sima | Jazz: Cool for School program

Brochure & Booking form

What we are planning to do

Present an annual program of live jazz concerts for high school students to experience a real live performance in a real club venue.

High school big bands and small jazz bands are proliferating in both public and private schools as parents and high schools endeavour to give the young, experience of non-classical acoustic music. To reach this unique audience base and connect with the next generation of young jazz musicians, SIMA is launching a highly relevant, exciting and distinctive contemporary School Jazz Program.

The concert series will give high school music elective students and other secondary students the opportunity to hear jazz played in a club environment which also has the benefit of being alcohol free, with excellent seating, sight lines, sound, staging and lighting.

The program is part of our audience development and jazz education strategies, giving some of Australia’s strongest jazz bands an opportunity to interact with a young audience and also give students the unique opportunity to listen to, meet and interact with these professional contemporary Australian musicians, both young/emerging and established. The program will feature 6 concerts in 2010 (increasing to 8 or 10 in 2011/2012) and will comprise:

  • 6 performances – each with two bands performing one 50 minute set
  • Quality educational resources: An accompanying program brochure and compilation CD for each student, giving a reference and educational focus long after leaving the venue.
  • A 30-minute structured Q&A session with the bandleaders and musicians after the concert focusing on the music, the jazz idiom and jazz as a career
  • Professional musician to MC each concert and Q&A: either Tim Freedman (The Whitlams) or Rai Thistlethwayte (Thirsty Merc).
James Greening

Experience jazz in its setting

The SIMA Jazz for Schools program will differ to most school music programs as musicians will not travel to schools and set up in auditoriums or school assembly halls. Instead, the students travel to the Sound Lounge, considered Sydney’s best club for jazz and experience jazz in a setting with excellent sound, staging and lighting. The chance to listen to musicians in this way gives a genuine insight into the professional jazz scene in Sydney.

SIMA will feature two different bands each to play one 50 minute set on the last Thursday of every month between April – September 2010. We will work closely with schools across NSW but mainly in the greater-Sydney region to promote the program. They will receive promotional/informational materials in advance – sent to all secondary schools, particularly those with school jazz bands and strong music programs, while at the concert, every student will be issued a program with detailed information on each ensemble and each musician and compilation CD. To market the program effectively, we will also advertise the program on our website and widely across other education and jazz sites, including the International Association for Jazz Education Australasia (IAJE) and the national jazz website www.jazz.org.au.

Cost

The concerts will run on the last Thursday from April, cost per concert/per student will be $15 and we are looking at offering a discounted package for students/schools to attend all 6 concerts and also bundles of three.

Dates of the 2010 concerts

Concert 1: Thursday 29 APRIL
Concert 2: Thursday 27 MAY
Concert 3: Thursday 24 JUNE
Concert 4: Thursday 29 JULY
Concert 5: Thursday 26 AUGUST
Concert 6: Thursday 23 SEPTEMBER

Key artists

Program participants in 2009 will be selected from the following well-known, professional and ward-winning Sydney-based musicians and ensembles, based on artist availability:

Alister Spence Trio Matt Keegan Organ Trio
austraLYSIS Mike Nock Trio
Chris Abrahams solo Phil Slater Quartet
Dale Barlow Quintet with Bernie McGann Phillip Johnston & The Coolerators
Elana Stone Band Rai Thistlethwayte Trio
Jackson Harrison Trio Sandy Evans Trio
James Muller Trio/Quartet The Translators (Steve Hunter)
Jess Green Trio The Space Cadets (John Pochee)
Judy Bailey Trio Tom O’Halloran Trio
World According to James Bernie McGann Quartet
Matt McMahon Quartet Zoe & The Buttercups

Venue and presentation

We will present the performances at The Sound Lounge, Seymour Theatre Centre, Chippendale, the venue where we present our regular program. It operates under a theatre licence and student groups are a regular sight here. As our office is also located here, we have all our resources, from staff to marketing, sound and equipment set up and ready to use. The venue is easily accessible by public transport, enabling students to arrive safely by bus right to the door on City Road.

