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Offi cial Journal of the Brisbane Jazz Club Inc. Brisbane’s Home of Live Jazz....

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News has just broken that guitar legend Hank Marvin has signed to appear at the Oz Manouche Festival 2015 at Brisbane Jazz Club on 29 November.Having made his name as lead guitarist with Cliff Richard & The Shadows, back in the 50s, Hank went on to develop a highly successful solo career.

For some years he has been based in Perth, Australia and is well-known for his love of Gypsy Jazz. His band Hank Marvin Gypsy Jazz consists of Hank on lead guitar, Nunzio Mondia, on accordion and Gary Taylor on rhythm guitar.

The Oz Manouche Festival has been a regular annual feature at the BJC for some years, co-promoted by businessman Ronnie Woods and the Brisbane Jazz Club.

The series of sell-out shows held over the last weekend in November always features some of the great European names in Gypsy Jazz, which owes its popularity to the fame of guitarist Django Reinhardt who founded the Hot Club de Paris with Stephan Grappelli in the 30s and 40s and created a massive following for this acoustic style of music.

This will be a great opportunity for all the friends and fans that he made on his last visit to the BJC, to renew their acquaintanceship with Hank and his music.

JULY/AUGUST 2015

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE CLUB

• Don’t forget the popular, monthly events which are available at the Brisbane Jazz Club

FIRST AND THIRD MONDAY• Vocal Group Meeting

7pm-8.30pm

FIRST THURSDAY• Jazz Singers Jam Night

Music 7pm-10pm

THIRD WEDNESDAY• BJC ClubNite

Band 7.30pm-9.30pm

LAST SUNDAY• Sunday Brunch

Band 10am-12.30pm

• For full details of these and other gig information check out the website atwww.brisbanejazzclub.com.au

BJC LIVE is published by the Brisbane Jazz Club Inc. Readers are welcome to submit jazz-related material — news, photographs and other features, for publication. All items submitted are subject to the approval of the Brisbane Jazz Club and its editorial staff and may be subject to editing for clarity and length. The publishers reserve the right to delay or defer publication of submissions, or not to publish any material considered unsuitable, inappropriate or irrelevant to the aims of the Brisbane Jazz Club - no correspondence will be entered into.

Material submitted for publication does do not necessarily reflect the views of the Brisbane Jazz Club or the publishers of this journal.

COPYRIGHTBrisbane Jazz

Club 2015

VOLUME 1 - EDITION 5 Editors: Alan Western and Tony Freedland. Features: Alan Western. Advertising: Clemency Cartillier

HANK MARVIN SIGNED FOR OZ MANOUCHE

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VOLUNTEERS CORNER Ever since I became involved with the Club some 8 or 9 years ago …. I think it’s true to say that it’s been ‘work in progress’ the whole time - with some amazing results. But some things haven’t changed - like the calibre of our wonderful volunteers. Always willing to help, always friendly and always a delight to work with.

I welcome Del, Alex, Bernard and Debbie into the ‘family’, and hope they will enjoy their time at the Club.

Birthday girls in August are Jan Lennard and Kate Smith … best wishes to you both.

I was sorry to hear that Lorna’s husband has undergone major heart surgery, and hope that he is recovering well. Also on the ‘sick’ list are Gordy, who has spent more time in hospital, Neil, who is recovering from major shoulder surgery, and Marilyn who (at the time of writing) is to undergo delicate surgery on 1 July. My best wishes to you

all for speedy recoveries.

Also a get well message to Nickie who has succumbed to a winter ‘bug’. Good to see Terina back on deck … and to anyone else who has been ill, I hope you are or soon will be back on deck.

Forough, a volunteer who you will often see with camera in hand at the Club, is making quite a name for herself with her achievements in photographic competitions. I believe she has won several awards and is to be congratulated.

I can only lay claim to one upcoming ‘ achievement’ – that of becoming a great grandmother in January!!! That will make 4 generations, which is quite something.

And last, but not least, I would like to thank Barb Hopley for her time and effort in making the new circular black tablecloths, and more of the red ones.

Rita Laurie—Volunteer Co-ordinator

Brad Esbensen - Musical Director - Brisbane Big Band

Brad Esbensen is a Brisbane based trumpet player, arranger, composer, music copyist and educator. Always in demand as an MD and trumpet player, Brad may often be seen appearing with the many and varied groups performing at the BJC.

