The Brisbane International Jazz Festival 2023 is back!

[MEDIA RELEASE]

Returning for the first time since 2018 is the Brisbane International Jazz Festival this 20 – 29 October. BIJF will take over the newly renovated Thomas Dixon Centre on Friday 27 October for the Main Festival Showcase Night, with a massive line-up of more than a dozen acts across multiple stages. Featuring Brooklyn-based saxophonist Caroline Davis and her adventurous trio Alula, Western Australian collective Quiet Country featuring Harry Mitchell (piano), Ben Vanderwal (drums), Allira Wilson (vocals), Karl Florisson (bass) and Ben Witt (guitar) premiering their new album, Melbourne’s Loose Leaf trio led by Andrew Saragossi, as well as some of Queensland’s finest artists – Hannah Macklin, Cigany Weaver, Chris Stover’s Imaginary Hybridities (USA), Joshua Hatcher Quartet, Sharon Nobs Trio, Khito, Tyler Cooney Quintet, SHAMIN, and the Theo Parrott Organ Trio. The showcase will also kick off with an open rehearsal of the commissioned works of Kayleigh Pincott and Brendan Foster — recipients of the inaugural Lynette Irwin MF Composition Commission.

Mobile since her birth in Singapore, saxophonist, composer, and vocalist Caroline Davis‘ expression covers a wide range of styles, owed to her shifting environment as a child. From angular, melody-present instrumental outfits to soulful, quirky song writing, Caroline’s persona is recognizably present. As an improviser and saxophonist, she has released six albums under her name and has won Downbeat’s Critic’s Poll Rising Star.

Through the years, her work continues to garner praise in domestic and international publications. Davis has shared musical moments with Lee Konitz, John Zorn, George Cables, Angelica Sanchez, The Femme Jam, Matt Mitchell, Terry Riley, Nicole Mitchell, Miles Okazaki, Geoffrey Keezer, Rajna Swaminathan, and Billy Kaye, among many others. Caroline was recently shortlisted for the 2023 DownBeat 71st Annual Critics Poll for Alto Saxophone alongside the likes of Lakecia Benjamin, Kenny Garrett, Steve Coleman, Jim Snidero, and Anthony Braxton.

“You can hear Ms Davis’ talent for deriving long, dizzying motifs from smaller melodic cells“
The New York Times on Caroline Davis

Quiet Country is a Perth-based collective of musicians that re-imagine iconic singer-songwriter works, celebrating the artistry in the songs that you know, while offering new perspectives and improvisational collaborations within the music. Their debut album I Am Like The Rain was released on ABC jazz in 2019 and met with critical acclaim, described as “thoughtful, beautifully weighted, and well crafted” by Loudmouth magazine. They will be performing their new album Sadness and Euphoria for the first time exclusively for BIJF.

Also performing as part of BIJF are Lisa Simone (USA), Ebo Taylor (Ghana) + The Afrobiotics (VIC), Hamed Sadeghi Empty Voices (Iran/NSW), Kristin Berardi, The Vampires (NSW), Unladylike Big Band, Connor Perkins, Helen Svoboda (VIC), Brad McCarthy, Jordy Stitt, Swing! Brother, Swing!, View From Madeleine’s Couch, Lachie Hamilton with Warwick Alder (NSW), and many more. Workshops will also run alongside the performances, including Caroline Davis (USA) Workshop, and a Young Women’s Workshop co-hosted by Talkin’ Jazz.