SANDY EVANS
Winner of the Inaugural Bell Award For
Australian Jazz Musician of The Year 2003Sandy Evans is recognised as one of the leading saxophonists (tenor and soprano) and composers in contemporary jazz in Australia. She leads the Sandy Evans Trio, and co-leads the internationally acclaimed Clarion Fracture Zone. She is a member of Ten Part Invention, The catholics, the Australian Art Orchestra, austraLYSIS, The Kristen Cornwell Quintet, Guy Strazzullo's Passionfruit and Kim Sanders and Friends. With percussionist Tony Lewis and koto player Satsuki Odamura, she co-leads the innovative world music trio Waratah. In 2004, together with composer Tony Gorman Sandy will launch a new 8 piece ensemble GEST8.
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Clara Sanabras & The Real Lowdown
Led by singer and multi instrumentalist Clara Sanabras, The Real Lowdown, are a London based band, acclaimed for their versatility and wide-ranging style. Since they formed four years ago, they’ve wowed audiences with their renditions of well-known songs from here and there, some remembered from childhood, some from favourite old films, some original.
In the past Clara toured all over the world performing a variety of music, from medieval to world music & Stockhausen, and worked in theatre, mainly at the National Theatre and the Globe.
She teamed up with composer & producer Harvey Brough and together they recorded the band’s self-titled debut album “Clara & The Real Lowdown”. With their second album on the way, they are sure to be making an impression in 2009.
“You can imagine Clara Sanabras's new group being a big hit with Radio 2 listeners, folkies, Prommers, Jools-watchers, Womad-goers and so on…With Dylan Bates on violin, Andy Hamill on bass, and Roy Dodds on drums, at times, the Real Lowdown recall Fairground Attraction, which also featured Roy Dodds' imaginative drumming. The band's rhythm section of Dodds and Andy Hamill (bass) bring detail and musical credibility to the rolling, feelgood rhythms, and Brough's arrangements make the most of the acoustic sounds at his disposal. ” The Guardian”.
Adam Rudegeair comes from an illustrious pedigree of tutelage by Bob and Steve Sedergreen and influences stretching from Medeski Martin & Wood, Prince, and the waterfalls of jazz invention arising from Thelonious Monk. A prodigious composer and much in demand accompanist for singers and musicians alike, his compositions and playing style reflect both the dark underbelly of Melbourne’s nightlife and the universal concerns of the human condition (usually with a wry twist.) As well as being the primary musical co-conspirator with Henry Manetta in ‘the Trip’. Adam conceived and fronts the 8-piece Funk juggernaut ‘Rhymes With Donkey’, in addition to his various jazz groups. He has always sought to meld different types of groove together into one funky gumbo.
Adam released his first CD ‘Transmogrify’ in 2005, which featured all original compositions and a startling appearance by Henry on the ecstatic funk workout “Argyle Girl.” His compositions range from the dark sex-balladry of ‘All Over’, to the deep groove of ‘Mr Majesty’. Adam’s arrangements are always surprising, and prone to spontaneous combustions of deep-groove eccentricity.“Rudegeair made action painting splashes on his keys, later adding white raps in a well-loved Melbourne voice” -Inpress
“I feel blessed to be working with such a fine musician, he has real FEEL, and takes risks, which is what it's all about.” – Henry Manetta, Ripitup Magazine
“The crowd melted to the human nature of Rudegeair’s new-old sounds.” –Helen Milte“Rudegeair, playing those watery-rumbly Swan Street keys, his tenderness and metal matching the heavy heart of the tram under the bridge. -Inpress
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Chris Martin, sensational young piano player from Adelaide. Graduate from Elders School of Music at Adelaide University. Triptych (Chris Martin, Lyndon Gray, Hugh Harvey), is well known after playing at the Wangaratta Jazz Festival October last year. Chris Martin Adelaide Trio comprise: Chris Martin - electric piano, Alana Dawes - bass- double bass, Jamie Jones - drums.
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From influences including Aretha Franklin, Sun Ra, Tim Buckley, Billie Holiday and Mervyn Peake, Henry Manetta has forged a unique and improvisatory vocal synthesis of Jazz, Blues and Soul. He first stepped onto the stage as vocalist with Precious Memories, the legendary Adelaide avant-garde Blues band that included Clare Moore (of The Royal Dave Graney Show) and guitarist Patrick O’Grady. Precious Memories were the house band for Bijou, a series of underground concert extravaganzas that ran for some years.
