“Mingus’ music is very deep on so many levels. It delves into human feelings, political oppression, issues of inequality in society, intimate relationships… all of which is still significant today. I find his compositions, playing and life in general to be a massive outpouring of emotions that were possibly his only way of dealing with the world he found himself living in. A world that in a lot of regards has changed very little today.”
“Work hard, stay focused. Connect with other positive, creative artists who are also good human beings. Give more back than you take. Stay true to yourself. Don’t waste your time with useless BS. Dont be silent if something doesn’t feel right.”
“Well, the level of communication is very high. We know each other’s styles so well that the music always comes together in uncanny ways. This is a real asset when the music has a lot of improvisation, as ours does. It’s basically a musical conversation happening at a very high level. This is what the best jazz really is all about.”
“I do want to reach other/new audiences for our music and creating this video was an attempt to do that. The ice being that people who might not discover the music simply by coming to a ‘jazz gig’ might see the clip and be intrigued that way.”
The best part about programming and running the club is discovering so much incredible talent which is right here in Melbourne! The scene is constantly evolving and developing. I’m proud that we have been able to create a space for musicians to play, be it musos just starting their career, or those who have been in the scene for many years and who are re-discovering new projects! Paris Cat jazz club really does have something for everyone!
“It’s an endless competition; you’re always competing for gigs, and competing to play in different bands or going for the same awards; and there are always people out there trying to judge you; it’s a fact of life and a fact of the music scene. People are going to be judging you and the best way to go is to be yourself. I can’t do more than that.”
‘Round Midnight’ because of three reasons: I love that song, its not classical music, and it is very complex – harmonically and melodically – so it was a challenge for all of them. The structure of that cycle was turned in four parts: morning, afternoon, evening, round midnight. The idea is that the theme could be discoloring, like the Rouen Cathedral by Monet, from the strong light of morning to the dreamlike atmosphere of midnight. Joel Hoffman, dean of CCM at University of Cincinnati, and respected composer, loved the idea and supported it.
“Our main wish behind the collaborative video series is to celebrate Australia’s current thriving writers and performers. We’ve chosen performers whose music truly moves us, shapes our own sound and brings something complementary yet alternative to the Market Lane sound platter.”
This strange sense of yearning and of trying to capture the essence of a memory and understanding that memory is fallible and you can never really re-experience something as it was, I was interested in that and interested in the way that music can communicate that gradual decay of memory. So the piece is kind of about patterns and the decay of patterns, it’s about memory and the beauty of decay.
What is it that you most admire about each other?
James Sherlock: Kristin’s ability to inhabit songs and really communicate not only with listeners but also with the musicians she plays with; everyone loves playing with her!
Kristin Berardi: I love that James loves this music so much, and he listens so much. Sometimes it really freaks me out, but it’s like he knows what I’m going to do before I do! It’s easy to make music with someone who’s a good friend. There’s a trust there but also we have fun. That’s important.
