Henry Kovacevic: ‘B# keeps Big Band Swing alive and live’

Big Band Swing evolved during 1930s and ’40s wartime – a time of great oppression. It served to lift the spirits of those at that time, troops and civilians alike. Today too, Big Band Swing shouts an anthem call to all who are weary; Weary of war, worry and woe. So, as B# keeps Big Band Swing alive and live, people from ‘Gen Y to Gen Wartime’ smile, embrace and dance to re-feel their aliveness. And in the depths of their being, the ‘boom, boom, boom’ of today’s ‘modern bombs’ are again drowned by the joy of swing, the joy of life.

Chris Broomhead: “Refraction’s music is a good soundtrack to a contemplative adventure journey”

” I think the way the trio plays has evolved and is sounding more unified – which is what happens with time spent playing together, and I think the new recording reflects this.
We’re still definitely exploring the textual and dynamic changes, going from relaxed tempos and feels through to some faster and more frenetic pieces.”

Jan Preston: ‘Life is for learning!’

“I was always interested in boogie and ragtime, but didn’t have a teacher for that style, so I taught myself, with great difficulty, later in life.
I regret I didn’t live in Hamburg during the 1970s, when there was the huge explosion of boogie and blues piano players, the best in the world. It would have been clearer and quicker for me if I could have been part of that scene.”

Essentially Ellington Workshops @ JMI

Utilizing listening, demonstration, discussion and practical application, attendees gain insight into transferring relevant techniques to their band room. In Essentially Ellington’s rich 19-year history, JALC has distributed more than 120,000 charts to more than 4,200 schools, reaching over 504,000 students.

Ingrid James: “the Brisbane Vocal Jazz Festival hopes to celebrate the diversity of the jazz vocal art form”

” It’s our intention to make this yearly event a flagship for Queensland Vocal Jazz by providing significant career opportunities, job creation and promotion of jazz artists. We want to celebrate the diversity of the jazz vocal art form which encompasses everything from original works to original reinterpretations of jazz standards – mainstream and contemporary as well as jazz vocal improvisation.”