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Ben Hauptmann's High 5
Ben Hauptmann's High 5 Ben Hauptmann is nationally recognized jazz guitarist. Winner of the 2010 Freedman Jazz Fellowship and 2nd place winner in the…
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High 5
Ben Hauptmann is nationally recognized jazz guitarist. Winner of the 2010 Freedman Jazz Fellowship and 2nd place winner in the National Jazz Awards at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz 2007. Ben has shared the stage with a diverse range of artists including Mavis Staples, Joss Stone, Katie Noonan, Lior, Bluejuice, Micheline Van Hautem, Paul Dempsy, James Morrison and Tal Wilkenfeld. Internationally he has performed in London, Paris, New York, Austin, Yogyakarta, Pekenbaru, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Wanaka, Rotorua as well as many major Australian music festivals including The Big Day Out, Wangaratta Festival of Jazz, Pyramid Rock Festival, Homebake, Woodford Folk Festival, Splendor In The Grass, Port Fairy Folk Festival and Apollo Bay Music Festival. Ben writes the ‘Lead Work’ column for The Australian Guitar Magazine and teachers casually at the VCA in Melbourne. Ben has contributed to over twenty recordings including the 2009 ARIA winning ‘secrects and lies’ by Bertie Blackman, he recently released his first self-titled release on vinyl and download stickers available at www.benhauptmann.com.
1. JACKIE ORSZACZKY - Tuesdays at The Rose 2001-2003
I grew up and studied music in Canberra. As soon as I got my ‘P’ plates at age 17, I would drive to Sydney to see gigs and get lessons. This would always include a massive Tuesday night at The Rose with Jackie Orszaczky and his band (followed by a ‘debrief’ up the road at The Townie). This was a gig that the younger musicians in the scene would be invited to sit in during the last set. Arne Hanna was Jackie’s guitarist of choice and for me is one of my biggest influences, incredibly funky, I’m yet to experience anything as funky as those gigs at The Rose.
2. UNITY HALL JAZZ BAND - Fridays & Sundays between 2002-2006
When I moved to Rozelle in 2002 after being in Sydney for about six months, I found out that the longest running Jazz gig in Australia was at a venue just down the road. The Unity Hall Jazz Band had been in residency at the Unity Hall in Balmain since 1971. Gary Walford (piano) and Don Heap (bass) became great influences and supporters of myself and the other musicians I was living with at that time. I would head down to The Unity Hall any Friday or Sunday where I could to listen to the band and sit in on banjo. You had to be able to hear you way through the tunes being called, you’d get the band discount at the bar as well as the chance to spend time with some of Australia’s most experienced traditional Jazz musicians.
3. THE STAG TRIO - Thursdays between 2002-2006 at The Bald Faced Stag.
Sydney’s late night Thursday residency at The Bald Faced Stag with the Chuck Yates trio and special guests. Every week you could head down to hear the best in what the Sydney Jazz scene had to offer. This was such a great gig, a unique atmosphere with a free feed at midnight. You could sit in during the last set at this gig and have the chance to play with the greats including Dale Barlow, Don Rader, Joe Lane and John Pochée.
4. JAMES MULLER - every gig
He is, in my opinion, the greatest electric guitarist the world has.
5. DRUB - Melbourne International Jazz Festival 2010
This was a late night set at Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, the venue was jam packed that night. Drub is Scott Tinkler, Carl Dewhurst and Simon Barker. The music the played that night was incredible. I remember being affected by this gig for a long while after. Carl is a master improviser and has been a huge influence on me. Every time I get to see him play he inspires me and reinforces the fact that when you improvise, you are only limited by your imagination.
