The Tinderbox Spark are a jazz troupe who make it their mission to make completely original, jazz music.
The two founding members, Lauren Istvandity and Lachlan Bell, write The Tinderbox Spark's pieces. For their live performances, they call on a wide range of musicians and vocalists. “That's the premise of our name,” Lachlan says. “We are the tinderbox, and the guests bring their own unique spark. It makes the music sound new and fresh every time we play.”
Lachlan began his music journey early, picking-up violin when he was four, before switching over to guitar when he was around thirteen to “release some teenage angst”, as he puts it.
When he was 15, he discovered jazz and has followed the path ever since, continuing through university and eventually meeting Lauren. The Tinderbox Spark make a point of sounding like no-one else, but Lachlan wears his personal influences on his sleeve. “My two, biggest, personal influences are James Sherlock and Pat Metheny; James is an outstanding player and I love the openness of Pat's composition.
“If I were to classify my own guitar playing as anything, it'd be halfway between James and Pat, hopefully somewhere in the middle.”
“The [Brisbane Jazz Club] is a stalwart of the jazz scene.”
A little over a year ago, The Tinderbox Spark released their debut LP, 'Need Of Mine', and have been performing on and off between work schedules. “It was a fantastic process to put something into long form. We went out to Applewood Lane Studio and were recording in the big church out there.”
Making music not heard before can seem an uphill battle, as there is only so far you can push the envelope before you reach breaking point. “We simply try to highlight different feelings and make sure the music we're making is representative of the place we are in. Both of us attempt to experiment a lot with the textures we have. We approach the jazz stuff in a different way.”
The Tinderbox Spark are playing the Brisbane Jazz Club later this month, and in the spirit of the night are bringing their friends. “We've added two backing vocalists, Rachel Head and Jacob Ballard, to the live set-up as well as drummer Steve Fischer and bassist David Galea.
“We'll still experiment and play with the same textures we've been using but the extension will certainly introduce something new into the fray. In terms of the change of dynamic, going from a duo to a group thing, Lauren and I have to be a lot more responsible with what we are doing.
"In the duo you can experiment and be a lot more free with what you are playing. “When you are playing with the band you can have many different textures operating at the same time. I think playing music with a group of people is one of the best things you can do as a musician.”
The Brisbane Jazz Club, located in Kangaroo Point, is a favourite of Lachlan's, who views it as Brisbane institution. “It's a stalwart of the jazz scene. Other venues have come and gone, whereas the Brisbane Jazz Club has been around for years.
“They have a strong membership and the crowd knows what they're getting; they're there to listen to good music and have a good time. It's the first place any travelling band should play in Brisbane.”
So what's next for the duo? “We'll write more tunes, as we haven't done much since the album. We will definitely tour as a band at some point as well”
The Tinderbox Spark play Brisbane Jazz Club 31 October.
