“It is very hard for me to put a label to my music as I think its sort of a hybrid of genres. Coming from a classical background, I know that there is the classical influence in there, there’s the folk element coming from my cultural background – both as an Armenian and Lebanese – and of course there’s also the jazz influence, the harmonies, the improvisations and the approach in the composition process.”
“When you are finding it a struggle as a woman in the jazz scene, try talking to other women about it. Look to history, to the female composers and performers who continued to pursue their dreams and rose to the top of their field despite the many difficulties they faced.”
“It’s my aim to transport each audience to a bar in Montmatre, or a scene in a Truffaut movie for a short while!”
Gaby Moreno is back in Australia, and anyone already exposed to her captivating voice and stage presence are already excited about it. Equally mesmerising whether […] Read More
Bassist and bandleader Steve Purcell shares the story of the Pearly Shells, a band that he literally dreamt about, and talks about the perennial appeal of swing music, the Melbourne music scene and his signature Belmar records ‘Altona Swamp’ sound
“My journey in jazz and improvised music has been all working out so well ever since I moved toAustralia.As a foreigner in the country and an international student, I felt very fortunate and thankful to be welcomed by the safe, family-like environment of the Australian jazz scene. So many generous musicians and friends shared their knowledge without hesitation and encouraged me to explore my own sound and ideas. Even when my work doesn’t turn out so well, there has been no judgment, but continuous trust and support.”
“Accordion, cello and guitar are instruments that all play a melody, so we often switch up who backs who. It’s very transformable. We don’t feel like there are any limitations. Except that as people, we love to play music outside but actually can’t stand the rain or the sun (laughs). That’s about the limits of our art, the weather.”
“Our string section is much more than just a lush carpet of sound. They interact and improvise with the rhythm section and combine melodic structures with our vocalist and saxophonist.”
“My singing has helped me to create more lyrical stories when I’m playing the piano. Instrumentalists cancertainly get comfortable running changes, and singing has really taught me to slow down and be more aware of melody.”
“In Bridge of Dreams, the collaboration between myself, Shubha and Aneesh was at the core of the creative process. I am not in any way expert in Hindustani music – they are! They generously share their knowledge, are willing to experiment, trust, take risks, and allow me to use my instincts to shape and recontextualise the musical materials they offer. “
