Wycliffe Gordon (USA) with John Harkins Trio + Jason Morphett & Mike Kenny

Wycliffe Gordon, trombone, enjoys an extraordinary international career as a performer, composer, arranger, educator, and conductor, receiving high praise and multiple awards and honors from audiences and critics alike, bringing hard-swinging, straight-ahead jazz to audiences. In addition, Gordon is rapidly becoming one of America’s most persuasive and committed music educators.

His trombone playing, hailed as “mixing powerful, intricate runs with sweet notes extended over clean melodies,” has been universally hailed by jazz critics. Gordon received the Jazz Journalists Association 2002 and 2001 Award for Trombonist of the Year, the Jazz Journalists Association 2000 Critics’ Choice Award for Best Trombone and has been nominated for the Jazzpar Award.

In addition to a thriving solo career, he tours regularly leading the Wycliffe Gordon Quartet, headlining at legendary jazz venues throughout the world. Gordon is a former veteran member of the Wynton Marsalis Septet, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and The Gully Low Jazz Band, and has been a featured guest artist on Billy Taylor’s ‘Jazz at The Kennedy Center’ Series. Gordon’s extensive performance experience includes work with many of the most renowned jazz performers of the past and present.

Gordon’s musical prowess has been captured on numerous recordings, including nine solo CDs and three co-leader CDs. His latest solo effort, Cone’s Coup, is scheduled for release in May 2006. Gordon is featured on numerous recordings with The Wynton Marsalis Septet, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and numerous others as evidenced in his extensive discography.

In Australia for a national tour, Wycliffe will be performing with the hard swinging and highly experienced John Harkins Trio. This tight trio will provide a great fit for Wycliffe’s driving, strong trombone.

Alongside Gordon will be Mike Kenny on trumpet and Jason Morphett on saxophones. The night will feature hard swinging music with interpretations of some of the great standards of the American songbook as well as Jazz classics.

For a lesson in swing and a taste of one of New Yorks finest trombonists you simply must not miss this gig.

John Harkins

American-born and raised, John Harkins, who moved to Sydney in 1994, is one of the most sought after jazz pianists in Australia today. He performs regularly with musicians such as Don Burrows, James Morrison, Dale Barlow and others. His solid credentials include majoring in classical piano at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music in New York City and working with many well known American jazz musicians, including tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton, singer Mark Murphy, and esteemed trumpeter Warren Vache, some of whom he recorded with.

In recent years John has been the Musical Director and pianist for the annual Australian tours of US jazz/blues singer Barbara Morrison. He is featured on her biggest selling CD, Live Down Under.

In 2005, John released his self-titled CD. It highlights his vocal and arranging talents in addition to his swinging piano playing. A collection of both well known and obscure standards from the great American song book, it is a milestone in his career, putting him at the top of the list of singer/pianists anywhere in the world.

In 2008, John started off the year recording with Australian bebop trumpet player Warwick Alder. Also in the band were bassist Brendan Clarke and drummer Andrew Dickeson. His trio perform regularly and are planning a new recording.

Mike Kenny

Mike has been performing, recording, teaching, writing and arranging music in Sydney for the last 17 years. Since completing an Assoc. Diploma in Jazz Studies at the Sydney Conservatorium in 1992, Michael has become a recognised artist on the local jazz scene, performing with the likes of Mike Nock, Judy Bailey, Rod White, Tim Oram Big Band, Son Veneno, Club Havana, Buzz Band and many other artists and groups of note; particularly the RAAF Air Command Band with which he has been the jazz trumpeter for the last 5 years.

In 1995 Mike formed the ten-piece jazz ensemble Selah, for which he is the band leader and principal composer. He has taken the group on tours around country NSW and Victoria, as well as Turkey in 2001 and Kazakhstan in 2002. He has also produced two CDs with this group.

SIMA presents the Selah Ensemble at The Sound Lounge next month, so check the website for updates.