Wollongongjazz

An afternoon of jazz featuring the award-winning student combos and ensembles in three venues on site at the Wollongong Conservatorium of music. The termly Jazz Showcase serves to highlight the hard-working students of the Conservatorium in groups both large and small lead by the highly acclaimed staff of the jazz faculty. 

2pm - Wollongong Conservatorium of Music

This is FREE event.

Nick Garbett - trumpet; Jeremy Rose - sax; Alex Boneham - bass; Alex Masso - drums

“A distinctive gumbo that was more eminently accessible, grooved harder and created a bigger sound than seemed possible.” - All About Jazz

"If jazz music is about continuously reinventing and staying on your toes, then The Vampires Meet Lionel Loueke' is a phenomenal jazz record. ****" - Downbeat

Sydney based world-roots-jazz quartet The Vampires are touring Australia in March. They will be joined by bassist Alex Boneham for his first Australian performances since 2014 when he moved to Los Angeles to study at the Monk Institute with the likes of Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. Combining risk-taking improvisation, sophisticated compositions and an uncanny sense of dialogue between the sax-trumpet frontline, the band has developed a style of its own that effortlessly combines influences from all corners of the world. Recently, the band collaborated with one of the jazz world’s most talked about guitarists Lionel Loueke for their latest release 'The Vampires Meet Lionel Loueke’, which was nominated for an ARIA Award. The group also became the first instrumental band to be nominated for the prestigious Australian Music Prize in 13 years earlier this year.  

7pm - Wollongong Conservatorium of Music

$17G/$12C/$10 online or $20G/$15C/$10 on the door

Click HERE to purchase tickets.

Mike Rivett - Sax, Carl Morgan - Guitar, Barney McAll - Piano, Alex Hirlian - Drums, Tom Botting - Bass.

ARIA award winner, double Bell Award winner, The Age Victoria Award winner and AIR award winner; Barney mcAll is one Australia's most celebrated contemporary jazz musicians. The critically acclaimed pianist and composer will present his ensemble, ASIO (The Australian Symbiotic Improvisers Orbit) for the first time in Wollongong to celebrate the release of the groups' brand new album and McAll's 12th as leader. The ensemble features an all star line-up of Mike Rivett on Tenor Sax (2016 National Jazz Award Winner), Carl Morgan on guitar, Tom Botting on bass and Alex Hirlian on drums. Not to be missed!

7pm - Wollongong Conservatorium Auditorium

$17G/$12C/$10S online or $20G/$15C/$10S on the door

Click HERE to purchase tickets

Come on down to the Wollongong con to hear the colours of Human Laser Experiment, now visible to the general public for the very first time! Music from 2pm, tickets $10 at the door.

HUMAN LASER EXPERIMENT

Featuring the compositions of Paddy Kelly, Human Laser Experiment is a musical exploration into the connection between sound and colour. With a style probably best expressed as "polyrhythmic jazz fusion", the band aims to keep the mind busy, but the feet busier. Rich acoustic harmonies blend into punchy unisons as they create a light show accessible to the ear alone.

MILES ROONEY trumpet

DES CANNINGS trombone

ZAC OLSEN alto sax

PADDY KELLY keys

BEC SCOLNIK bari sax

OSCAR PETERSON bass

CHLOE KIM drums

Phil Slater -trumpet; Matt Keegan - saxophone; Matt McMahon - piano; Brett Hirst - bass; Simon Barker - drums.

Award winning trumpeter and composer, leader (or co-leader) of Sun Songbook, Band of Five Names, Daorum, and Trace Sphere and lecturer at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Phil Slater is widely considered one of the country's finest trumpeters. He has performed and recorded with many artists including Archie Roach, Mike Nock, Baecastuff, Katie Noonan, Paul Grabowsky, the Australian Art Orchestra, Sandy Evans, Pnau, DIG, Vince Jones, Missy Higgins, Lou Reed, Martha Wainwright, Jonathan Zwartz, Steve Hunter, and Nigel Kennedy. Winner of the National Jazz Award, the Limelight Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Australian Jazz’, the Bell Award for Australian Jazz Musician of the Year, the Bell Award for Contemporary Jazz Ensemble of the Year (Phil Slater Quartet) and the Music Council of Australia Freedman Fellowship, Slater will bring his prodigious talent and his eponymous quintet featuring an all-star cast of Australian jazz masters to the Conservatorium Auditorium on July 28th to play his highly acclaimed compositions.