After moving to Melbourne in 1980, Henry sang with such notable groups as Jump The Gun, Zulu Din, The Immortals and Steam and has shared bills with Kate Ceberano, Stephen Cummings, Paul Kelly and Joe Camilleri amongst others.
His debut album ‘Shiver’ (2001) was recorded with a line up that included Australian Jazz legends Bob Sedergreen and Geoff Kluke.
In the wake of this CD, Henry put together his own band, Henry Manetta and the Trip, an oblique Soul/Jazz combo that regularly headlined at Dizzy’s Jazz Club in Richmond, Melbourne, and has supported Renee Geyer. Other highlights have been vocal performances with the Steve Sedergreen Trio, a duet with Blues icon Wendy Saddington, performances with Harry Angus, Axel Whitehead and Pete Mitchell. Mark Matthews of Sexion plays with the Trip when they grace Sydney zones.Henry and the Trip played a sold out show dedicated to Nina Simone at Fortyfive Downstairs, produced successful shows for The Melbourne and Adelaide Fringe Festivals, and launched their album ‘Bijou Box’ to a packed house at Dizzy’s, and at The Governor Hindmarsh in Adelaide and Soup Plus In Sydney. One of the last Trip performances at Dizzy’s before its untimely closure was “Brainville”, an evening dedicated to the music of Sun Ra. Henry and the Trip also work with the new spoken word movement in shows such as “Erosophy.”
Henry also sings with Anna Gilkison in Adam Rudegeair’s funk juggernaut Rhymes with Donkey and Adam Rudegeair’s One Hat Band.“Alternately manic, hilarious and ultra-cool, this is good, good, good.” – Ron Spain, Jazz Scene.
‘Henry’s music is very individual and very spaced out and very physical and very OUT THERE’…. A brilliant singer --Mad, mixed up free jazz and soul like no-one else would think of doing.’ -Dave Graney
‘Henry bends the syllables and harmonies until they surrender or snap.” -John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald
‘Manetta’s vocal improvisations have to be heard to be believed’ -Beat Magazine
‘Jazz is, or should be, every anarchists favourite kind of music, and this band are up there with the most exalted potentates of the form this particular anarchist has ever seen.’ -Tony McMahon, Inpress
‘Henry Manetta’s voice is complexly, not simply, jazz as body language. Together, the postmodern lovers, Rudegeair and Manetta, showed us what the art of jazz is becoming’ -Helen Milte Bastow, Inpress
www.henrymanettaandthetrip.com
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Cucumber Slumber is a collective of enthusiasts and working musicians dedicated to re-creating the sound and feel of seminal jazz-fusion group Weather Report. The band is fronted by one of Adelaide’s most revered saxophone players, Chris Soole, known for his dynamic soloing in various jazz and funk ensembles, including Supernova, the Mike Stewart Big Band and a recent tribute to New York saxophonist Steve Coleman. Also featuring is drummer/percussionist Chris Costello who has played in Latin group Expresso Bongo and corporate cover band Acoustic Juice and Dave Hopgood on drum-kit, formerly of hardcore band Hobson’s Choice, funk group Gosling and many cover bands, including (currently) Club Schmaltz.
The first incarnation of the group played a regular gig at the Oxford Hotel back in 1987 and re-surfaced in various line-ups since (much like Weather Report themselves.) Now they have put together a full-blown 90-minute show spanning nearly all of Weather Report’s incarnations through the 70’s and 80’s. Keyboardist Pete Hopgood has diligently copied the innovative synthesiser sounds of Joe Zawinul, so much a part of Weather Report’s evolution and their impact on the wider musical world. Zawinul’s recent death, as the show was being put together, makes this a tribute in the true sense of the word.
CUCUMBER SLUMBER: The WEATHER REPORT SHOW, Featuring:
Dave Hopgood – Drums, Chris Soole – Saxes, Chris Costello – Percussion, Pete Hopgood – Keyboards, Tony Shoumack – Bass
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TRITONE
The Black Note Jazz Club sees the return of Tritone, a three piece ensemble dedicated to the freer forms of jazz as well as diverse influences from all forms of jazz and popular music.
Ralph Franke saxes and guitar Ralph has returned to Adelaide after 20 years of playing Australia and SE Asia. Ralph’s dedication to his craft is unrelenting along with his hunger for great sounds through improv!
Peter Nixon basses Peter has never left his music love but has moved through a myriad of styles over his long successful career. Peter also has a love for the unpredictable, as well, and this is well tested in Tritone!
Peter Thurmer drums Year after year in blues and soul bands has turned now transformed into a deep love of free Jazz and Improv forms. Tritone has helped a new voice within him and he is enjoying it !
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