Three big bands on one big night - a jazz feast!
UNSW's jazz musicians will play a range of new and known works in a night featuring the UNSW Jazz Orchestra, G16 Jazz Collective and UNSW Advanced Jazz Ensemble.
The talented and enthusiastic performers and composers among this groups are already making an important contribution to the Australian jazz and improvised music scene. As you will see, a number of these are engaged with several ensembles in order to maximise their opportunities for performance. Their willingness to participate, and the constant encouragement and support that they give each other, is reflected in the generous, inspired, adventurous and wonderful sounds that these musicians make.
G16 Jazz Collective explores both standard jazz repertoire and jazz fusions. Improvisation is a key component of this music and allows the musicians to engage with the music in an immediate way. The ensemble also address expressive, technical and theoretical strategies for improvising in these styles. Featuring arrangements by the our performers, you'll hear an unexpected blend of 5 saxes and a rhythm section. The arrangers have enjoyed writing for this combination, unusual in small group settings. Jazz fusion styles explored are jazz-funk and jazz-math-rock (yes, that's a thing!).
The Advanced Jazz Ensemble's repertoire will highlight the group's individual and collective talents. You'll hear three compositions by Australian composers: Big Moon (Swanton), Spotted Dog (Simmonds) and another great composition, Stim, Stim, Stim,written by our baritone sax player Shawna O’Neill
In the Jazz Orchestra's program, Echolalia and Wilted Hinges are by members of the group. The set includes a nice mix of more "traditional" big band jazz in Fables of Faubus, mixed with contemporary in Echolalia and Wilted Hinges, and Cuban/Colombian rhythms in Columbia Cubanos (by Gai Bryant, local Australian composer, saxophonist and bandleader).
