Sunday 20 April, 8pm

The Toff In Town

Robert Vincs’ performance practice spans a diversity of contexts that include improvised and jazz based music, cross-media performance, experimental and popular music. THE ROBERT VINCS TRIO brings this incredibly talented saxophonist together with percussionist extraordinaire EUGENE UGHETTI & bassist SCOTT DUNBABBIN. Ughetti is returning from sold-out performances in Japan to contribute to the ultimate expression of world, rhythm and harmony.

Vincs currently lectures in Saxophone, Improvisation and Music Technology at the Victorian College of the Arts. He has been involved in music and education since 1983, upon completion of his Diploma of Arts (music) Victorian College of the Arts. His awarded post graduate studies were on “Artificial Intelligence and Technology in Improvised Music Performance”.

Vincs has performed in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia in a variety of performance contexts specializing in music for contemporary dance. In 2002 Vincs was awarded his PhD and continues to combine his research and his musical performance toward finding ‘freedom’ in the music.

Vincs’ performance career started early as a member of Separate Tables / Girl Overboard between 1983 and ‘86. It was during this time that he became a major exponent of the Fairlight CMI (computer music instrument) leading to his sounds being used by Thomas Dolby and Kate Bush. One of the highlights of those early years was as part of Girl Overboard, playing as support for John Farnham’s ‘Whispering Jack’ tour of 1986.

More recent highlights include: Melbourne International Jazz Festival, (Ensemble Max), Seoul International Crossover Improvisation Dance Festival, in 2005 and was a guest artist in the same year Seoul Contemporary Dance Company, Melbourne International Arts Festival, 2005, (Ensemble Max), ‘Ausmusic Forum.’ Victorian Arts Center, 2005, invited participant, world record attempt, playing 98 hours of non-stop jazz, Melbourne Concert Hall, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Disasterware, winner ‘Best Band’ Battery Wallace, San Francisco, solo saxophone performance, 2000 Luna Studio, San Francisco, saxophone duet with poet Ed Aust (best beat poet, San Francisco,1997), Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Quasimodo Club, Berlin 1991, Bim Huis, Amsterdam, 1991

Vincs continues to perform regularly as a freelance musician in jazz and popular music and has performed with groups such as: Age 1+2, Bokosa, Casual Sax, Disasterware, Soul Jesters, Wild Dog Ensemble, Mistaken Identity, Ten Apples on Top, Jam Jah, Chris Coe Band, Running Bears, Jodi Stor Quintet, The Trio among others.

As a studio engineer Vincs has experienced an exceptionally diverse array of situations and ensembles. This includes recording the VCA Symphony Orchestra, Germiniani Chamber Orchestras, improvisation and jazz groups, string quartets, experimental ensembles, world music groups, brass choirs and opera. Vincs has also recorded Mornington Island indigenous sacred songs and stories and was assistant engineer for Melbourne’s successful Olympic bid presentation direct via satellite to Tokyo from GTV Channel 9.

Vincs has composed for dance, theatre and film. Highlighted compositions and sound designs for dance include: 1+X= Mid-range Projection (Seoul Contemporary Dance Company), Torque: an occasion, Kim’s Style Guide for the Kinesthetic Boffin, Dances From Hell, Fresh Start (Winning Best Dance Program award -Melbourne Fringe Festival), Dances From Hell (one of five pieces selected nationally to be performed at the launching of the Australian Choreographic Center), Festival for a Quiet Life, Unfunded Liabilities, Dislocations*, Sometimes, I can see forever…*, Boulevard Bay*, Earth* (*Co written with Sue Johnson and Serge DeLeucio). Theatre and film pieces include The Man from Muckinupin, Concepts Incorporated, Nancy Wake, The Facts of Life Down Under, The Apprentice Time Traveler, Nan’s in a Box, Fair Treatment and Ambiguous Genitalia.

Selected Discography

Robert Vincs Devic Kingdom (Extreme)

Zeno’s Wig Eyes and Instinct (Newmarket 3017.2)*

Zeno’s Wig Bare (Newmarket 3057.2)

Disasterware Riot Slacks (DW001)

Robert Vincs Qi’alla (Glos 0201)

Robert Vincs Ceremonial (Glos 0301)

*ARIA nominated for ‘Best Jazz Album 1997’

Tuesday April 22nd, 9.30pm, Bennetts Lane Jazz Club

Zoe Hauptmann – Bass
Dan Waples – Saxophone
Aaron Flower – Guitar
James Hauptmann – Drums

“Bassist Zoe Hauptmann is the guiding light behind this weird and wonderful blend of jazz, bluegrass and rock that will by turns elicit laughs, cries of “Yee-ha!” and cool nods of intellectual approval. Guitarist Aaron Flower and saxophonist Dan Waples add their own grunge, groove and wild abandon. Drummer James Hauptmann drives it all along, completing a sibling trifecta appropriate for the inbred country moments. “ - John Shand SMH

Saturday April 26th, 9.30pm, Café 303

Xani Kolac – Violin
Tom Gannon – Drums, Percussion

The Twoks are Xani Kolac and Tom Gannon; part unpredictable, part electronica, and part unprecedented. Xani intricately layers and loops her violin as if she is playing with a quartet of strings fused with heart-starting beats traversing gypsy, hip hop, electronica and modal jazz. It is unique and special and accessible to all. Winner Best Music Performance Adelaide Fringe Festival 2008.

