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.
‘The program is really a representation of me and my journey — songs I love, that have brought me to where I am. There’s a wide mix: originals I wrote at MONA, jazz and blues pieces, Celtic traditional music, and some contemporary covers — probably from the ’90s, because I love that era.’
“By paying attention to what I liked about my own playing and focusing on developing that, I naturally created a mash-up of everything I love about music. All the greatest players, recordings, and gigs I’ve experienced filter through me — and what I love about all of that became my voice, my sound.”
“Having the opportunity to spend a little time outside of ‘gigs’ with these musicians and professionals was a joy, and I’m proud to know the diversity and spirit of Australian jazz are shining brightly on the global stage.”
“Translating Kundera’s prose to music involved capturing the emotional depth and contrasting themes of lightness and weight. The main challenge was creating compositions that embody the philosophical nuances of the text while maintaining a coherent and engaging musical narrative.”
It’s very obvious that Hank Marvin loves what he does, what he’s been doing for a lifetime, and this love spreads through his fingers, his guitar’s body, the PA system and wraps the listener in a heartwarming embrace.
The ‘Soundproof the Future’ fundraiser gig at The Night Cat was everything I love about Melbourne music and more. A veritable melting pot of musical culture and style; multi-cultural, multi-age and cumulative decades upon decades, of honed skill and talent.
“Most of the time, if something doesn’t feel right, most of us – if not everyone in Snarky Puppy – can feel it; and when something is right, almost everybody can feel it as well. So it’s pretty rare that people would be split on their opinion.”
“I am lucky enough to have had a song or two written about me, but you will have to find them.”
