Berardi/ Foran/ Karlen create new soundscapes with Pascal Schumacher

“Pascal brings a real sense of soundscape to the Berardi/ Foran/ Karlen music; he thinks texturally, but also melodically. So when we added him to the group, it brought so much colour and depth to the sound, but also without standing out. To us it sounds like a natural fit.”

Ready for the 2018 Australian Jazz Bell Awards?

Genius pianist Barney McAll dominates the shortlist, being featured in four categories with his visceral masterpiece, ‘Hearing the Blood’, while brilliant newcomer saxophonist Evan Harris follows with three nominations, each representing a different generation of Australian jazz.

Kristin Berardi and James Sherlock: ‘It’s easy to make music with someone who’s a good friend’

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.

Sean Foran: “If you’re curious as to how modern jazz could be interpreted into dance, come take a look!”

“We’re always watching the dancers and responding to them – sometimes closely following the actions with musical cues, at other times creating a dynamic and textural sense of the emotion in the dance through the music. On the other hand, the dancers are listening to us and responding, taking their timing cues from us sometimes.”

Sonja Horbelt: ‘the Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival aims to feature role models for female student musicians’

“We’re seeing more women artists in jazz, but perhaps not at the rate we’re expecting. I think one of the biggest challenges is to encourage young players to pursue music at a tertiary level and beyond.”

The 2016 Australian Jazz Bell Awards shortlist

The shortlist for this year’s Australian Jazz “BELL” Awards has been officially announced. This year’s crop has been extraordinary, with many great albums submitted in the competition. The amount of talent in this list is overwhelming, and it is bound to make the work of the judges very hard