The 2002 LINE-UP

Arguably, Australia's most experienced international Jazz musician Errol Buddle was the first Australian Jazz musician to work continuously with top American Jazz players.

With other Jazz greats like Elvin Jones (drums) and Tommy Flanagan (piano), his group, the Australian Jazz Quintet toured America and Canada for about four years in the 1950’s. They initially backed singers such as Billie Holliday and Carmen McRae before branching out on it's own to play venues such as Birdland and Carnegie Hall.

Multi-reed player Errol Buddle worked and toured extensively in the 1960's with legendary bands like those of Dave Brubeck, Cannonball Adderley and Miles Davis. Errol has been a feature player with Henry Mancini, Nelson Riddle, Tommy Tycho and the Daly-Wilson Big Band.

He's right at home in many places & musics, but Brazil is especially dear to Melbourne guitarist Doug de Vries (PRON: rhymes with "breeze").

Doug has studied extensively throughout the world especially in Australia and Brazil where he has gained a unique perspective in Jazz especially Latin style. In 1991, he received the Australian Jazz and Blues Award for Australia's Best Jazz Guitarist. Doug has also toured UK, India, Noumea and the U.S.A., is an outstanding composer and arranger and in 1995 was commissioned by the Melbourne Symphony to write "New Metamorphoses" which was premiered in 1996.

Doug's new CD is a sequel to his recent study visit to Brazil. "A Knot In The Wood" is nicely diverse, melodious & all-acoustic. The ensemble involves picked & plucked strings & hand-percussion. The vocal numbers involve both English & Portuguese & feature the warm voice of Diana Clarke. And - surprise - the on-disc vocal debut of Doug himself.

American born John Hoffman is becoming a regular visitor to North Queensland. He of course headlined the Palmer Street Jazz Festival earlier this year.

Now living on the Gold Coast and teaching at the Queensland Conservatorium, John has had vast experience playing and touring the world with the big bands of Buddy Rich, Woody Herman and many others. John is not only one of Australia's finest trumpeters but has also been an important Jazz educator for many years.

That’s my kinda music," said Bill Clinton when Malcolm McNeill sang at a Presidential dinner in Christchurch.  "A terrific singer and a really great voice".

Malcolm is undoubtedly New Zealand's finest Jazz singer. As well as extensive touring in the UK with Cleo Laine and John Dankworth Malcolm has performed he has performed at festivals in Holland, France, Italy and most recently at the International Bombay Jazz Festival, India.

His repertoire ranges from songs of George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, Harold Arlen, Hoagy Carmichael, Cy Coleman, etc, to contemporary material by New Zealand and international composers.

Malcolm is the only artist to record a popular duet album with acclaimed Opera Diva Kiri Te Kanawa, for which he wrote the title song "HEART TO HEART". The album made the American Billboard best seller list for a "cross-over" recording.

Recently awarded a Queens Birthday honour for his services to Jazz, Phil Broadhurst would have to be one of New Zealand's best known Jazz Musicians.

A graduate of the Berkley School of Music (USA) Phil has always been in the forefront of Jazz performance and education in New Zealand. He has recorded prolifically both with his band Sustenance and on other peoples' projects.

Phil's favourite pianists include Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett so not surprisingly his style playing reflects this. He is a strong modern bebop stylist. Phil has written many Jazz originals and often includes some in his performances.

Andrew studied extensively in New York including with Jazz Legend Arthur Taylor Andrew and has played in three award-winning combos – the Bobby Gebert Trio, Blue Shift and the Andrew Speight Quartet. Currently on the staff of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Andrew was thew only non-American finalist in the 1991 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Drums Competition – the world’s most significant and prestigious Jazz competition.

Pianist/vocalist Julie Mason has 20 years of experience in the NZ music scene, recently releasing her debut solo album "Invitation" featuring some of New Zealand’s finest jazz musicians as well as Putter Smith from the USA.

She headlined the 1999 Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra in their Cisco Jazz Series, is a regular guest artist at Auckland’s Montana Winter Jazz Series and recently presented the sell-out "First Ladies of Jazz" at Auckland’s Aotea Centre.

Well known to Townsville audiences, Larry has been a major contributor to the local scene for many years. Formerly with Magnetic Drum, Larry is also an accomplished soloist and music educator.

In this new line-up Larry is joined by  Tony Bell (Bass), Steve Wright (Drums), John Hoffman (Brass) and Trevor Firth (Reeds)

What’s That

John Williams – Piano, Wayne Newey– Bass, Joe Delalande – Drums and Darren McPherson – Reeds

Les Nicholson – Brass, Bob Passmore – Reeds, Michael Faragher – Reeds, Nev Minon – Trombone

John Ruffle – Piano, Ken (Red) Huxley – Bass, Steve Wright – Drums, Bib Hebden – Guitar

Tom Osmond – Piano/Vocal;  Tracey Osmond – Vocal;  Grant Thomas – Bass;   Mathew Lye – Drums;   Ross Jorgensen – Reeds;  Jarrah Jones – Guitar

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