His association with the BJC stretches back to 1986 with involvement in jazz workshops with Rick Price and as President of the erstwhile Brisbane Junior Jazz Club set up under John Morris.

Since 2008 he has been Musical Director of the Brisbane Big Band, an association which stretches back to 1987, and also MD for Herb Armstrong and the Royal Street Krewe. He also performs with Jeff Usher’s Love Supreme Superband and the Craig

Martin Swing Band and corporate events band, Vegas Please. In addition to his performance schedule, he is currently Acting Director of Music at St Josephs College, Gregory Terrace, and lectures in Jazz Arranging at JMI (Jazz Music Institute). He is regularly writing and composing charts for various groups with a particular interest in big bands.

Outside of music, his interests include yoga and gluing bits of plastic together. KBO.

“SPREADING THE GOSPEL“(Letter received from Probus Club of Brisbane following their invitation for me to deliver a talk at their monthly meeting in July - the ‘standing up’ referred to stomping the “Bembe “ African rhythms as learned from John Morrison ! …….Alan Western)Dear Alan,On behalf of the committee of the Probus Club of Brisbane I would like to thank you for your informative presentation on the history of Jazz and the Brisbane Jazz Club. It was interesting to hear of the origins and development by others of this type of music.I thought your idea to get everyone to stand up was brilliant!! All of a sudden we had to do something!!! (we were a bit slow to realise you meant US to stand up!!) I think we all enjoyed the instructions and your explanations of how easy it was. Many thanks for your presentation, It was very interesting and informative with a nice touch of humour.Thank you.

BON VOYAGE ! The BJC is very proud of its association with many talented and successful jazz entertainers ,and none more so than the lady often described as ‘the favourite daughter of the club’ . Melissa Western has lived up to that accolade and established herself as a world –class jazz and cabaret performer with many sell-out shows to prove the point.Following her introduction to the Club as a big band singer by her father, Alan Western, her time as a Committee member and President of the BJC marked a turnaround in the fortunes of the club in the 21st Century, bringing in as she did, the fresh ideas of youth and her acting and marketing experience with Queensland Theatre Company. Having been a valedictorian and Gold Medal recipient at University of Queensland she graduated with a Masters degree and could have turned her talents to a number of different pursuits. She chose performing arts and proceeded to establish herself as a jazz singer, writing songs and shows on the way. Her self-penned shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe brought rapturous reviews and elevated her to star status in the fi ercely competitive world of the Fringe. Her marriage to pianist Tnee Dyer has also brought its own rewards, as well as two cute little girls who are eagerly following in their parents footsteps.

Melissa and Tnee have enjoyed great success in recent times touring their show Sweet, Sour and Saucy as ‘Barbara & Barry—Experts in Love ‘!

So why the Bon Voyage? Well in 2014 Melissa was nominated for and awarded a Winston Churchill Trust Fellowship, the proceeds of which she will use to study impromptu theatre . This will require up to 12 months of studying these shows in the UK , a country in which they are established.

We are sure that she will acquit this task with merit , in common with all her other successful projects , and wish her and her family well. No doubt all her friends and fans will be just as eager to see them on their return as will their families—bon voyage and bon chance.

As a special part of the Brisbane Fringe Festival, Coisa Linda will present a unique show on 26 August featuring Brazilian vocalist Lucia Madeiros Hodge in a tribute to the life and music of legendary Brazilian singer Elis Regina, in recognition of her 70th Anniversary.Born in Sao Paulo, Elis carved out a career for herself as a Pop and Jazz music singer. Her death at the age of only thirty-six in 1982 was a great shock to the nation, as she was considered to be a true Brazilian star. She rose to fame in 1965, by singing “Arrastão” - composed by Edu Lobo and Vinícius de Moraes in the TV Excelsior festival song contest. This lead her to success on the TV programme O Fino da Bossa. Elis will be rememberedas for her vocalization, as well as her interpretation and dynamic performances in shows. She recorded several successful compositions, such as “Como nossos pais” - Belchior, “Upa Neguinho” - E. Lobo and Gianfrancesco Guarnieri, “Madalena” - Ivan Lins.

