Double Header: Jackson Harrison Trio + Strazz-Fraser Duo
Jackson Harrison Trio 8.30-9.30pm
The Jackson Harrison Trio paints pictures of astonishing abstract art… splashing fiery colours onto backgrounds that are often stark but always stunning. Jackson Harrison has great ideas and the talent to expand on them, but it’s the undeniable chemistry he shares with his partners that makes ‘Land Tides’ a complete picture. J. Hunter – All About Jazz (USA)
Young pianist and composer Jackson Harrison’s career has gone from strength to strength since he won the National Jazz Award at the Wangaratta Jazz Festival in 2006. His debut CD Land Tides, supported by performances within Australia and overseas, received widespread critical acclaim here and in Europe and the USA, confirming his status as one of the most exciting young pianists to emerge in recent years.
Since their last appearance at the Sound Lounge, the trio has been working hard on some exciting new material. Jackson has also performed in Hong Kong and the Netherlands, recorded a solo piano album and has been working as an orchestrator for numerous Japanese film and TV projects which were recorded by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra in Prague.
Jackson’s “thoughtful, pretty and articulate playing” (SMH) make him an exciting voice in Australian jazz and sharing a strong rapport with his rhythm section make the trio an intensely rewarding live listening experience.
_…each note twinkles like a hot point in an unbounded sky.” Lawrence Cosentino, Signal To Noise (USA)
“What’s striking is how concentrated Harrison’s playing is, not in the sense of sounding clotted of tonally congested but rather in seeming to come from an almost mystical understanding that transcends technique_ – Brian Morton (The Wire – UK)
Jackson Harrison (piano) Ben Waples (bass) James Waples (drums)
The Strazz-Fraser Duo 10.00– 11.00pm
Guy Strazzullo is recognised as a major exponent of the acoustic nylon string guitar in Australia, and he is certainly not short on technique, ideas and composition skills. His classical jazz tone, round and pure, puts him among the most captivating voices in modern music. Drum Media
Recognized as a distinguished master musician, composer and jazz innovator, the performances of Guy Strazz include festivals such as Jazz Yatra, Jakarta Jazz, Clusone Jazz, Japan World Expo, Perth and Adelaide Arts Festivals, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne and Wangaratta Jazz and Adelaide International Guitar Festival. His collaborations include Vince Jones, Martin Taylor, Don Burrows, Dale Barlow, Roger Frampton, Matt McMahon and Mike Stern amongst numerous others.
A recipient of the Australia Council Music Fellowship, Strazz also received APRA Nominations and an APRA Award for his Jazz composition Mandela. His latest release with Matt McMahon, 2@1, was nominated for ‘best jazz album of the year’ AIR Awards 08.
Guy shares his passion of jazz with intercultural improvisation and composition, with cross-genre projects like Passionfruit and his bands with Bobby Singh, a hybrid of Indian, Brazilian and Afro-Cuban music. Guy holds a Bachelor of Music in composition (AIM), Diploma in Jazz Studies (Sydney Conservatorium) and a Master of Arts – An Intercultural Approach to Composition and Improvisation. He has recently received a scholarship from Macquarie University to do a PhD on intercultural improvisation.
Amazing technique; blindingly fast runs, peppered with exotic scales, at times the pace is simply torrid but elsewhere Strazz shows a deeply expressive and almost romantic strain – Shane Nicholls: Aust. Fin. Review
Tonight, Guy is joined by long-time collaborator Hugh Fraser on bass. Hugh studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where he gained Jazz and Classical music degrees. He has performed with Australian artists such as Don Burrows, James Morrison, Mike Nock, Kevin Hunt, Ten Part Invention, Dewey Redman, Bobby Shew and Richie Cole and toured with major national and international theatre productions such as “We Will Rock You” by Queen, “Cabaret”, Recent recordings include Back to Before with Judi Connelli, Frangipani with guitarist Guy Strazz and Jerusalem with pianist Leonie Cohen’s.
Guy Strazz (electric & acoustic guitar) Hugh Fraser (double bass)