7pm - Wollongong Conservatorium Auditorium

$17G/$12C/$10S online or $20G/$15C/$10S on the door

Click HERE to purchase tickets

June 25th - Jazz Showcase
2-5pm - Wollongong Conservatorium of Music

An afternoon of jazz featuring the award-winning student combos and ensembles in three venues on site at the Wollongong Conservatorium of music. The termly Jazz Showcase serves to highlight the hard-working students of the Conservatorium in groups both large and small lead by the highly acclaimed staff of the jazz faculty. 

2pm - Wollongong Conservatorium of Music

This is FREE event.

Jens Hoppe - guitar, Nick Southcott - piano, Max Alduca - bass, Dave Goodman - drums

Jens Hoppe has been performing for over 25 years.  He’s recently finished his masters degree in Jazz at the Sydney Conservatorium of music and has been on staff teaching jazz guitar at the Wollongong Conservatorium Music for 15 years.  Pianist Nick Southcott and drummer Dave Goodman have been performing with Hoppe since his early years as an undergrad. The addition of Max Alduca, who plays with Goodman and Southcott in Trioflight rounds out the group perfectly.  The music is textural treat featuring some bop influenced songs with influences of Dave Frisell and Kurt Rosenwinkel.

7pm - Wollongong Conservatorium Auditorium

$17G/$12C/$10S online or $20G/$15C/$10S on the door

Click HERE to purchase tickets

Michael Griffin - sax, Tom Avgenicos - trumpet, Aaron Blakey - piano, Max Alduca - bass, Tim Geldens - drums

Saxophonist Michael Griffin was a semi-finalist in the prestigious Thelonius Monk Competition in 2013.  Since then he has spent time performing in New York where his playing has been lauded by jazz legends Jimmy Heath and Vincent Herring.  He was the youngest Australian to ever be featured in the iconic Downbeat Magazine and his debut album "Unexpected Greeting" made the top 10 Australian Jazz Albums of 2015

The Jazz Showcase features all the student jazz groups from the Conservatorium Jazz Program performing in numerous rooms around the campus from 6-8pm.

7pm - Wollongong Conservatorium Auditorium

(Jazz Showcase 6pm - 8pm)

Click HERE to purchase tickets

Michelle Nicolle - voice, Geoff Hughes - guitar, Ronny Ferella - drums, Tom Lee - bass

The Michelle Nicolle Quartet are critically acclaimed as one of the most prolific and inventive jazz ensembles in the country.  For the last 16 years they’ve released eight CDs and touring extensively throughout Australia and internationally – For their return gig to Wollongong the MNQ will be launching the new ABC release “A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing.”

7pm - Wollongong Conservatorium Auditorium

$17G/$12C/$10S online or $20G/$15C/$10S on the door

Click HERE to purchase tickets

Past Gigs 2016 

Ingrid Jensen - trumpet, Christine Jensen - sax, Mike Nock - piano, Brett Hirst - bass, Ben Waples - drums.

"Ingrid plays trumpet and flugelhorn with all the brilliance and fire of a true virtuoso following the spirit of the muse as she creates...warm, sensitive, exciting and totally honest.” - Marian McPortland

Ingrid has been hailed as one of the most gifted trumpet players of her generation. Born in Vancouver and a graduate of the prestigious Berklee Collage of Music, Jensen moved to New York in the late 1990's where she quickly established herself as one of the most in-demand trumpeters in the international jazz scene. A star soloist of the Maria Schnieder and Darcy James Argue Orchestras one of her closest collaborators is her sister, saxophonist and composer, Christine Jensen. In addition to Christine's own orchestra they co-lead various groups and recently recorded an album with famed guitarist Ben Monder. Supported by the legendary Mike Nock and his trio, this is a rare chance to experience two of the finest horn players in the world at the height of their powers.

7pm - Wollongong Conservatorium Auditorium

$25G/$20C/$15S

www.ingridjensen.com

Thursday November 3rd - Shannon Barnett Quartet (GER/AUS)
7pm - Wollongong Con Auditorium

Stefan Karl Schmid - saxophone/clarinet, Shannon Barnett - trombone, David Helm - bass, Fabian Arends - drums.

Shannon Barnett (2007 Young Australian Jazz Artist of the Year) is well-known to Australian audiences through her work with The Vampires, The Black Arm Band, The Bamboos, Andrea Keller and Circus Oz. Since 2014, she has been based in Cologne, Germany were she plays regularly in the vibrant contemporary jazz scene. For her performance at the Wollongong Conservatorium, Barnett is bringing her three exciting collaborators - and some of Germany's top sidemen - Stefan Karl Schmid, David Helm and Fabian Arends. Together they bring Barnettʼs compositions to life, which feature space for the development and sharing of ideas, as well revealing a wicked sense of humour.  