Our project engages school students with music and professional musicians in their community:

Students will:

  • Have the opportunity to listen to some key professional practising musicians
  • Learn about the artist they are seeing plus all the others in the concert series through the printed program, web links and the CD
  • Listen to the music both live and recorded
  • Experience and participate in a Q&A session with musicians and bandleaders where they can focus on the music generally or ask about jazz as a career – including tertiary studies, forming a band, mentorships and awards, starting out, performing at festivals, performing overseas, etc.
  • Experience some of the things they are learning about in practice: chords, tonality, harmony, melody, composition, interaction between musicians, improvisations

Musicians will:

  • Be employed as professionals, have their skills recognised and rewarded, thus supporting the live jazz scene scene and their own livelihood
  • Have the opportunity to reach a young audience base
  • Be able to showcase their skills as musicians and composers and in so doing, inspire and inform youth
  • Have the chance to educate and offer advice and guidance to young people wanting a career in jazz, or just wanting to demystify the genre

Expected educational and musical outcomes

  • Students gain all of the above insights into live music and jazz through being an audience at a live performance and being able to interact
  • Students’ understanding and appreciation of jazz is increased
  • Musicians reach a younger audience base for themselves and jazz generally
  • SIMA will reach a new network of potential future professional jazz musicians and possibly artsworkers
  • The relationship between youth and SIMA as a presenting organisation will be strengthened: students and their families can become members or loyal audiences

About the artists

Alister Spence – One of Australia’s finest pianists and composers of contemporary jazz. Following graduation from the NSW Conservatorium, Alister studied jazz piano/composition in New York and is involved in many innovative projects performing and recording internationally; his own successful trio, have toured Canada, UK and Europe.

australYSIS (Roger Dean) – Originally from the UK, Roger Dean is acknowledged internationally as being at the forefront of the jazz and improvising music avant-garde, with his band LYSIS in the UK and subsequently, austraLYSIS in Australia. Dean has published widely at a theoretical level in the field of jazz and improvised music.

Bernie McGann – Acknowledged as one of Australia’s most important musicians, recipient of the prestigious Australia Council’s Don Banks Music Award, Bernie has developed a substantial international reputation as an original alto saxophone stylist. Four of his albums have won ARIA awards. Currently leads own trio and quartet.

Chris Abrahams – New Zealand-born, Sydney-based pianist who works across genres, known for his part in the The Necks (with Lloyd Swanton and Tony Buck). Chris has also contributed to numerous Australian recordings and live bands, from Melanie Oxley to Midnight Oil and The Whitlams. His work has earned him critical acclaim at home and abroad.

Dale Barlow – Saxophonist/composer/bandleader and one of Australia’s most accomplished and internationally recognised jazz artists; Dale was a member of legendary American groups The Cedar Walton Quartet, and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. His many awards include ARIAs, ‘Mo’ awards and ‘Jazz Artist of the Year’. He tours/records extensively here & abroad.

Elana Stone – Singer/songwriter Elana Stone has built a high profile on the Australian music scene exploring jazz, soul, pop, rock and blues with her powerful, distinctive voice. A regular guest vocalist with jazz/world outfit The Cat Empire, Elana leads her own successful quartet.

Jess Green – A first class honours graduate of the Canberra School of Music, ANU, majoring in guitar, winner of the 2006 Rutherford Memorial Award, Jess has performed her original compositions with her own trio and septet and released a successful album The Singing Fish. Jess is also a highly sought after tutor and tours regularly across Australia for MUSICA VIVA.

James Greening – Trombonist/multi-instrumentalist/composer/bandleader, he leads his own band World According to James which has toured internationally, a member of Ten Part Invention, Australian Art Orchestra, and the catholics and a number of other excellent bands. Placed third behind Scott Tinkler and Phil Slater at 1996 National Jazz Awards.