BJC ……………….‘BURSTING WITH TALENT’ More notable events to watch out for in August:

Thursday 6 August ……….INGRID JAMES presents JAZZ SINGERS JAM NIGHT 14th Birthday

Saturday 8 August ……….Diamonds of Swing with our own JAN LENNARD and DI CLARK

Two of the Brisbane’s Jazz Club favourite singers, Alan Western and Peter Vance, have joined musical forces to create the aptly named, and long awaited, ‘Jazz and Pzazz’ CD.

The fi rst half of the evening was dedicated to the CD launch and enjoyed by an appreciative audience who loved every minute of Alan and Pete’s renditions of some amazing tracks including Mac the Knife, Spinning Wheel, I Thought about You, Save Your Love for Me - with an amazing solo by Adam Connelly on sax, and Heart and Soul - with another crowd-stopping guitar solo from Russell Bayne. Alan and Pete alternated tracks and came together for duets which showcased their individual talents and had the crowd clapping for more. Two original compositions - Waiting For the Rain by Alan and Brothers by Pete’s brother, Andy Vance were also very well received.

Backed by the astounding musical prowess of some of Brisbane’s fi nest musicians who joined together to form the Wondersound Band – Paula Girvan on piano and keyboard,

Amby Dowdeswell on bass, Russell Bayne on guitar, Paul Hudson drumming up a storm, Brad Esbensen, Ivan Cocking and Adam Connelly blowing their hardest, this was a band to be reckoned with.

The second half let us have a glimpse into Alan and Pete’s next project – making some of the greatest Stevie Wonder songs their own! The crowd were cheering from the fi rst number Another Star - Pete shone on Lately and I Just

Called to Say I Love You , Alan wowed with his versions of If You Really Love Me and You and I. They both put the band through its paces on Part Time Lovers and Sir Duke until it was time for the lights to be dimmed and the crowd to join in with candles waving, and in full voice, for That’s what Friends are For.

The evening was over too soon and everyone wandered off in to the night with smiles and a song on their lips after being a part of this fantastic musical journey.

Irene Mcleod 17 July 2015

ALAN WESTERN and PETER VANCE: Jazz and Pzazz CD Launch BJC Saturday 11 July, 2015

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GIGREVIEWS

It is fairly easy to write about melodious mainstream, good ole Dixie or even Latin jazz, but when it comes to progressive, Avante Garde or Metal Jazz the boundaries of my knowledge are stretched and I’m gasping in the rarifi ed air.

Empathy is important in any critique so let us talk about how it makes you feel when you hear it and what the writers and performers are trying to demonstrate with this music. I guess for a start you need to have a strong conviction and dedication to the music and what you are trying to say. You also need the courage to risk the lack of acceptance of a style which is loud, strong, totally unapologetic and de-mands to be heard.

As a musical adventurer Andre Bonetti has the chops to present a band of fellow ‘thinking’ musicians who understand and and dig the style. The results for me were impressive and thrilling and, while I admit that probably a whole evening of this might be over the top for me, the set that I heard absolutely held my attention.

Certainly Andre’s writing and direction once again proved his musical credentials and those consummate musicians of the Valtozash Big Band reaped quite rapturous applause at the opening night of the 2015 Brisbane Big Band Festival.

There is a new place for this style of Jazz and I hope that Andre continues to make a success of it.

Alan Western - 29 June 2015

VALTOZASH BIG BAND Brisbane Big Band Festival 14 May, 2015

This was an outstanding evening of entertainment, delivered with poise, precision, personality, power and passion.

Special guest William Barton contributed his unique skills with didgeridoo, guitar and vocals, for one performance in each set. His duet with Elly on the title track of Elly’s latest album, ‘Oranges and Sunshine’, was magical, mystical and sublime; one of the night’s many high-lights.

The band’s fi nal silky touch was delivered in the form of a soul-stirring arrangement of Bob Marley’s ‘Is This

Love?’ Elly, love is indeed what it is!! You and your talented musicians brought it, you shared it, and an appreciative audience returned it.

Elly is leaving soon for two years of study in Boston, USA. We will miss you. Bon voyage and au revoir, until you, your band and your love can return to our stage, here at the Brisbane Jazz Club.

Alan Smith

ELLY HOYT BAND BJC Saturday 27 June, 2015