Aaron Blakey is a jazz pianist originally from New Zealand.
Before moving to Sydney, Aaron spent three years living in Japan as an active pianist on the Tokyo Jazz Scene. The Aaron Blakey Quartet will be presenting a variety of original tunes that Aaron has composed, based on various experiences from his times in Auckland, Tokyo, New York and Sydney, as well as some cool standards.
Aaron will be joined by Mike Rivett, James Heazlewood Dale and James Waples. Each of these wonderful musicians brings their own voice to the tunes.
Look forward to a fantastic night of music!

Aaron Blakey (piano)
Mike Rivett (tenor sax)
James Heazlewood Dale (bass)
James Waples (drums)

www.aaronblakey.com

Originally from Indonesia (in 2005, she led her quartet in the Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival) and currently based in Sydney, Pianist Francesca Prihasti is studying under Mike Nock at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and comes to Colbourne Ave having recently played with Dale Barlow in his Sidewoman project. Her six piece band featuring drumming dynamo Nic Cecire, Bassist David Groves and guitarist Nic Vardanega, will be playing original compositions and arrangements of standards, imbued with Prihasti's poise and crystaline focus.

Peter grew up listening to early swing recordings, and by the time he was ten he fell in love with Bunny Berigan's trumpet.  He grew up to become a piano player, and there are few musicians today who can move so seamlessly from interpretations of the works of Bix Beiderbecke and Duke Ellington to Be-Bop and beyond.

John and Brendan, both steeped in the jazz tradition, great improvisers who have worked together for years, will perform this very rare duet show.  2 sets of Jazz and Bebop compositions, mixed with Standards from the Great American Songbook.

“Steven Barry, a young New Zealander, has brought his dazzling skills as a pianist and composer to Sydney. He shrugged aside cliche, deployed scintillating articulation, and gave his colleagues such ingenious raw material as the Bartok-inspired Clusters. Boneham's solos were a lesson in how vigour may be harnessed to sensitivity, while Firth layered rhythmic puzzles into the grooves without rendering them academic, and soloed with panache...” John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald

Steve Barry crossed the ditch in early 2009 and has quickly become one of Sydney’s most sought-after pianists, having worked with many prominent Australasian and international artists including John Hollenbeck (USA), Theo Bleckmann (USA), George Coleman Jr. (USA), Arun Luthra (USA), Tricia Evy (FRA) and the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra.

Joined by the heavyweight rhythm section of Alex Boneham on bass and the incredibly sympathetic Cam Reid on drums, the Steve Barry Trio focuses on lyrical melodies, deep grooves and group interaction, and demonstrates a unique collective rapport.

Steve Barry (piano) Alex Boneham (bass) Cameron Reid (drums)

One of those perfect, rare duets that work so well in the Cafe Church space and are almost impossible anywhere else.  Following on from Spike and Matt's sax/piano duet, this piano /trumpet duet will provide the perfect environment for these two best mates to bring everything they have to the music.  Original, improvised, new Sydney jazz.

Steven Barry

Eamon Dilworth

Possibly Australia's most influential living jazz musican, Judy has taught and performed with generations of performers, helping to create the sound and culture of Sydney's jazz scene.  It's more than two years since they last played for us, and the ABC has just released a 4CD box set of Judy's recording projects.  She will play for us with her long-time trio : Craig Scott on bass and Tim Firth on drums.

STOP PRESS! Tim Firth has injured his arm, so it's another duet!

Spike Mason on sax, Matt McMahon on piano.  Two great musicians with a long history of playing together and a deep love of improvised music.  Matt and Spike can both draw from a huge catalogue of standards and each has a long list of original compositions.  It is an important day for me, and I know it will be a perfect night of music.

Right on!

Everybody loves Matt, and the synergy he has developed with Jono Brown and Simon Barker over a decady is astounding.  They will play pieces from their 13 year history and some brand new ones too.
Of their cd "Ellipsis" John Shand said in the Sydney Morning Herald:
"McMahon's playing is ravishing ... The recording quality is excellent and the music is as good as any current piano-trio jazz"