Melbourne Jazz Fringe Festival

Adrian Shaw – Vocals / Trumpet / Keys
Max Walker – Guitars
Evan Tweedie – Electric Bass
Luke Collins – Drums
with guest Hue Blanes – Keyboard

The musicians from The Ages play very diverse music around Melbourne, including Jazz, Indie Rock, Reggae, Electronic & African styles. These all have a place to shine in Adrian’s songs, which have been written over many years, and which aim straight for the Soul.

The Ages aim is to play unmanufactured ageless music. Often with guests to keep their live sets fresh, the songs have open spaces that can go anywhere, and lead to moments of unrehearsed bliss. Their sound has been connecting with many people in a positive way.

The Ages are currently recording an album and plan to represent it to the world as a new uniquely Melbourne-grown sound. Gig details / Lyrics / Photos and more can be found online or by joining our facebook group – Music / International / The Ages.

www.myspace.com/theagesmelbourne

Ben Robertson – double bass

guest artist
Jane Robertson – clarinet

Jazz double-bassist Ben Robertson graduated with distinction from the Improvisation stream of the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, Australia 1987 where he was awarded both the Gwen Nesbitt scholarship and the Mensa award for musical excellence. There he developed a reputation for musical excellence and melodic inventiveness leading to many and varied professional performance opportunities. He is a harmonic and listening musician; a great asset to any ensemble both as an improvising soloist and arranger. Ben is highly regarded as an educator of the contemporary jazz language and the improvising tradition, holding positions at the Victorian College of the Arts, Monash University and the Melbourne Rudolf Steiner School.

Read on…

Ben Hauptmann – Guitar
Gian Slater – Vocals
Chris Hale – Bass
Julian Banks – Sax
Damien Slingsby – Keys
Andy Keegan – Drums

Ben Hauptmann is nationally recognized jazz guitarist finishing 2nd in the National Jazz Awards at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz 07’. Bob is a new collaboration between Ben and Chris Hale. Joined by Gian Slater, Julian Banks, Andy Keegan and Damien Slingsby, Bob creates music that is anything but conventional, beautifully playful and limitless in its appeal…

Bob’s music is inspired by all the good things in life, table tennis, swimming pools, drop “d” tuning etc etc… When listening to Bob, one gets transported to another place which is good for those who can’t afford to go on holiday. This Big Arse Sat, will be one to remember, so come down and spend some quality time with Bob. Bob is short for Robert.

Christopher Hale – Acoustic Bass Guitar

Christopher Hale presents a very special program of solo music, built around his unique vision for the expressive potential of the bass guitar. Drawing from deep investigations of flamenco, choro and jazz, Hale delivers the instrumental language of emotional intelligence, prodigious technique and fierce integrity that has earned him a reputation as one Australia’s finest and most free thinking bassists.

Dan West & Eugenia Lim

Dan West (Live electronics/audio)
Eugenia Lim (Live projections/video)

Instrumentalist and electronic artist Dan West facilitates OUTPOST – a monthly a/v jam session for laptop artists. He also produces and performs with Barney McAll’s Sylent Running ensemble. For the Jazz Fringe, Dan will utilize a laptop, MPC sampler and various analog devices processed live to create a real time audio/video performance with long time collaborator, video artist Eugenia Lim.

tweakandtwang.org
shareoutpost.org

Dan West is an instrumentalist, composer and educator working extensively in the improvised and electronic music community of Melbourne. Since graduating from the University of Melbourne in 1995, he has been dedicated to playing original music with a wide variety of artists fusing organic and processed sound. Read on…

Daz Hammond Combo

Formed in 2009 to play funk, jazz, daz-originals.. and basically carve up the groove!, Daz Hammond Combo is searching for ‘The New Sound’ by respecting the tradition of the funky hammond outfit while exploring the fringes of progressive jazz improvisation! Artistic party band we are..

Darrin Archer – Hammond
Tim Wilson – Saxophone
Hugh Stuckey – guitar
Andy Keegan – drums

www.myspace.com/dazhammondcombo

Diana Clark Trio featuring Doug de Vries & Stephen Grant

Melbourne vocalist Diana Clark’s collaborations with master guitarist Doug de Vries have established her as a foremost singer of Brazilian music, and her original material reveals an emotive power and sophistication that is given full flight in her trio of sublime improvising musicians – de Vries and accordionist/multi-instrumentalist Stephen Grant.
Whether it’s a haunting ballad, a samba, or the blues in Portuguese, the distinctly soulful alto voice of Diana Clark is destined to impress with its warm embrace. Clark’s new Standards set will feature songs by Judy Jacques, Ross Wilson, Valanga Khoza, Joe Geia, and a couple of de Vries compositions featuring lyrics by Kate Ceberano and Vince Jones.