7pm - Wollongong Conservatorium Auditorium

$25G/$20C/$15S

www.shannonbarnett.info

Shannon with the WDR big band

Australia's leading jazz orchestra, The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra will return to Wollongong with dynamic German composer/pianist Florian Ross as part of the orchestra's national tour playing Ross' latest large ensemble works. Since 2003, the JMO has gained a reputation as one of the world's most respected independent jazz orchestra's collaborating with many international stars including Maria Schnieder (USA), Chris Potter (USA) and Bert Joris (BE) to name a few. Combining with the amazing piano playing and composing panache of Ross - himself a highly regarded leader and sideman in his own right, having played with Kenny Wheeler, John Scofield, Bob Brookmeyer and more - expect a night of dynamic, exciting and highly original music. 

7pm - Wollongong High School Performing Arts Centre

$25G/$20C/$15S

www.mothershiporchestra.com

This concert is proudly supported by the Goethe Institut

Monday October 3rd - James Muller Quartet

7pm - Wollongong Con Auditorium

James Muller - guitar, Matt Jodrell - trumpet, Sam Anning - bass, Ben Vanderwal - drums

"James Muller is a mountain of guitar virtuosity...All the things that are the most effective in jazz, rock, blues and country guitar emerge naturally at the right time, in the right place and it can give the listener shivers" - John Clare, SMH

ARIA award winning guitarist James Muller returns to the Wollongong Conservatorium this October. In addition to his usual stellar trio of bassist Sam Anning (2015 National Jazz Award winner and multiple Bell Award winner) and legendary Perth drummer Ben Vanderwal (sideman to John Scofield, Charlie Haden, Chris Potter and George Garzone), Muller will also bring the award winning and exciting young trumpeter Matt Jodrell (runner-up National Jazz Award) for a night of incredible music. This will likely sell-out so be sure to purchase your tickets online.

7pm - Wollongong Conservatorium Auditorium

$20G/$15C/$10S on the door or $17G/$12C/$10 online

Bonnie Stewart - drums/voice, Peter Farrar - alto saxophone/pipes, Luke Sweeting - piano/toys

The Jazz Showcase is a once a term celebration of all the jazz combos and ensembles at the Conservatorium and a chance for all jazz students to show off their hard-work throughout the term. Bands perform in multiple locations across the Conservatorium grounds starting at 6pm before a feature performance by Bonnie Stewart's 'Crossover' in the Auditorium at 7pm.

Bonnie Stewart’s ethereal voice and percussive textures sail through her evolving compositions, flowing together with the lush and playful tones of pianist Luke Sweeting (2016 Freedman Fellowship finalist) and the distinctive experimental sounds of Peter Farrar, one of australia's most exciting and respected young saxophonists. Crossover forges an amalgam of improvisation, haunting melodies, and polyphonic soundscapes. A rearrangement of Bonnie’s quintet Criss Cross, this trio of individual improvisors creates a unique and cohesive collective sound.

6pm - Wollongong Conservatorium

$10 General, $5 Concession/Parent of Performer, Con students and performers FREE

www.soundcloud.com/bonniedrums 

www.lukesweeting.com/

Saturday July 30th - Bungaribee 
3pm Matinee show

Paul Cutlin - reeds, Gary Daley - accordion, piano, Tunji Beier - percussion, Ollie Miller - cello  

"Some of the most interesting combinations of composed and improvised music that I've heard in Australia" - Philip Johnston

Bungarribee grew out of Gary Daley's renowned Sanctuary project which features a 9 piece ensemble. Daley wanted to experiment with a more intimate group which could explore his compositions as well as create improvisations on gems from the classical and jazz worlds. Featuring some of Australia's most respected contemporary musicians , the Bungarribee quartet traverses diverse musical terrain. 

3pm – Wollongong Conservtorium Auditorium

$20G/$15C/$10S on the door or $17G/$12C/$10S online

Monday July 25th James Morrison
with the Megaband and Wollongong Conservatorium Jazz Orchestra 

World-renowned trumpet player and multi-instrumentalist James Morrison returns to Wollongong for a special performance with the award-winning Conservatorium Jazz Orchestra PLUS an opening set featuring 150 of the Illawarra's young musicians who make up the 2016 Megaband.

7pm - University Hall, University of Wollongong 

$15G/$10S and children 12 and under are FREE

Young musicians wishing to play in the Megaband and perform with James can register HERE.

