A: The beginning of this music was really inspired by my time living in New York and some dear friends there who I’ve learnt so much from musically. That city has a tendency to persuade you to be curious about anything and everything. It really encourages you to listen and learn in a lot of ways, and with that, also find presence, even amidst all the movement. Around this time, I was playing music quite consistently with some dear friends of mine, an incredible flute player Anggie Obin from Panama, a vibraphonist from Ecuador named Julian Velasco, and Swiss/Tobago drummer Jessie Cox. These guys taught me so much about music, and introduced me to lots of new music from different places around the world. I was very much a sponge throughout this time, and started writing a bunch of music with these guys in mind. However when Covid prompted my return back to Sydney, I put the music on hold. In 2022, I had the unbelievable honour of being the recipient of the Jann Rutherford Memorial Award, which really did inspire me to revisit writing and finish this music.
With the incredible support from this award, alongside ABC Jazz, I was able to assemble a beautiful band from Sydney to record the music, and we got to the finish line! It’s been such a long time coming, and I’m so happy we made it.
The album is dedicated to this idea of finding presence, and listening to one’s honest self, a process that exists most powerfully between all the motion and all the thoughts.
The musicians on this recording are all artists I am deeply inspired by, as well as the projects they are involved in! Along with being friends of mine who I love playing music with, their musical identities are also forged by a kaleidoscope of influences, in a similar way to mine, and they are all really open to the music criss-crossing through genres and styles.
Jazz carries a long history of embracing cross-cultural meetings and exchanges of musical traditions from Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe, and I think that’s what I love most about this artform – its collective and collaborative expression. This sentiment runs throughout the album.
On the recording, we have Alex Masso on drums – I just love the way Alex plays and I’ve been a long-time listener of The Vampires for many years so it’s been so special to have him on the recording. We have Chris Fields on percussion – Chris has been immersed in Cuban and Brazilian music traditions for many years, along with North India tabla, so it was amazing to be able to learn from and share the music with him. The album also features Freyja Garbett on piano, who I’ve played music with since I was 15.
She reads my mind musically a lot of the time — haha — and plays so much of what I hear in the music. And for horns, we have Dave Reglar on tenor and Tom Avgenicos on trumpet. I feel so honoured these guys are on the album, they are just sublime players and I have such deep respect and admiration for the musicians that they are.
The full-length album is an extension of my EP Meeting Place which was released earlier this year in April. Featuring guitarist Felix Lalanne and drummer Jessie Cox, this music was written to celebrate our meeting places, wherever they may be – the people and places that hold a profound ability to anchor us in the present moment.
As a trio, this recording was captured at Golden Retriever Studios by Richie Belkner, and was loads of fun. Carrying lots of the same sentiments, the new full length album is an expansion, created with a larger ensemble in mind.
Who is playing with you at the Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival launch?
I’m so looking forward to this gig! The Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival is such a brilliant festival with an incredible lineup of artists and I’m so honoured to be a part of it. I’m also so grateful to have two super special Melbourne musicians joining me for the set – Phil Noy on tenor and Fran Swinn on guitar, alongside myself and Jessie Cox on drums, who is joining us all the way from the States. We will be warming the stage for Kennedy Snow, lead by the wonderful Sonja Horbelt, who is also launching an album! We really hope to see you there!
Which track best describes your current state of mind?
I think maybe ‘Breathe.’
There is so much going on out there, and our breath really is our greatest gift in how it guides us back to the here and now. Actually let’s all just take a breath together real quick!