Diana Clark – Vocals
Doug de Vries – Guitar
Stephen Grant – Piano Accordian

www.dianaclark.com.au
www.myspace.com/dianamayclark
www.dougdevries.com

Read on…

The Dilworths

The Dilworths are the brainchild of emerging Sydney trumpeter/composer Eamon Dilworth and began as an improvisational vehicle for Eamon’s compositions. They have since evolved into one of Australia’s freshest young groups finding the perfect balance of modern jazz influences, lending from American and European traditions while embracing the raw earthiness of their Australian roots. The band having performed individually everywhere from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House and launched their debut album on Jazzgroove Records in December 2009 with special guest Judy Bailey performing set of solo piano.

Eamon Dilworth – Trumpet
Karl Laskowski – Tenor Saxophone
Hugh Barrett – Piano
Alex Boneham – Bass
Cameron Reid – Drums

The Dilworths performances have included frequent appearances at Jazzgroove @ The Excelsior and 505 as well as the Ivory Bar, on a double bill with the Warwick Alder Quintet, the Jazz Action Society 35th Anniversary Concert, and album launch at The Basement as well as part of the Jazzgroove Festival 2010.

The band was nominated for the 2009 European Jazz Awards and features four James Morrison Generations in Jazz Finalists including one winner.

www.thedilworths.com

THE END

Jon Crompton – alto sax
John Felstead – tenor sax
Tim Willis – guitar
Gareth Hill – double bass
Nick Martyn – drums

The End was formed in May 2009 by Tim Willis, after returning to Australia from three years living in Paris, France. While living in France Tim had the opportunity to see Bands such as The Claudia Quintet, Human Feel, Kneebody and The Bad Plus. This music had profound effect on Tim because of both its freedom and most of all its it was heavily influenced by rock.
Not long after the Band was formed they began a residency at the Clare Castle in Carlton. The Band has played there on a monthly basis since June 2009 to full capacity audiences. The Band is set to record in early April this year.

Tim Willis grew up in country New South Wales and started playing the guitar at age 12. In 2001 he began studying at the Australian National University’s School Of Music, studying under Mike Price and George Golla. In 2005 he moved to Paris, France and began trying to eek out some kind of musical existence there. I wasn’t long before he started Playing in some of Paris’ best Known clubs such as Le Cameleon, The Tennessee Jazz Club and Pepito L’Escale. During his time in Europe Tim toured in Ireland England and France and performed at the ‘Fete De La Music De Thionville’ in north eastern France. He also Perfomed with his band (the predessor to the end) ‘Tang’ at the ‘Fete De Jazz de les Yvellines’.

Ensemble Max

Ensemble Max weaves a community of improvisers that bring their diversity of musical language, instruments and experience to the celebration of the musical present where texture and intensity light the sonorized landscape.

Led by one of Australia’s foremost musical thinkers Rob Vincs, Ensemble Max has been a fertile play-ground for many of Australia’s finest musicians to develop their musical imagination and intuition.

Rob Vincs, Dan Arnott, Tim Dunlop, Cat Canteri, Marcus Villalta, Benjamin Phipps, Tom Muratore, Louis Gill, Tom Stewart-Toner, Georgie Darvidis, Jon Smeathers, Liam Brown, Jordan Scotney, Marty Hicks, Alejandro Abapo, Harley Goodsell.

Gian Slater

GONE, WITHOUT SAYING

‘Gone, without saying’ is a brand new work by singer/improviser/composer, Gian Slater for voices that explores the notion of communication between and without words. That which cannot be put into words – those things we don’t wish to speak of or those that go without saying. In moments of communal grieving, consoling, conversing, gossiping, joking, arguing – we use our shared knowledge and human experience to read between the lines, but at times those moments are lost or misunderstood. In silence, we wish to speak our minds yet often miss the chance and in conversation we long for space but don’t always leave it.
This work is written for voices using experimental and extended vocal techniques with intricate, textural layering and conceptual improvising.

