Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Vanessa Perica Orchestra: The Eye is the First Circle

Vanessa Perica Orchestra: The Eye is the First Circle

By Barry O'Sullivan
December 1, 2023
View read count

Vanessa Perica Orchestra: The Eye is the First Circle

The music on The Eye is the First Circle is undeniably outstandingly composed and arranged by

Vanessa Perica

composer / conductor
b.1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Vanessa Perica. Her second outing—following Love is A Temporary Madness (Self released, 2020)—with another supersonic ensemble, it was superbly recorded at the Sing Sing East Studios in Melbourne, showcasing numerous flawlessly performed solos by some of Australia's best improvising musicians. The bandleader, composer and arranger has created explosively expressionistic charts which would bring out the best in any orchestra.

Perica utilises the chosen voices of her orchestra to highlight their musical personalities, a modus operandi similar to the great band leaders of the past such as

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Their solos are played with finesse and, while there are too many of them to mention all, there are some standout performances from

Carl Mackey

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Carl Mackey on both soprano and alto saxophones,

Ben VanderWal

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Ben VanderWal 's consistently superb drumming, and

Jamie Oehlers

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Jamie Oehlers on the tenor saxophone. While explosions and fireworks abound throughout Perica's compositions, there are also some floating moments of quiet beauty.

On favourite tracks, "Meet Me At Phoenix Street" and "What A Time To Be Alive," there are beautifully subtle piano sparkles from

Andrea Keller

piano
b.1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrea Keller, an emotionally charged tenor solo (which he does so well!) from

Julien Wilson

saxophone, tenor
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Julien Wilson and a passionate yet tranquil trumpet solo from

Matt Jodrell

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Jodrell. On the whole, the recording is a forceful through-composed and improvised romp, with a lot of energy, power, and determination. By pushing the boundaries of big band orchestral music with her skilful contemporary arrangements and unique compositions, Vanessa Perica can shine luminously in the shadow of past bandleading greats as she delivers an outstanding recording brimming with vitality and avouchment of her skills.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

The Eye is the First Circle; What a Time to Be Alive; Hill of Grace; Meet Me at Phoenix Street; Song for Cleo; Still We Rise; Love and War.

Personnel

Vanessa Perica

composer / conductor

Carl Mackey

saxophone, alto

Tessie Overmyer

saxophone, alto

Julien Wilson

saxophone, tenor

Jamie Oehlers

saxophone, tenor

Tim Stocker

saxophone, baritone

Mat Jodrell

trumpet

Daniel Beasy

trumpet

Paddy McMullin

trumpet

Paul Williamson

trumpet

Jordan Murray

trombone

Nick Mulder

trombone

Thomas Voss

trombone

Joe O'Callaghan

guitar

Andrea Keller

piano

Theo Carbo

guitar

Sam Anning

bass

Ben VanderWal

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Carl Mackey: soprano saxophone (tracks 1, 6); Wendy Clarke: flute (track 6); Julien Wilson: clarinet (track 6).

Album information

Title: The Eye is the First Circle | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Self Produced

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Canons
< Previous

New music from The Fusion Syndicate,...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.