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"

"... a seemingly telepathic ability to begin and end each other's phrases."  John Shand reckons their CD is"among the finest recorded work of sinewy bassist Cameron Undy." I reckon i'm going to like it.  Reviews and stuff on the Jazzgroove site

Barney Wakeford plays the piano.  With Pete Kolhoff on bass (he's been all around town with James Valentine lately), and Mike Quigley on Drums.

John Harkins is Sydney's favourite Chicago blues man (or ours at least), playing a tribute to Hank Jones - the jazz legend who died last month at the age of 91.  In his 20s Hank worked with Hot Lips Page, and he played through the whole history of bop, bebop, and popular jazz working with Colman Hawkins, Ella Fitzgerald, Mailyn Munroe, Benny Goodman...  But it's not a tribute to any of them.