James Muller – A formidable guitarist, James Muller is a past winner at the National Jazz Awards at Wangaratta and Freedman Jazz Fellowship. Originally from Adelaide, in Sydney he has become one of the most in-demand guitarists whose impact on the scene has been profound. Leads own trio, member of many great jazz bands.

John Pochee – Drummer/bandleader, 2006 winner of The Graeme Bell Hall of Fame Career Achievement Award and many ARIAs. John has made a huge contribution to Australian contemporary jazz through his groups Ten Part Invention, The Last Straw, The Engine Room and the Space Cadets, as well as being integral part of Bernie McGann Trio and Quartet.

Judy Bailey – Widely respected pianist/composer in the modern Australian jazz scene, began her career at the legendary jazz club El Rocco in the 1960’s, leads her own trio and numerous projects such as her 19-piece student JAZZ CONNECTION.

Kristin Berardi – Vocalist & composer Kristin Berardi won first place at the 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival International Vocal Competition, following on from her 2005 win in the Australian National Jazz Awards. She has performed internationally, leads her own band & is a guest artist with big bands Selah Ensemble & Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra.

Matt McMahon – Winner of Freedman Fellowship and National Jazz Award, pianist Matt McMahon has been leading his trio for over 10 years. He has performed with Elvis Costello, Greg Osby, Vince Jones, Dale Barlow, Bernie McGann and many others. Last year his trio released their first album ‘Ellipsis’ on Simon’s label Kimnara to critical acclaim.

Mike Nock – Internationally celebrated pianist/composer/bandleader and recipient of an Australia Council Composer Fellowship. Numerous overseas tours and recording credits to his name, leads his own trio and develops many exciting new projects such as the MN Project. A huge supporter of the next generation of jazz artists, with 25 years living in the USA
Phillip Johnston – Originally from New York, musician/composer is one of the most significant musicians from overseas to have settled in Australia recently. He played a vital part in the so-called Downtown jazz and improvisation scene in New York and has formed two exciting new bands as bandleader – SNAP and The Coolerators.

Phil Slater – Trumpeter/composer/bandleader, a major talent to emerge in the 1990s has a host of awards to his name: Finalist in the Thelonious Monk Instrumental Competition (USA), Freedman Jazz Fellowship winner, first at National Jazz Awards at Wangaratta Festival and winner of Bell Australian Jazz Awards ‘Artist of the Year’. His quartet is renowned.

Rai Thistlethwayte – Mostly known as the charismatic frontman of rock band Thirsty Merc, Rai is also a respected jazz piano player, in-demand session musician and prolific songwriter. Performing as a bandleader, soloist and sideman for many years on the national and international jazz circuits, he also doubles as an MC for the 2010 SIMA School jazz program.

Sandy Evans – Saxophonist/composer/bandleader of tremendous invention and originality. A member of the Australian Art Orchestra, 10 Part Invention, GEST8 and the catholics, as well as leading her own established trio. Sandy has won many awards including ARIAs and Jazz Artist of the Year, established the unique Jazz Improvisation Workshops for Young Women.

Steve Hunter – Celebrated electric bassist who toured with Chick Corea and a recipient of an Australia Council Composer Fellowship. His 9 piece group Nine Lives made its debut in 1999 and Steve leads the smaller group Local World. Steve has recorded several albums for the ABC Jazz record label.

Zoe Hauptmann – One of the leading bass players in Sydney today, Zoe plays with many bands, including Exposed Bone, King Curly and Elana Stone Band. She also leads her own group Zoe & the Buttercups, merging jazz with bluegrass and rock and has released a successful debut CD. Zoe is also an expert in leading rhythm section workshops.

Further information

For further information and to register your school’s interest in the program please contact:

Gordana Raketic | Program Coordinator
(02)9036 6292 | info@sima.org.au

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