Andy Butler is a pianist and composer living in Melbourne, playing improvised and experimental music. He plays in Australia and Europe with ellipsis, the Phonetic Orchestra, and DRUM. He was a finalist in the 2013 National Jazz Awards and has performed with many of Australia's leading improvisers. Andy is interested in ideas characterised by use of limited material developed through exploration of repetition, resonance, and register.

Jim Denley - wind instruments born Bulli, Australia 22/1/57
Spontaneity, site-specificity and collaboration have been central to his work. He sees no clear distinctions between his roles as instrumentalist, improviser and composer.
He has played throughout Australia, Europe, The Americas, Lebanon and Japan with artists such as Maggie Nichols, Carolyn Connors, Kari Rønnekleiv, Sidsel Endresen, Satsuki Odamura, Thembi Soddell, Natasha Anderson, Monika Brooks, Clare Cooper, Ami Yoshida, Amanda Stewart, Ikue Mori, Satchiko M, Rosalind Hall, Laura Altman, Julia Ready, Bonnie Stewart, Romy Caen, Prue Fuller, Sonya Hollywell and Annette Krebs.

His passion is playing music outdoors in Australia.
Maddogg - myserious, anonymous figure. Performing tonight on electronics

The winner and a runner-up from last year's Wangaratta Jazz prize : coming up from Melbourne specially for this night.  It will be a rare and special concert.

To help you get to know them, here are the Australian Jazz interviews with Andy and Joe (before anyone knew who the winner would be)

From Joe's interview:

What’s your favourite place to play or practise?

I get very excited when the opportunity presents to play a really nice grand piano in a large, reverberant room. All of the details in the instrument’s sound seem to be amplified. The harmonics in the treble are livelier, the bass is fuller, and the smallest sounds can project with surprising presence.