In 2009 Judy Bailey gave a long, insightful interview to Belinda Webster (of Tall Poppies records) for the second issue of ‘Extempore’ — the jazz journal which was this website’s predecessor — sharing her story, her discovery of the piano, of jazz, of improvisation; she also talks about her approach to teaching, her effort to bring jazz and classical music together, and she stresses the importance of ‘alert listening’.
IN 1979 Judy Bailey gave an interview to Pop/Jazz legend Janice Slater, one of the leading figures of the Australian music scene of the ’60s and ’70s. It is a snapshot of its time (including the tai-chi references), but it is also a testament to Judy Bailey’s lifelong commitment to her craft and the art form she chose as a means of expression.
Whether you’re a die-hard jazzophile or looking for a night of world-class entertainment, this is live music at its finest — up close and personal. From timeless standards to modern jazz brilliance, don’t miss out on the best of live jazz in the intimate, welcoming atmosphere of The Lounge.
The 2025 Melbourne International Jazz Festival again left the jazz audience spoilt for choice, leaving them with some hard choices to make between so many international and local acts.
Gregory Porter’s performance at the the Melbourne International Jazz Festival once again demonstrated that he is such a consummate musician. From the moment he sang the first note, that deep mellifluous baritone voice of his drew the listener in.
But make no mistake; Liv Andrea Haugue has a voice of her own, her influences — be it jazz, pop, contemporary, everything — seamlessly blended in her compositions, and perfectly displayed through her nuanced, perfectly balanced playing, and her interactions with her trio.
It’s a setting that suits her, and she makes great use of it, combining elements from the classic piano trio jazz albums of the ’50s legacy, to the modern Scandinavian/ Nordic jazz tradition — spacey, serene, classical-music-infused — and more than passing references to Keith Jarrett.
Of course, it’s wrong to call The Cloud Maker ‘Aviva Endean’s project’ — it misses so many marks. First and foremost, this is a collective project, featuring four unique female artists, each with her own trajectory. More importantly, this is quite literally a case of divine inspiration.
There’s a reason Alexander Beets has been nicknamed ‘The Hurricane’; yes, the nickname refers to his tempestuous playing and his big sound, but if you talk to him, you can understand how the sound is a natural byproduct of a big personality.
The show was loud, celebratory, deliberate — it was the kind that reminds you what live music does to the human system. Ibrahim Maalouf made everyone in the club dance, sweat, jump and sing. “Sorry to those who came to listen to jazz,” he grinned near the end.
Who is Tom Ollendorff, you ask? Great question! He is simply one of the brightest shootings stars of the jazz guitar in Europe at the moment.
An adventurous guitarist, a daring performer, an inventive composer, a dedicated educator, and a champion of equity and inclusion in music and academia, Jess Green has made a name for herself, chasing that creative spark that happens when music takes a turn you didn’t see coming. Now she’s bringing that same fearless energy to her new role, as program director of the Sydney Women’s International Jazz Festival.
A vocalist whose singing is like a warm embrace, a flutist weaving long, winding pathways of sound, and a groove champion who uses sampling as if it’s a jazz instrument on its own merit, Melanie Charles looks up at the star map of jazz and black music, identifies planets and galaxies, and travels from one place to another, her trajectory connecting the dots spread over 6-7 decades of music and culture — all through the lens of what she calls her ‘personal diaspora’.
Few musicians in Naarm/ Melbourne are as unpredictable as Solune. Now she’s back with Mad Vantage, a mind-blowing, take-no-prisoners blend of groove-centric nu-jazz and prog metal.
