The first in our April 2014 Jazz Piano Master Series - featuring entrants, finalists, and the winner of the Wangaratta jazz award.

This week, Harry Sutherland and Barney Wakeford.  Two excellent piano players, and very fine human beings.

Barney Wakeford is an endlessly inventive improvisor, a free, intuitive player whose open approach was born from decades of intense study.  In full flight, his playing is mesmerising.  He had some beautiful new compositions at his last trio gig, I'm looking forward to the solo versions.

Harry is a very versatile player.  You can see him playing trad jazz at the RSL, new music at the Foundry, hip hop grooves at festivals.  You can hear him around town almost every week in a trio, a large ensemble, or a big band - and this week, solo.  He won the James Morrison scholarship in 2010 - come and decide whether he should have won the Wangaratta prize.

Formed in 2010 by seven like-minded individuals from the Sydney jazz and improvised music scene, The A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. Orchestra’s unusual sound stems from its unconventional line-up (two saxophones, trumpet, guitar, piano/organ, sousaphone, drums) and the unique musical experiences and interests of its members.  Part improvisation ensemble, part chamber group, each of the members contribute compositions, allowing for an intriguing array of musical styles and approaches to reveal themselves within one performance.

The “Orchestra” also commissions and plays the compositions of external composers, all locally sourced and ethically treated, who find themselves inspired to write or adapt for its instrumentation.  From meticulously through-composed pieces to works that allow exhilarating explorations by some of Sydney’s finest young improvisers, a set from the A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. Orchestra is constantly shifting and bringing about sounds and colours you’ve never heard, but always wished you had.

Jo Derrick trumpet
Peter Farrar alto
James Loughnan tenor
Dave De Vries guitar
Grant Arthur sousaphone
James Waples drums
Harry Sutherland piano and keyboards

facebook.com/acronymorchestra

Nic is an emerging local guitarist, who has recently completed his studies at the con.  He's played at Colbourne Ave with Francesca Prihasti many times, and for the first time this thursday he'll be bringing his own band to the venue.

Harry Sutherland is one of Australia’s most promising young jazz pianists. In 2010 he won the James Morrison Scholarship at the Generations in Jazz festival in Mount Gambier. He recorded a set of music for ABC Jazz digital radio and had a track played on Jazztrack with Mal Stanley. He plays with Geoff Bull and the Finer Cuts, Mike Rivett, Matilda Abraham and A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. Orchestra among many others.

This newly formed ensemble will mainly play Harry's original compositions. It features Thomas Botting on double bass and James Waples on drums

here he is at the ABC with another trio : abcjazz.net.au/features/abc-jazz-recording-harry-sutherland-trio