Gone, without saying
Performed by
Jenny Barnes
Tom Barton
Helen Catanchin
Hailey Cramer
Miriam Crellin
Georgie Darvidis
Ed Fairlie
Bronwyn Hicks
Kate Kelsey – Sugg
Louisa Rankin
Gian Slater
Damien Slingsby
Loni Thomson
Au?ur Zoëga Read on…

HARMLESS

Melbourne based trio Harmless combine acoustic, electronic, and found sounds to create sonic landscapes whilst remaining faithful to their improvisational and instrumental roots. The Trio harness textures from various mediums including laptop and samples, guitar, alto sax, synthesizers, loops, percussion, bowed cymbals, drum kit and various random objects.

Cesar Rodrigues: Guitar/Synths/Samples/Loops
Monty Mackenzie: Saxophone/Synths/Samples/Loops
Nick Martyn: Drums/Percussion/Found Objects

Harmless are a Melbourne based ensemble who are due to release their debut album later in 2010. Harmless combine acoustic, electronic, and found sounds to create sonic landscapes whilst remaining faithful to their improvisational and instrumental roots. The Trio (Cesar Rodrigues, Monty Mackenzie, & Nick Martyn) harness textures from various mediums including laptop and samples, guitar, alto sax, synthesizers, loops, percussion, bowed cymbals, drum kit and various random objects. The corroboration of these Melbourne musicians have synthesized into an outfit that explore the side of music that is often neglected. Their extensive field recordings are played as samples in their performances and rehearsals which are often recorded, re sampled, and thrown back out in proceeding performances and recordings to create a deep and unique tapestry of timbre and texture. The studio project leans towards long forms and skeletal structures still maintaining the “free” and “open form” aesthetic.

www.harmless.com.au

Hinterland

Georgie Darvidis – Vocals
Freya Schack-Arnott – Cello
Jonathan Heilbron – Piano
James Gilligan – Contrabass Guitar

Hinterland is a new ensemble founded as a vehicle for original composition intent on exploring the possibilities of blending classical aesthetics with contemporary music styles and forms. Coherency in texture and colour is a main hub for the group; presenting carefully arranged music with an underlying improvisational focus: molding with each other, the compositions and their audience.

iPhone iMprov

Get your gadget dressed in it’s finest frock for this iPhone Mashup Jam session. Using your favourite sound apps, create a sonic world of your own and/or interact with others. Instrumental/Vocal collaborations welcomed! Arrive early and sign up for you and your gadgets moment to shine!

Curated by Gideon Brazil
Saxophone/Flute (& iPhone addict)

James Annesley Quartet

The music from this ensemble is a unique style of contemporary jazz which draws influence from serene, earthy folk music as well hard hitting rock. James’s original compositions are rich in dynamic contrast and varying timbral textures, with plenty of room for adventurous, freewheeling improvisations.

James Annesley – Saxophone
Hugh Stuckey – Guitar
Hugh Harvey – Drums
Sam Zerna – Double Bass

This Melbourne-based group was conceived in early 2007, as a trio featuring James Annesley (finalist in the 2009 National jazz Awards) on soprano and tenor saxophones, Tom Lee on double bass and Hugh Harvey on drums. In early 2008 they were joined by guitarist Hugh Stuckey, finalist in the 2007 National Jazz Awards.
Their music is a unique style of contemporary jazz which draws influence from serene, earthy folk music as well as hard hitting rock. Annesley’s compositions are rich in dynamic contrast and varied textures, with an emphasis on strong melodic themes. The open structures of the tunes allow for adventurous, freewheeling improvisations.__Idle Hands do the Devil’s Work, their all-original debut album, has already received extensive airplay and favorable reviews.
“……..Drums and bass constantly move and morph and the guitar positively soars……. At times the music sounds almost rhythmically symphonic, pulses like rock fusion, or slides into eastern modality, always expertly building tension, then often cutting quickly to tranquility as soprano sax floats over spreading chords ” – John Mcbeath, The Australian
The group has performed regularly throughout Melbourne, at venues such as Bennett’s Lane, The Paris Cat, Uptown, Bar 303, The Melba Festival and the Stonnington Jazz festival. They have also toured nationally, performing in some of the country’s top jazz venues, including Bennetts Lane, The Ellington, Jazzworx and Jazzgroove.
Their music has been heard on radio shows across the country, including Mal Stanley’s popular ‘Jazz-Track’ on ABC Classic FM, for which a recording was specially commissioned.

jamesannesley.com
myspace.com/jamesannesley