was worth it, I was now familiar with Pyramid and heard the band was going to be on ABC TV program 'The Burrows Collection'. As a student at Clayton Technical School, (and for a while my house backed onto the school grounds) I asked the librarian if she could please program the school's HUGE, FIRST INCARNATION, Top-Loading, VHS video recorder to record the evening program. I was looking over the fence staring at the school buildings hoping like mad that the video recorder was programmed successfully inside. It was, and she, had changed my life!
This is that tape,,, and the program was packed full of wisdom, a lifetime of inspiration for composition, technical facility, smiling to enjoy the gift and miracle that is the right people making the right outcome of all their experience. I also embraced David Jones' drum set up, essentially a four piece kit with the gaps filled with the 8 and 10. finding it to be geographically and melodically practical. Most of my Youtube performance videos feature this set up and David and all my favorite players traditional grip to hold the left drumstick. Especially for exploring the set up but more importantly making an emotional decision to play with touch and sophistication that pervades all music I've played regardless of genre'. From delicate brushes level jazz to pummeling power-metal and Fusion-Rock Pop in between, this grip serves it well and clearly, an emotional window to making music, not just keeping time. More on other clips so please enjoy all my videos at: glennrochemusic
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