Musical Musings | Guitar icon Hank Marvin returns with jazz twist

Aside from The Shadows, Marvin, who moved to Australia in 1986, in recent years has ventured into explorations of rock ‘n’ roll, swing, and ‘gypsy jazz’, with his Gypsy Swing ensemble, who will be performing two exclusive shows at Memo Music Hall, St Kilda next month.

“We started playing for a bit of fun, and it developed from that into getting more and more adventurous,” Marvin told Musical Musings about how his Gypsy Jazz combo came to be.

“We did a charity show, and someone heard us play, and it sort of grew from there.

“And that also led us to recording two albums, Django’s Castle (2013) and Foolin’ With The Feds (2023), which were a lot of fun to make.”

Marvin also revisits some of The Shadows’ classics during the Gypsy Jazz performances.

“We do a new arrangement of Guitar Tango which works really well,” he says.

“The basis of it is the same as you'd expect, and in the same style, but we extended it a little bit with some improvisation from me towards the end.

“So, you're hearing pretty much the whole song as you would expect to hear, but with a new intro and a new kind of addition at the end.

“And we also do a version of Nivram, which works pretty well, just the two acoustic guitars playing the harmonies.”

The combo is extending the shows into other cities as well.

“We're doing a few dates on the east coast,” Marvin says.

“There's a ‘gypsy jazz’ festival in Brisbane, called OzManouche that we're going to play towards the end of September.

“And then we're doing a few other dates that will probably include Newcastle, Wollongong, Canberra, just around eastern states.”

Marvin’s passion for playing the guitar and performing remains ever so strong.

“I thoroughly enjoy playing as it’s wonderful and very therapeutic,” he says.

“Playing with other musicians makes me feel good, and I'm sure it makes them feel good too.

“Even if it's just for fun, it's great.

“It's not necessarily something to do with being on a stage in front of an audience.

“However, having said that, when performing for an audience who enjoys what you're doing and lets you know it, it’s an incredible buzz.”

For more info and tour dates, go to hankmarvingypsyjazz.com

Music news

Swedish garage rock revivalists The Hives have announced an Australian tour for July.

The group last toured here in 2015 as the opening act for AC/DC.

The Hives will also be releasing a new studio album titled, The Hives Forever Forever The Hives in August.

Last week saw Ed Sheeran release his new single Azizam.

Inspired by Persian culture, the track comes off his upcoming eighth studio album Play with a release date yet to be confirmed.

At a recent book launch event in London, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood lamented the ever-increasing influence of technology on today’s music, saying that, “there’s something about the technology I feel personally, we’re losing the essence of the heartbeat.”

“Maybe it’s because I’m older, but there’s not much new music.”

To celebrate their amazing 50-year career, Aussie pop-rock legends Air Supply will embark on an Australian tour in September.

During the course of their career, the group clocked up record sales of 100 million worldwide, along with a string of hits worldwide, including eight top-five hits in the USA.

Sting is set to release Sting 3.0 Live worldwide on April 25, which will be available digitally, on CD and on 180g vinyl.

Recorded on the acclaimed Sting 3.0 World Tour, Sting 3.0 Live is a nine-song collection of Sting's greatest hits, including Be Still My Beating Heart, which has never before been released as a live version.

ABBA

It was 50 years ago this month since 70s Swedish pop sensations ABBA released their self-titled third album on April 21.

The album is notable for being the one that sparked the whole ABBA phenomenon via the broadcast of promo videos of several songs from the album on TV music show Countdown.

The airings I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do and Mamma Mia ignited ABBA-mania in Australia.

The album would spend 11 weeks at number one on the Australian music chart at the tail end of 1975.

The group went on to become one of the most successful music groups of all time, and 50 years later, interest in the group and their music continues unabated.

Music artists of all genres, The Sex Pistols to Led Zeppelin to name but two, were all fans of the group.

I first bought the album upon release in 1975, and as a 10-year-old, I was instantly enamoured with its diversity of musical styles, which was refreshing at a time when most albums were streamlined into a specific style.

ABBA weren’t afraid to detour into different styles, from reggae on Tropical Loveland to glam rock on Rock Me to the infectious wall-of-sound pop of Mamma Mia and SOS.

It set the template for what pop music was all about; superior songwriting and production, an abundance of melodies, the heavenly choir of the voices of Agnetha and Frida, all underscored by top-rate musicianship.

To me, the album is, and will always be, a pop-perfected masterpiece.

Sydney-based acknowledged authority on ABBA Ian Cole also became a lifelong ABBA fan after hearing Mamma Mia off that same album and also attended ABBA’s first concert in Sydney on their only Australian tour in 1977.

“Getting the ABBA album for Christmas 1975 made me a lifelong fan,” he says.

“With the advent of the internet, I created my website ABBA Omnibus to gather everything about ABBA all in one place.

“I figured if I wanted that, other fans would too.

“I’m pleased and amazed it’s been one of the most popular fan sites over the past 25 years.”

For all things ABBA, go to Ian's site at abbaomnibus.com

This week’s Global Music Charts – Albums

UK – No.1 - Rushmore by Mumford & Sons

AU – No.1 - Eternal Sunshine by Ariana Grande

US – No.1 - Music by Playboi Carti

Fun fact

Actor Ryan Gosling was initially asked to join 90s boy band Backstreet Boys when the group first formed, but turned the offer down, saying he didn't think the group was going anywhere.

Joe Matera is a local singer-songwriter, recording artist, guitarist and music journalist providing readers with all the latest music news.