17/06/2008 2008 APRA Music Awards
To follow is the complete list of winners for the 2008 APRA Music
Awards.
2008 APRA Music
Awards
Monday June 16th
Hilton Sydney
Blues and Roots Work of the
Year
Title:
Good Excuse
Artist: The
John Butler Trio
Writer:
John Butler
Publisher:
Family Music Pty Ltd
Jazz Work of the Year
Title:
Eucalypso
Artist:
The Moovin’ and Groovin’ Orchestra
Writer:
Kenneth Schroder
16/06/08 Music Board No Longer funds Music
CD’s
It is to my amazement that I have discovered
that the Music Board of
the Australia Council no longer funds the recording of Australian
composers and/or musicians on compact disc. Have the cultural
bureaucrats joined the world of Orwell's (possibly Huxley's) double
speak? If it wasn't so serious it would be laughable, here we have
the Music Board, the country's premier funding body for music and it
doesn't fund cd recordings of Australian music? Ludicrous and
farcical come to mind! Perhaps not 1984/Brave New World, more Monty
Python! Or to put it into musical terms perhaps Gilbert & Sullivan!
It seems the bureaucrats are more concerned with rushing into the new
technology rather than the music itself. Surely there are two major
ways to promote Australian music; one through performance, two,
through recordings. Live performance is obviously the best way to
hear music; again obviously, not everybody is able to enjoy that
performance. The second best way is to hear a recording. And we are
talking here of a high fidelity recording, not an on-line digital
recording, which is NOT a high fidelity recording. A recording is the
most convenient way to hear the extraordinary talented musicians and/
or composers we have in Australia and what a marvellous way to export
Australian music. It seems the Music Board has ignored the report on
the new technology, which they commissioned, which states, "(However
CDs remain a viable form for the delivery of music and the guidelines
should also acknowledge this)". Perhaps someone should let the Music
Board know about the growth in vinyl sales. It is the job of the
Australia Council to supports the arts, not to dictate the medium by
which it is delivered! Are we to see that painting with oils is no
longer funded! I may possibly be totally wrong here and if someone
would wish to enlighten me I really would appreciate it if they would.
Chris Hinkley, Tall Poppies 02 9552 4020
13/06/08 $20,000 needed for New Grand
We already have the great venue, the brilliant
musicians and the dedicated audience. Now we need a new piano to do the best by
all three! Come and hear a beautiful Yamaha grand piano played by some of our best
talent on the keys…the acclaimed Mike Nock, Mark Isaacs, Judy Bailey and Chris Abrahams.
The aim: To raise funds to help us replace our 35-year old Kawai for the piano you
will hear tonight! Join us for a fantastic, intimate night of piano music at it’s
best. Prizes, giveaways, auction and raffle!
All tickets $50
Weds 30 July: SIMA Piano Fundraiser: Sydney’s best solo pianists – ONE NIGHT ONLY!
Sound Lounge – Seymour Centre cnr City Rd &
Cleveland St Chippendale
27/5/08 MUSICIANS TO EXPLORE BASS DESIRES
Australia’s most prestigious jazz instrumental competition, the National Jazz Awards,
will put the spotlight on Australia’s leading young jazz bassists this year.
The National Jazz Awards have been an integral part of Australia’s premier jazz festival, the Wangaratta Festival Of Jazz, since it began in 1990.
The Awards initially featured piano, before the format was revised to feature all
other major instruments on a rotating basis.
This year will be the first time that bass has been featured since 2001, when the
first prize
was awarded to Brendan Clarke. Bassists - whether they prefer to play an electric
bass guitar, or an upright acoustic or double bass - will have the chance to show
what they can do as a soloist, and as a team player within the band.
Two leading bassists from Sydney, Craig Scott and Jonathan Zwartz, will join pianist
Mike Nock as judges for the National Jazz Awards this year.
Since 1997, the National Jazz Awards have been proudly sponsored by Bruck Textiles,
one of the major employers in Wangaratta’s local economy. CEO, Mr Alan Williamson,
said, "We are delighted that Bruck Textiles can demonstrate our ongoing commitment
to the local community by ensuring that the National Jazz Awards continue to be
staged as a unique feature of Wangaratta's internationally-renowned jazz festival."
The following prizes are offered for the National Jazz Awards:
• The winner will receive $6000 plus a studio recording session for ABC Classic
FM'
s 'Jazztrack with Mal Stanley' plus an invitation to perform in the 2009 Stonnington
Jazz Festival in Melbourne.
• The runner-up will receive $3000.
