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Tim Rollinson's High 5
Tim Rollinson's High 5 Tim Rollinson is a guitarist and composer who has played and recorded with many fine musicians and performers, including Vince…
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High 5
Tim Rollinson is a guitarist and composer who has played and recorded with many fine musicians and performers, including Vince Jones, Lucky Peterson, The Young Northside Big Band, Phil Slater, Tim Hopkins, The Black-eyed Susans and Barney McAll. Tim is probably best known as a member of Dig (Directions in Groove), a band which fused elements of jazz /funk and soul and was for a time, a surprise crossover into the mainstream, earning the band a gold record for the album Deeper as well as two APRA awards, a MO award and ARIA nominations.
Tim has two albums under his own name. The first, Cause and Effect, was released in 1997. In 2010, Tim has released a stripped back trio album on Rufus Records, You Tunes, featuring Hamish Stuart on drums and Jonathan Zwartz on bass.
What the critics said about Tim Rollinson’s You Tunes :
‘This is Tim Rollinson at his best. The DIG guitarist has stripped back the musical environment to minimalist bass and drums from long-term colleagues Jonathan Zwartz and Hamish Stuart, respectively. In this near-naked environment, the native understatement and pensiveness of his playing glow like candles in a darkened room, with sudden little flickers and flares of something brighter or fiercer. The highlight is the 10 minutes of the superbly titled Lazy Circles, with its supremely melodic drumming, suspenseful bass and guitar lines made to glisten all the more with an adroit edge of bite to the sound. Elsewhere, laid-back grooves and lyrical improvising are the super-cool norm.’
John Shand
- Sydney Morning Herald, Aug 2010
‘There are no rough edges to Rollinson’s second outing as leader’
Roger Mitchell
- Sunday Herald Sun, July 2010
‘This is an engaging and satisfying set, from three tasteful, skilful and like-minded musicians.’
Adrian Jackson
- Rhythms, May 2010
As well as playing with his trio and with Dig, Tim is currently performing with Dave Reaston’s 10 Guitar Project and vocalist Edoardo Santoni.
Live Review:
The night opened with someone else who knows a thing or two about space and phrasing: guitarist Tim Rollinson. Armed with a rich, almost lavish sound - one of the best guitar sounds in Australian jazz - Rollinson’s lyrical lines arrived in chunks that left ample room to absorb the svelte ideas of bassist Nick Hoorweg and drummer Evan Mannell. Drawing on material from the impressive You Tunes album, they moved between brooding ambience, fairly straight-ahead jazz, extended journeys and howling climaxes.
John Shand
- Sydney Morning Herald, Nov 2010
1. OLD AND NEW DREAMS – Union/Footbridge theatre, Sydney University early 80’s.
It was hard to choose between this gig and the Art Ensemble of Chicago at the Seymour Centre also in the early 80’s. Both bands were capable of reaching back into history while presenting music that was also modern and futuristic. It was a trio performance, Don Cherry wasn’t there. Ed Blackwell made it sound like Africa, New Orleans and beyond with his big open drum sound, Charlie Haden and Dewey Redman likewise played with freedom, groove and imagination. All giants, I’m glad I got to hear them together. The support, The Sydney Jazztet, was an odd pairing but remarkable because of the guitarist Steve Murphy, who along with George Golla, Jim Kelly, Dave Colton and Steve Brien was an important local influence.
2. JOHN ZORN – Performance of the album Spillane, Knitting Factory, NYC, 1993.
It was my first time in NYC; I picked up a Village Voice to see what was on and was incredibly excited to read that it was John Zorn’s 40th birthday celebration at the Knitting Factory. This particular evening was a performance of one of my favourite albums, Spillane. Amazing jump cut composition including spy music, spaghetti western, experimental and swinging jazz, hardcore a la Napalm Death, surf rock, lounge and more… also first time I had heard Bill Frisell live. What was not to like?
3. JOHN SCOFIELD – The Basement, Sydney, 1994/5. Hand Jive album tour.
I went back night after night. Great compositions played by a band that was well-rehearsed and had played many gigs together. The arrangements and dynamics were impeccable; the overall sound was warm and perfectly balanced. All great individual players. Larry Goldings, Bill Stewart, Dennis Irwin.
4. JIM HALL – Village Vanguard, NYC, 2001.
One of my favourite albums growing up was Jim Hall Live! The album was recorded in Toronto in 1975, with Canadian musicians Don Thompson (bass) and a young Terry Clarke (drums). My first opportunity to catch Jim Hall live was when I was living in NYC. A nice bonus was that Jim had Terry Clarke on drums for this gig. Jim Hall to me is the father of modern jazz guitar and he was still being highly creative and improvising in the moment. Jim wasn’t afraid of the younger generation either, using Dave Binney on Alto.
5. BILL FRISELL – NYC gigs in 2000/01.
While living in New York I was able to catch Bill Frisell playing in various combinations, his trio with Tony Scherr (bass) and Kenny Wolleson (drums), in a larger band including Greg Leisz (pedal steel) and Joey Baron (drums) and a duet with Ron Carter on double bass. It’s hard to pick just one of these, I’m not going to try, just think of it as a season of gigs. Frisell is an amazing synthesis of contemporary guitar, think of anything good about the electric guitar and Bill has absorbed it and managed to use it as part of his unique sound and personal approach. Like all truly great musical artists he has transcended his genre and become relevant to a wider audience while helping keep the jazz genre progressive.
