Blueprints & Vignettes, the third album from leading Sydney based pianist-composer Steve Barry will be released January 19 on Earshift Music/MGM with launch dates in Sydney, Wellington and Auckland. With virtuosic playing from Barry and his quartet, the album features highly forged compositions and riveting ensemble work. The music is a kaleidoscopic exploration of the sonic and melodic possibilities of contemporary jazz. Joining Barry are longstanding collaborators Jeremy Rose (alto saxophone, bass clarinet), Max Alducca (bass) and Dave Goodman (drums). Beautifully captured at Sydney’s Sony Studios by Ross A’Hearn, this album is set to be an important contribution to Barry’s growing output.
A product of Barry’s recently completed PhD at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Blueprints & Vignettes reflects his parallel interests in jazz, creative music, 20th century classical music, new music and improvisation. The album dances back and forward between intricate compositions and free improvisation in an exploration of harmonic hues and the spontaneous re-imagination of pre-set structures. Barry maintains a busy schedule composing, teaching and performing across Australia, New Zealand and Japan. He is the co-founder of Orbiturtle, recently curating and collaborating with Koto player Michiyo Yagi at the Joganji Buddhist temple in Osaka Japan. An album of solo piano works, also a product of his doctoral studies, is set for release in early 2018. Barry has a growing list of awards and nominations, amongst them the Bell Award for Young Australian Jazz Artist of the Year, 2nd in the National Jazz Awards, a finalist in the APRA Professional Development Awards and a nomination for the Freedman Fellowship.
“I have always been intrigued, amazed, challenged and – to be frank – totally gassed by his restless artistic nature and his consistently questing music, both as a composer and as a soloist.”– australianjazz.net “His playing shows subtle glimpses of a mature master.”- The Australian
'Within and Without', the third album by saxophonist/bass clarinetist-composer Jeremy Rose features him in an impressive collaboration with US guitar luminary Kurt Rosenwinkel, along with Berlin rhythm section of bassist Andreas Lang, drummer Tobias Backhaus, and Sydney pianist Jackson Harrison. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Rose has travelled extensively, absorbing influences from around the world. Rose shows to be an important emerging voice on ‘Within and Without’, a set of eight distinctive originals, one from Harrison, and an unexpected arrangement of the Australian folk song 'Flashjack'. Rose is an award-winning saxophonist-composer with a PhD in composition and almost a dozen releases with his co-led projects including The Vampires, the 17-piece Earshift Orchestra, The Strides and Compass Quartet. Rose recently received the APRA Professional Development Award for Jazz, the Bell Award for Young Australian Jazz Artist of the Year, and was runner up at the National Jazz Awards saxophone competition. The music was written in a time of great change in Rose’s life; the tumultuous end of a relationship, introspective travels through Morocco and Indonesia, and newfound creative inspiration. Jeremy describes the album as; “opposing forces of attraction and repulsion, joy and anguish, hope and despair, pain and ecstasy.” The title track 'Within and Without' suggests simultaneous opposing forces; attraction and repulsion, enchantment and anguish, hope and despair. The title is also inspired by James Turrell’s skyspace installation at National Gallery of Australia, 'Within Without', which transforms in colour with varying angles of fading natural light.
'Trawangan' was inspired by a recent trip to Trawangan Island (aka ‘Gili T’), off Lombok in Indonesia. Strange Doors is a quote from a David Bowie song 'Scary Monster.' 'Afensou' is a remote village in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco where Rose recently traveled, with stunning views of the scenic rugged landscape. 'Night Wanderer' is a nod to those that seek the quite streets after midnight for their solitude. 'Zombie' was written after watching too many episodes of The Walking Dead, and later regretting it. 'From the River to You' is an exploration of the creative process. 'Second Chance' is for those in life that deserve another chance. 'Ballad for Charlie' was written for the great jazz bassist, Charlie Haden, following his unfortunate death. 'Flashjack' is an arrangement of the Australian folk song, Flashjack from Gundagai. Within and Without will be released 2 June on Earshift Music through MGM / Herbie Martin Music. Within and Without will be launched Saturday 17 June at the Sound Lounge, the Seymour Centre, presented by Sydney Improvised Music Association, and 14 October at ZigZag, Berlin.
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Special thanks to Milly and everyone at APRA, Kurt, Jackson, Andreas and Tobias for their creative input and beautiful playing, Rainer and Bob for capturing such an great sound, my family and Mei for all their love and support.
This project has been assisted by the APRA Song Hub initiative.