• There will be a third prize of $1500.
Entrants must be no older than 35, as at 1 November 2008. The closing date for entries
is 30 June.
Mike Nock said, “I know there are some incredibly talented bass players out there,
including some I’ve heard or even worked with in Sydney and Melbourne. I have no
doubt there are others in other cities around Australia, too. So as always, I’m
looking forward to the pleasure of hearing what they all can do.”
The judging panel will assess the recordings submitted on a blindfold basis. The
ten highest-ranked entrants will then be invited to participate in the finals at
the 2008 Wangaratta Festival Of Jazz, on the weekend of 31 October - 3 November.
At Wangaratta, they finalists will perform with pianist Sam Keevers and drummer
Simon Barker. The finals, on Sunday 2 November, will be broa
dcast live to air on ‘Jazztrack with Mal Stanley’, on ABC Classic FM.
Entry forms can be requested from 03-5722 1666 or 03-9898 6276 or can be downloaded
from
www.wangaratta-jazz.org.au
7/5/2008 Jazzgroove Records Seeks Label Manager
This is a call to all corners of the community.
Jazzgroove Records is in need of a new label manager to guide it into the future.
Jazzgroove Records has grown in reputation immensely
in it's few years of operation. 2008 will see the 45th title of original, genre
defining (generally) Sydney Jazz influenced musicians released. Jazzgroove records
is not a profit turning business but an important operation of the Jazzgroove Association,
run for the benefit of it's members and to contribute to the future of the organisation.
The Label Manager must manage and liase between
artists, distributors, customers, media and industry. The Label Manager co-ordinates
releases and the distribution and branding of the label. The hours are flexible,
but the wheels never stop turning. This is a rewarding but unpaid position, although
there is an allowance for expenses and running costs.
Jazzgroove Records releases are being sold all
over the world either electronically or physically or both. Our releases are regularly
praised in Australian and sometimes OS media. More than any other label Jazzgroove
represents the current sound of Sydney - 'where jazz meets everything else' - jazz
influenced music and musicians.
Feel free to forward this email anyone who may
be interested.
For more info please contact Lucian McGuiness
jgr@jazzgroove.com, 0404070098
30/4/2008 Bell Award Winners
The winners of the 2008 Australian Jazz Awards
- The Bells - were announced at ceremony in Melbourne last night. The event was
attended by Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's
wife, Therese Rein. The finalists in the various categories are listed below with
the winners highlighted in bold.
The Renault Australian Jazz Artist of the
Year:
Julien Wilson
Phil Slater
Scott Tinkler
The Gibson Best Australian Classic Jazz Album
Howler's Cotton Club – The Misty Downs Session
Sweet Lowdowns – Cuttin’ Capers
The Syncopators – In-Sync
The ABC Jazz Best Australian Contemporary Jazz
Album:
Allan Browne Quintet - The Drunken Boat
Andrea Keller Quartet – Little Claps
Phil Slater – The Thousands
The Ubertas Best Australian Jazz Ensemble of
the Year:
Allan Browne Quintet
Julien Wilson Trio
Phil Slater Quartet
The APRA Best Australian Jazz Composition of
the Year:
Eugene Ball - The
Fool Poets Portion
Phil Slater - The Thousands
Stephen Magnusson - 14 Little Creatures
The AICE Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album:
Elana Stone - Elana Stone
Megan Washington – Night Light
Sweet Lowdowns – Cuttin’ Capers
The TarraWarra Young Australian Jazz Artist
of the Year:
Marc Hannaford
Mike Majkowski
Sam Anning
Graeme Bell Hall of Fame
Bernie McGann
Courtesy Jazz Australia
30/4/2008 What’s On at the Con?
Sensational Sundays, Conductors Series, Jazz
in the Cafe, Free Jazz Concerts, Public Recitals, Master-classes...Now you can be
part of the jazz audiences at the Con more easily than ever...read on! For the first
time all the jazz that is performed at the Con is listed on one easy to read, easy
to browse web calendar that is updated constantly. It has links to the Con website,
and links to ticket bookings, and all the information about how to join us for great
jazz concerts featuring the jazz stars of today and tomorrow. All you need to do
is visit the following link:
http://ical.mac.com/craigymusic/SydConJazz
Once you click on the link you will be able to see all the jazz events at the Con
in an easy to read web calendar that will open in your favorite browser on Mac or
PC. Updated every day, you will be on top of what’s on at the Con all the time.
29/4/2008 2008 Jazz Workshops for Young Women
A unique course aimed at young women aged 14-25
years, interested in a professional career in jazz and improvised music is now available.
