Francesca returns with a quartet - James Waples on drums, Alex Boneham on bass, and Nic Verdanega on guitar.

Karl Laskowski - Tenor Saxophone
Matt Smith - Guitar
Alex Boneham - Bass
The term 'Ballad' can be interpreted many ways, but for this trio the ballad means a piece of beauty, whether it be melodic, harmonic or atmospheric. Although newly formed, these musicians have been performing together in various ensembles for the past 10 years and will focus on the intimate interactions that the trio format encourages.
They will perform pieces from influences as diverse as Lionel Loueke, Wayne Shorter, Stevie Wonder and Soundgarden as well as original compositions, with a focus on exploring and celebrating the sonic beauty of some of the more enchanting pieces written in the last century. The trio features Karl Laskowski (Mike Nock Quartet, Los Gringos), Alex Boneham (James Muller Quartet, The Vampires) and Matt Smith (Thirsty Merc, The Strides).

Francesca returns with a quartet - James Waples on drums, Alex Boneham on bass, and Nic Verdanega on guitar.

“Steven Barry, a young New Zealander, has brought his dazzling skills as a pianist and composer to Sydney. He shrugged aside cliche, deployed scintillating articulation, and gave his colleagues such ingenious raw material as the Bartok-inspired Clusters. Boneham's solos were a lesson in how vigour may be harnessed to sensitivity, while Firth layered rhythmic puzzles into the grooves without rendering them academic, and soloed with panache...” John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald

Steve Barry crossed the ditch in early 2009 and has quickly become one of Sydney’s most sought-after pianists, having worked with many prominent Australasian and international artists including John Hollenbeck (USA), Theo Bleckmann (USA), George Coleman Jr. (USA), Arun Luthra (USA), Tricia Evy (FRA) and the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra.

Joined by the heavyweight rhythm section of Alex Boneham on bass and the incredibly sympathetic Cam Reid on drums, the Steve Barry Trio focuses on lyrical melodies, deep grooves and group interaction, and demonstrates a unique collective rapport.

Steve Barry (piano) Alex Boneham (bass) Cameron Reid (drums)

A rare chance to hear these three great Sydney jazz musicians in a trio setting, playing classic jazz standards including some repertoire from some of the classic piano trios.  Groove, taste, and time will be the order of the day.

Guitarist Ben Panucci is part of a new generation of young jazz musicians with an immediate appeal and individual sound and approach.  Accompanied by Alex Boneham on bass and James Waples, this will be young Sydney jazz at it's best, in a space perfect to appreciate the range and subtlety of these three very versatile players.

Originally from Indonesia (In 2005, she led her quartet in the Jakarta International Java Jazz festival) but currently based in Sydney, Francesca Prihasti is now studying under Mike Nock at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and recently played with Dale Barlow in his sidewomen project.  It's the first time we've had the pleasure of hearing most of these young musicians - James Waples (drums), Alex Boneham (Double bass) , Nic Vardanega (guitar), Chris O Dea (Sax), and Simon Ferenci (trumpet) - it will be a great six piece band plaing Francesca's original compositions and new arrangements of standards

With Nat King Cole, Oscar Peterson Ray Brown and Ed thigpen in mind,
Gavin Ahearn, Alex Boneham,  Barney Wakeford and Cam Reid
will be revisiting some of the bluesy swinging piano trio stylings of yesteryear..

Back in NZ from several years living in Boston, James Wylie is a saxophonist/clarinetist involved in microtonal music and active in many styles including improvised music and jazz, contemporary classical and bluegrass. In this project he will present a woodwinds/bass/drums trio exploring a program of new and borrowed compos...itions and improvisations hinting at themes from Federico Fellini to Hank Williams.

Joining him will be two of Australian Jazz’s rising stars - Alex Boneham (James Muller Trio, The Vampires, Steven Barry) on bass and James ‘Pug’ Waples (Mike Nock, Bernie McGann, Jackson Harrison Trio) on drums.
www.jameswyliemusic.com

We'll be celebrating Nat King Cole's 92nd birthday (he only lived to 45) with an evening of his songs from the 40s and 50s.

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