Peter Knight, trumpet
Paul Williamson, tenor saxophone
Dung Nguyen, modified electric guitar, dan tranh (Vietnamese zither), dan bau (single string plucked instrument), dan nhi (Vietnamese violin)
Ray Pereira, percussion
Howard Cairns, acoustic bass
Dave Beck, drum kit
Live at Montreal Jazz Festival July '08
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Influences
Vietnam, Africa, Miles Davis, Omou Sangare, Rabih Abu Kahlil, Kenny Wheeler, Dave Douglas, John Hassell, Bill Frisell, John Surman, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, Tomasz Stanko----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A film made by artist, Tamara Saulwick, set to music and words written by Peter Knight:
Sounds Like
ABC Limelight Magazine October 2007, Peter Wockner
Rating * * * * *
A mixed marriage of unprecedented success! While the thought of fusing African and Vietnamese music may appear unusual, the result is one of the most compelling releases of 2007. Trumpeter Peter Knight is a renowned innovative composer. Dung Nguyen brings the fleeting street sounds of Vietnam using a modified electric guitar and multi-stringed dan tranh. Dave Beck, Howard Cairns and Ray Pereira are at one with the rhythms, the latter especially textural when raising the African grooves to danceable levels. But their grooves are corralled by the underlying focus on interaction and expression through the horns of Knight and Paul Williamson. ------------------------------------
Wonderfully atmospheric intensely evocative A treat.
John Shand Limelight (ABC arts and entertainment magazine) March 2004------------------------------------------------
[Way Out West] has a distinctly Asian flavour, thanks to the bubbling, ethereal sounds of Nguyen's instruments, yet at the same time Knight and Williamson introduce a clear Western touch while Pereira in places takes it all the way to Africa. Like its name, I simply think this captivating mixture is Australian. Australian Financial Review October 2003-------------------------------------------
That these exotic sounds blend so well with jazz ensembles, beautifully harmonised and played, is a mysterious Melbourne alchemy Jazz that lasts, for the most part integrates improvisation and composition organically; this disc is a very appealing example. John Clare Sydney Morning Herald October 25th 2003
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Way Out West------------
Old Grooves for New Streets---------------
Where else but Melbourne would you be likely to find a band featuring a Sri Lankan born West African percussion master and a Vietnamese traditional musician, who also carves up the jazz guitar a-la Pat Metheny, mixing it with players diversely experienced in Western pop, jazz, and classical traditions? Melbourne is just such a melting pot and Way Out West is just such a band.
A chance meeting in 2001 between eclectic trumpeter/composer, Peter Knight, and Vietnamese traditional music virtuoso, Dung Nguyen, marked the beginning of a remarkable collaboration and led to the formation of Way Out West, a band that continues to draw inspiration from the cultural vitality and diversity of Footscray with its new album, Old Grooves for New Streets (Jazzhead).
Dung learnt his instruments, which include the 16-stringed Vietnamese zither (the dan tranh), and the dan bau (a single stringed instrument also called the monochord) from his grandfather while growing up in Vietnam, continuing a tradition of many generations. He came to Australia when he was 16 and continued his studies at Monash University where he developed a love of jazz and won prizes for his guitar studies. Dung’s fluency in both Vietnamese music and jazz means collaboration with Peter Knight and the rest of the band really is collaboration: the creation of a new sound rather than a pastiche of pre-existing sounds. In fact many reviews of Way Out West’s first album, Footscray Station, note the unified approach the band achieves: “The supple seamless vibes they produce easily transcend any glib notions of multicultural kitsch” (Herald Sun), “That these exotic sounds blend so well with jazz is a mysterious Melbourne alchemy” (Sydney Morning Herald).
When it was released in 2003, Footscray Station achieved considerable national and international acclaim, It was reviewed very favourably in New York’s Cadence Magazine and included in the top 10 jazz releases of that year in the Sunday Herald Sun critics’ poll. It also received widespread national airplay and led to numerous festival invitations around Australia including the prestigious Wangaratta Festival of Jazz.
Footscray Station was praised for its “shimmering beauty” and “evocative atmospheres”, it encouraged the listener to kick off their shoes, sit back and let the sounds wash over them. Old Grooves for New Streets will do something very different. As its name suggests the new album takes groove as a starting point, the listener will be more likely to keep those shoes on and start to move around the room rather than kick back; to brew up a strong short black rather than a hot chocolate.
This shift in approach is due in no small part to the newest member of the group, drummer Dave Beck, who joined about two years ago. His energy and virtuosity have driven Way Out West to explore different approaches to groove and the rapport between Dave and percussion master Ray Pereira is irresistible. Add Howard Cairns’ earthy bass stylings, the crackling energy of the horn section (Paul Williamson saxophones, Peter Knight trumpet) and the bubbling ethereal sounds of Dung’s instruments and you have music that is alluring, groovy and utterly unlike anything else you’ve ever heard.
The Melbourne launch of Old Grooves for New Streets is at Bennetts Lane on Thursday
6th September 9.00pm start $15/12
For more info visit: www.myspace.com/wayoutwestmelbourne www.jazzhead.com
Buy Footscray Station from iTunes
Hi Guys Our Clarinetist is Jean-Luc Côté A great Clarinestist and Oboe. He play flute in the group LA RATOUREUS,check in our friends. Nice to meet you. LATOURELLE ORKESTRA
Hello Way Our West Thank for the request, Your music is so great too. Our clarinetist is from Melbourne Australia. Maybe be we will meet you At the Montréal Jazz Festival, we play 26 to 29 june.
Hi Peter, Thanks very much! the flight was okay, but it was delayed about 45 minutes. Thanks for keeping my instrument. It was fun in Adelaide!!! Cheers, Dung Nguyen.
Very intersting project with marvellous sounds. I like especially Postcard with cool trumpet and oriental touch. Old grooves and new grooves here. Friendly. Christian
Buy Footscray Station from iTunes