21st May - 2nd June: The Autumn Jazz Festival

For the first time ever, the Wollongong Conservatorium Of Music Jazz Series is proud to present the Autumn/Winter Jazz Festival featuring three internationally recognized artist performing over three weeks in the Wollongong Conservatorium auditorium. The Conservatorium will be offering a “Festival Pass” which grants access to all three shows at a discounted rate or one can buy tickets to each show individually. Read on below to see the amazing artists who will be playing as part of the festival.

Festival Passes: $55G/$45C/$30S

April 12th - Scott Tinkler and Simon Barker 

Scott Tinkler - trumpet, Simon Barker - drums

The “Lost Thoughts Duo” brings together two of Australia’s most important and influential musicians in Scott Tinkler and Simon Barker. Both leading exponents of traditional music from India and Korea respectively, the duo will present a special discussion concerning their music, their influences and the rhythmic and melodic structures present in their work before performing an intimate set of their compositions.

7pm - Discussion, 8pm - Concert, Wollongong Conservatorium of Music

$17G, $13C, $10S online o $20, $15C, $10S on the door (admission price includes pre-concert discussion)

www.stinkler.com 

kimnara.com.au

April 10th - Jazz Showcase Featuring Hammerhead 

Jason Bruer - tenor sax, Andrew Robertson - alto sax, Ray Cassar - trumpet, Greg Coffin - piano, Matt Gruebner - bass, Duncan Archibald - drums

Evoking the sounds from the classic 'blue note' era of the mid sixties, Hammerhead draws inspiration from notable composers of that period including Wayne Shorter, Cedar Walton and Horace Silver. Formed through the common musical aspirations of internationally acclaimed tenor saxophonist and hard swinging drummer, Duncan Archibald, the band plays with a spirit and energy that has won the sextet rave reviews.

As well as the feature performance, all combos and big-bands from the Wollongong Conservatorium jazz program will be performing.

2pm - Showcase, 3pm - Hammerhead, Wollongong Conservatorium of Music

All tickets $10

jasonbruer.com/hammerhead 

March 19th - Trioflight 

Nick Southcott - piano, Dave Goodman - drums, Max Alduca - bass

Trioflight play original, improvised, organic and free range music. Featuring two Australian jazz powerhouses in Dave Goodman and Nick Southcott plus the young firebrand Max Alduca, they have a uniquely intuitive approach, with an emphasis on beautiful melodies and free flowing spontaneity. For their debut performance at the Wollongong Conservatorium, they will be presenting music from thier latest release, "The Rumour of Forests and Waves" which draws from a wide range of influences and inspirations including the natural Australian landscape and abstract mathematical concepts. 

7pm - Wollongong Conservatorium Auditorium

$17G/$13C/$10S online or $20/$15C/$10S at the door

www.trioflight.com

www.facebook.com/trioflight

February 28th - Will Vinson Quartet (UK/USA)

Will Vinson - Sax, James Muller - guitar, Sam Anning - bass, Tim Firth - drums

 "An exciting young saxophonist with a lethal approach to writing and soloing." - Time Out London

"Exhilarating, cascading... Outstanding." - Jazz Times.

Originally from London, Alto Saxophonist Will Vinson moved to New York in 1999 and has since gained an international reputation as a band leader and sideman. Having played, recorded and appeared with artists as varied and acclaimed as Kurt Rosewinkel, Sujan Stevens, Chris Potter and Martha Wainwright, Will will bring an all-star band of Australian jazz superstars including James Muller, Sam Anning and Ben Vanderwall to the Wollongong Conservatorium Auditorium to play a special and intimate performance. 

4pm - Wollongong Conservatorium Auditorium

$17G/$13C/$10S online or $20/$15C/$10S at the door

www.willvinson.com/live

 February 9th - Briana Cowlisha and Gavin Ahearn Fjords Album Launch

 A project born out of the hypnotically picturesque hills of Norway, Briana Cowlishaw and Gavin Ahearn come together to create mesmerising performance. Their latest release 'Fjord' is a duo album recorded in Nesna (Norway) October 2014, which captures a true sense of free and honest expression. Stripped back to piano and voice, the album presents a collection of their own compositions and a number of refreshing arrangements of their most loved pop and jazz standards ('Fool on the Hill', 'Stompin' at the Savoy').

The album launch performance will feature Gavin and Briana performing a duo set of songs from the album, which will then be followed by a set of music with full band, featuring Clint Corbin –drums and Harry Birch - bass.

7pm - Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, Auditorium

$17G, $13C, $10C online or $20G, $15C, $10 on the door.

brianacowlishaw.com

More Past Events

(pre 2016) 

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