Mace Francis Orchestra (Perth)

Lyrical, beautifully-textured, unrushed… a little-big-band that sounds bigger than its twelve-member-strength – Doug Spencer, ABC Radio National.

New compositions in jazz and improvised music is alive and in very good health in this country and Mace is leading the charge into the future – Graeme Lyall AM.

The Mace Francis Orchestra (MFO) was formed late in 2004 by band-leader and composer Mace Francis to experiment with composition, in the style of the great modern big bands lead by Bob Brookmeyer, Thad Jones, Bill Holman and Maria Schneider. The result has been the coming together of 13 of Perth’s finest emerging young musician’s and composers to create exciting new music for big band.

Over the last four years, MFO has developed a powerful and original sound through regular performances, special projects and commissions, including The Unpopular Songbook, commissioned by the Perth Jazz Society, exploring new possibilities and interpretations of pop, rock and hip hop tunes and Chinese Whispers, which in 2005 involved eight West Australian composers collaborating to create a new body of music.

In 2006 MFO released their first studio CD titled Introducing the Mace Francis Orchestra. In November 2006 MFO toured Victoria, performing at The Wangaratta Festival of Jazz, Bennetts Lane Jazz Club. In 2007 the band recorded and released a new CD – MFO LIVE.

A first-class ensemble – Jack Bowers, allaboutjazz.com