The event program features three ensembles performing in solidarity with asylum seekers imprisoned under Australia’s watch; Jackie Bornstein’s Jazz and Social Justice, Oscar Neyland’s Wirecutters, and Julien Wilson’s Autonomous Resilience Collective.
“Sometimes people just assume that I am not a “serious” musician by my look. I usually play outrageous stuff and vibe them out.”
Leading a well-oiled machine of an ensemble, featuring Ricki Malet on trumpet, Harry Mitchell on the keys, Zac Grafton on bass and Ben Vanderwal on drums, Jamie Oehlers presents yet another collection of memorable tunes, delivered with passion, urgency and vigour.
“I’m trying to sing and put something good out into the world. I believe that when people do good,it becomes contagious like ripples in an ocean, and those ripples turn into waves. We just can’t get distracted to all the ugliness going on.”
“It’s my aim to transport each audience to a bar in Montmatre, or a scene in a Truffaut movie for a short while!”
“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.”
Indigenous jazz vocalist Lois Olney plays an intimate and very special show at The JazzLab with Fem Belling and the Belling band.
“Musically, I like the idea of keeping music borderless and open to all kinds of influences. It really excites me when I hear new music that is difficult to categorise into a specific box.”
“I’m singing to whoever is listening. If you’ve gotten up off the couch and have come to see some music, I am (dare I say the word) grateful, so I will sing for you. I write for myself and I find that quite cathartic, but I sing for whoever needs a song on that day, at that moment.”
“I chose to tell you that story because it helps shine a light on how NPCO came to be. Because I started to inhabit two worlds, the jazz setting and the formal chamber music setting, and I was looking for a way to bring them together naturally.That’s how NPCO started.”
