Jan 9 & 10 @ 8pm  (please be seated by 7:45pm)
Entry: $20/ $15 concession.
Tickets also available at www.moshtix.com.au, 1300 GET TIX (438 849) and all moshtix outlets

Kenny's Lab Band

Mike Kenny: Trumpet and flugelhorn
Richard Maegraith: Saxophones and flute
Jason Morphett: Saxophones
John Harkins: Piano
Brendan Clarke: Bass
Jamie Castrisos: Drums


Mike, Richard, Jason and Jamie were in the RAAF band together for a number of years. Now art and the military go together like oil and water, so to stop their artistic sensibilities from being drilled out of them, they formed 'The Lab Band'. This band was originally a place to try out ideas and keep sane. Eventually, someone who had some biff worked out that they were actually making pretty good music and let them loose at a few jazz festivals. Much to everyone's surprise 'the civilians' actually liked their music, and these square pegs in round holes got a bunch more gigs, just before the top brass decided that that much fun at taxpayers expense should be stopped. A bomb is more bang for your buck than Jamie 'dropping bombs' during LAC Morphett's third chorus of Alone Together. So they went their own way until Mike had the idea; 'lets re-institutionalise the de-militarised lab rats, add a couple of Jazz cats (Harko and Clarkey) and see what happens!' Now take some old standards that everyone knows and loves, run them through some vigorous experiments involving the harmonies of John Coltrane and Roger Frampton and who knows, sparks might fly, explosions take place and the hypothesis that music is the merging of melodies, minds, modes and past masters be proved.

The performances will be recorded over the two nights to make an album and video.

Jan 9 & 10 @ 8pm  (please be seated by 7:45pm)
Entry: $20/ $15 concession.
Tickets also available at www.moshtix.com.au, 1300 GET TIX (438 849) and all moshtix outlets

Kenny's Lab Band

Mike Kenny: Trumpet and flugelhorn
Richard Maegraith: Saxophones and flute
Jason Morphett: Saxophones
John Harkins: Piano
Brendan Clarke: Bass
Jamie Castrisos: Drums


Mike, Richard, Jason and Jamie were in the RAAF band together for a number of years. Now art and the military go together like oil and water, so to stop their artistic sensibilities from being drilled out of them, they formed 'The Lab Band'. This band was originally a place to try out ideas and keep sane. Eventually, someone who had some biff worked out that they were actually making pretty good music and let them loose at a few jazz festivals. Much to everyone's surprise 'the civilians' actually liked their music, and these square pegs in round holes got a bunch more gigs, just before the top brass decided that that much fun at taxpayers expense should be stopped. A bomb is more bang for your buck than Jamie 'dropping bombs' during LAC Morphett's third chorus of Alone Together. So they went their own way until Mike had the idea; 'lets re-institutionalise the de-militarised lab rats, add a couple of Jazz cats (Harko and Clarkey) and see what happens!' Now take some old standards that everyone knows and loves, run them through some vigorous experiments involving the harmonies of John Coltrane and Roger Frampton and who knows, sparks might fly, explosions take place and the hypothesis that music is the merging of melodies, minds, modes and past masters be proved.

The performances will be recorded over the two nights to make an album and video.

Another great night from John Harkins, the Chicago-born piano player who inhabits the time when Jazz and the Blues weren't different yet. He'll bring us the same swinging vibe he carries wherever he goes, but with all new material and arrangements.

Craig Scott and Brendan Clarke

Double-bassists.  Double double bass.  The gentlemen of the F clef.

It's the last in our explorations of improvising duets, and we're finishing on a low note.  Expect the resonant deep tones and sit back and enjoy the vibrations.

You heard it right folks, it's a duo of double bass.

John and Brendan, both steeped in the jazz tradition, great improvisers who have worked together for years, will perform this very rare duet show.  2 sets of Jazz and Bebop compositions, mixed with Standards from the Great American Songbook.

After many years of touring and performing together, Jake Barden (Sydney) and Louis Stapleton (Germany) formed a great musical bond and deep understanding of each other’s playing. In 2008 and 2009, Louis and Jake toured Europe together playing at Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Jazz a Vienne in France and the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy. Since then, Louis has moved to Weimar, Germany where he is studying at the Franz Liszt School of Music and Jake is now studying at the Sydney Conservatorium.  Last year they recorded an album together (Late Nights and City Lights), and while Louis is back in Australia for a couple of months we have the opportunity to hear them together, with Cam Reid on drums and Brendan Clarke on double bass.

“Jake Barden is a very talented musician. I’m sure his name will be widely known among the next generation of top players”
— Don Burrows, 2010
“Louis has strong concepts of voicing, melodic line, complex rhythms and I must say, for his age, his compositions are very advanced”
— Tom O ́Halloran, 2008

check out some youTube at jakebarden.com.au

“The shadowy, serpentine soprano and alto trails of Gai Bryant are on the list of Australian jazz music’s most treasured delights.”
Craig Pearce-Drum Media

"Paul Derricott's... outstanding and varied compositions, intelligently played; (are)a demonstration of how pop influences can be fused into valuable jazz interpretations." John McBeath

" Borthwick weaves agile lines around lazy trombone yawns and raking blasts." John Clare, Sydney Morning Herald

Brief biographies and sound bytes are available at: gaibryantspareparts.com/gai_bryant.htm

Maybe you aren't one of Bri's 1200 facebook friends, maybe you didn't follow her adventures through the jazz capitals of the world last year, culminating in the recording of her first album in New York with Aaron Goldberg, Reuben Rogers, Greg Hutchinson, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Mike Moreno.

but tonight you can hear her beautiful voice fill Colbourne Ave in real life, with a completely different and much more local band - Greg Coffin (piano), Ken Allars (trumpet), James Muller (guitar),Brendan Clarke (bass), Nic Cecire (drums)

John Harkins is Sydney's favourite Chicago blues man (or ours at least), playing a tribute to Hank Jones - the jazz legend who died last month at the age of 91.  In his 20s Hank worked with Hot Lips Page, and he played through the whole history of bop, bebop, and popular jazz working with Colman Hawkins, Ella Fitzgerald, Mailyn Munroe, Benny Goodman...  But it's not a tribute to any of them.

A beautiful singer with a great voice who understands the groove.  Bri has been playing all over town this year, and she deserves the great rap she's getting - but this is her farewell gig before she leaves for some jet-setting, so get your last fix...

Briana Cowlishaw (Voice)
Ken Allars (Trumpet)
Greg Coffin (Piano)
Brendan Clarke (Bass)
Nic Cecire (Drums)

myspace.com/bricowlishaw