Closing date for applications is Friday 6
th June with auditions being
held on Saturday 29
th June 2008. Apply online at
www.sima.org.au/womens-jazz-workshops.
Enquiries, please contact Gordana Raketic on 9036 6292 or email
info@sima.org.au
Courtesy JAS NSW
27/3/2008Australia’s
top music prize for jazz legend
The nation’s most valuable individual music
prize - the Australia Council for the Arts Don Banks Music Award 2008 - goes to
Australian jazz icon Bob Sedergreen.
Australia Council music board chair Dr Graeme Koehne will presented
the $60,000 award in Melbourne on Thursday night the 27
th March at an
event celebrating Bob Sedergreen’s outstanding contribution to Australian music.
‘Bob has made an inestimable contribution to Australia’s musical and cultural identity over the course of his extensive career. A highly
gifted pianist and composer and an inspiring educator and mentor, he has helped
create the distinctive voice that is Australian jazz music,’ says Dr Koehne.
‘His impact and influence in performance, composition and education
have secured his status as a national treasure. The Don Banks Music Award 2008 is
recognition of this important contribution.’
Bob says: ‘I am deeply honoured to receive the Don Banks Award
and to join such a distinguished alumni of award recipients, all of whom have had
such a profound impact on Australian music.’
Bob is regarded widely as one Australia’s leading jazz performers
and educators. He has supported some of the world’s biggest names including Jimmy
Witherspoon, Nat Adderley, Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Jackson, and worked with leading
Australian artists such as John Sangster, Don Burrows, Brian Brown and Judy Jacques.
Bob has worked with a variety of ensembles and groups, from the
traditional to the contemporary. He has recorded more than 20 albums and toured
extensively in Australia and overseas including Montreal, Malaysia and Europe. In 1990, Bob won the inaugural Jazz Award for Australia's best keyboardist. In 06,
the Victorian Arts Centre awarded him The Kenneth Myers Medallion for contributions
to the arts. He was the first musician to receive this award.
As an educator, Bob has lectured in the Jazz components at the
Victorian College of the Arts and the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Music.
He has also been an artist-in-residence throughout the majority of secondary schools
in rural and metropolitan areas of Victoria.
The Don Banks Music Award is one of the highest accolades in
Australian music. It is awarded annually to a distinguished artist who has made
an outstanding and sustained contribution to the artform.
Past award recipients include composer Richard Meale AO MBE,
music educator John Curro AM MBE, composer Peter Sculthorpe AO OBE, singer/songwriter
Bunna Lawrie, jazz musician Bernie McGann and conductor Richard Gill OAM.
18/3/2008 2008 – The year of the Short Story
In its fourth year, the National Jazz Writing
Competition this year focuses on the Short Story. Entries are now invited for the
competition, which has a 1st prize of $750 and publication in the first issue of
extempore, Australia’s new journal of arts and writing, due for release in November
this year. 2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive CD packs from Birdland Records
in Sydney and publication in extempore.
The National Jazz Writing Competition was started
three years ago to raise the profile of jazz-related writing, with a focus on reviews
of Australian jazz CDs and concerts. It soon became clear that we needed to expand
beyond reviews and the competition will now rotate through different types of writing
each year. Writers, artists and musicians draw inspiration from each others’ work
and this year we celebrate that cross-pollination by moving the competition into
short fiction.
Each year the competition has attracted judges
who represent the spectrum of Australian jazz expertise from education, performance,
composition, writing and broadcasting; all outstanding in their respective field.
This year we continue that tradition with our two judges Gerry Koster (Jazz Up Late,
ABC Classic FM) and Professor Catherine Cole, creative writer, academic and researcher
at RMIT University in Melbourne, and recently of the University of Technology (UTS)
in Sydney.
Stories should be up to 2,000 words in length.
To be eligible for consideration, the story needs to be about, inspired by or responding
to jazz or improvised music. If the link to jazz or improvised music is not obvious
in the story, the author needs to include a brief description (200 words maximum) of the link. For example, if a story was inspired by
the music at a gig or on a recording the description should name the musician(s)
and give details of date and venue or CD.
Dates
Entries are open from 1 March to 30 June, and
winners will be announced in late August.
Winning stories will be published and launched
at an event in November, with live music and readings.
More information:
Submission guidelines and more information area
available on the competition website at
www.jazz-planet.com/njwc
or contact Miriam (Competition Coordinator) at
njwc@jazz-planet.com
or on her mobile 0407 664 202