London Observer, July 2, 1995

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London Observer

UK & Ireland newspapers

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All you need is a great big melting pot


Philip Watson

Elvis Costello turned impresario: Philip Watson went along to listen

Elvis Costello has come in for a lot of criticism for his role in this year's Meltdown Festival.

To some, the title of "artistic director" seemed too grandiose for a musician still regarded as a guardian of all that is caustic and uncompromising in rock. To others, his collaboration with such pillars of the musical Establishment as the South Bank Centre, Radio 3 and the London Philharmonic was further proof of Costello's relentless slide into the mainstream.

By assembling a programme that unashamedly juxtaposed rock, classical, jazz, folk and more, sectarians everywhere have charged him with musical impurity and wanton eclecticism. Critics have also accused him of an uncharacteristic failure of nerve, that his festival was too reactionary, that it was little more than rehashed high culture for post-modern pop fans.

Costello's programme was wilfully partisan. There was a loose theme of celebrating The Song, and, perhaps, of melancholy, but there appeared to be no coherent thread to these concerts — other than that of personal preference. Costello appeared to be trusting to little more than serendipity. And, unlike the two previous years, when Meltdown was directed by the more turbulent forces of composers George Benjamin and Louis Andriessen, it seemed that Costello was on an almost evangelical mission to popularise, to entertain.

That much was evident right from the opening night, when New Orleans' ReBirth Brass Band played a short set. A young group committed to maintaining the marching and funeral band traditions of their home city, and to integrating more contemporary strands of funk, soul, rap and reggae into their music, their sound may have been discordant at times, but it was essentially joyous. As was Debbie Harry's performance with The Jazz Passengers later that same evening. Dressed wonderfully vampishly, she sensually wrapped her vocal lines around the arrangements like a cat around the leg of a chair. She even made the band sound like the cleverly abstracted group they aspire to be.

Complex accessibility became the emerging and continuing theme of the week. The Composers' Ensemble presented a selection of pop standards reworked by contemporary composers (most prominent being Thomas Adès volcanic interpretation of Madness's "Cardiac Arrest"); Gunther Schuller conducted the LPO and a 17-piece jazz ensemble through a lustrous and vibrant reading of Duke Ellington's underrated score, "Night Creatures"; and there was an inspired celebration of the work of composer and innovator Raymond Scott — clever, contrapuntal music (but with titles such as "Dinner Music For A Pack Of Hungry Cannibals") that ended up mostly as soundtracks for Warner Brothers cartoons.

There was the occasional revelation, and the odd failure. Any festival that brings New York street musician Moondog here can claim success, as can Costello collaborators The Brodsky Quartet, whose interpretation of Shostakovich's Eighth Quartet was as powerful as it was moving. The continuing versatility and maturity of Costello's voice was also impressive. Less successful was his uneasy duet with guitarist Bill Frisell, which exposed him only as a melodramatic stylist.

It may have guaranteed high attendance figures, and Costello was a restless and rigorous ambassador for the festival, but his imprint seemed too heavy at times. He even sneaked a three-minute symphonic sketch into the orchestral evening.

However, for all the sniping, Meltdown '95 was a considerable success for a musician very definitely on a roll. "The idea that there is one absolute way to view anything — especially music — is dangerous," he told the audience at The Guardian Interview at the NFT last Sunday. Costello may have failed to offer any significantly new perspectives during the nine days of this festival, but there is no doubt he opened quite a few ears.


Tags: Meltdown FestivalDebbie HarryJazz PassengersComposers EnsembleMadnessDuke EllingtonThe Brodsky QuartetBill Frisell

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The Observer, July 2, 1995


Philip Watson profiles Elvis Costello and reports on the Meltdown Festival.

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1995-07-02 London Observer page R-09 clipping 01.jpg
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Section front and page scans.
Review page 1 Review pages R-08-09


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