Monday April 21st, 7.30pm, La Mama Musica

Kynan Robinson - Trombone
Pat Thiel - Trumpet
Mick Meagher - Bass
Marc Hannaford - Piano
Lawrence Folvig - Guitar
Joe Talia - Drums
DJ Element - Turntables.

The Escalators is a relatively new 7-piece ensemble from Mebourne’s highly
innovative composer and band-leader Kynan Robinson. Taking its
inspiration from the film works of master film director David Lynch,
this ensemble has already developed quite a reputation for its unique
sound.

Sunday April 27th, 10pm, Studio 1

Big Arse Sunday @ Northcote Town Hall

Kris Wanders (Neth) – Tenor Saxophone
Yusuke Akai (Japan) - Guitar
Rory Brown (Syd) – Double Bass
Alex Masso (Syd) - Drums

The music of “Spontaneous Acts of Provocation” explores the sensations of tones and the vibrations, energy and strength of the various notes as a physiological basis for music and their emotional results. The sounds in the real time compositions are assembled as inter-dependent essential components and thus regulate the most fundamental steps in the building and alterations of the sound-scape structures, resulting in total immersion, deep inside the music: painting elaborate melodies and inciting rhythms.

Sunday April 27th, 3pm, Hall – Big Arse Sunday @ Northcote Town Hall

Sophia Exiner - Piano
Josh Teicher - Guitar
Josh Holt – Double Bass
Nick Martyn – Drums

Described as “Angelo Badalamenti meets John Taylor”, OK OK OK are concerned with expression through improvisation and have compositions drawing from a wide range of influences, such as music for film, David Bowie and contemporary jazz. Established in early 2007, their focus is on performing original compositions.

Sunday April 27th, 9pm, Studio 1 – Big Arse Sunday @ Northcote Town Hall

Ben Gillespie- Vocals, Trombone
Carlo Barbaro- Saxophone, Vocals
Richard Burns- Trumpet
Craig Fermanis- Guitar
Mark Elton- Double Bass, Vocals
Sam Bates- Drums

The Snappers was formed in early 2006 out of a desire to perform jazz, shuffle and rhythm & blues music. The group brings together members of Melbourne bands The Hoodangers, The Band Who Knew Too Much, The Red Eyes and The Cat Empire. This energetic group features the vocal talents of Ben Gillespie and a host of exciting instrumental soloists propelled by a hard driving rhythm section. The sextet performs original material as well as selections from a broad array of styles from the 20’s through to the modern day.

Sunday April 27th, 4pm, Studio 1 – Big Arse Sunday @ Northcote Town Hall

Peter Knight - Trumpet
Gareth Skinner - Cello
Joanne Cannon - Bassoon
Dur-e Dara - Percussion
Anita Hustas – Bass
Shannon Barnett - Trombone
Chris Hale – Bass
Phil Bywater - Saxophone
Ren Walters - Guitar

THIS Ensemble (instigated by Ren Walters) is a self-organising musical entity, functioning within specified frameworks. The performers vary in identity and number (usually 8 -15) depending on availability and event type. The primary requirement is focused listening and absorption; responsiveness and self expression finding their place in a weave of social fabric. For this year’s MJFF, THIS will perform with projected video work entitled; ‘You Can Count On One Hand’.

Friday April 25th, 7.30pm, MJFF Commission Concert
Federation Square, BMW Edge Theatre

Megan Washington – Vocals
Paul Grabowsky – Piano

Tickets now available through Moshtix:

http://www.moshtix.com.au/record.asp?leventid=18170

At 21, Megan is emerging as an artist of great musical individuality. A finalist in the National Jazz Awards (Voice) in 2005, for the past year Megan has been collaborating with ARIA-Award winning pianist and composer, Paul Grabowsky, on an album of original material. The accumulation of Washington’s gift as a singer-songwriter and Grabowsky’s compositional ingenuity has resulted in a collection of songs which happily trace a crooked line somewhere between jazz, folk, indie-rock and art music.

Sunday April 27th, 6pm, Studio 1 – Big Arse Sunday @ Northcote Town Hall

Matt Keegan – Saxophone and Electric Saxophone
Cameron Undy – Electric Bass
Dave Goodman – Drums

The Matt Keegan Trio have been performing, recording and touring together for over 5 years and have developed a unique sound that draws mainly on influences from the jazz and rock genres. The band has released three albums to critical acclaim on Jazzgroove Records. The MK3 perform regularly throughout Australia and always play with a passion and commitment to the music that makes every set well worth checking out.