Melbourne Jazz Co-Op

The scheduled trio for this concert was Svoboda/O’Connor/Green, which brings together three musicians who turned to jazz esoterica in their formative years in Brisbane: drummer Tim Green, double bassist Helen Svoboda and pianist Joe O’Connor. While O’Connor and Svoboda are now both based in Melbourne, COVID-issues made it impractical for Green to travel from Brisbane for their CD preview Launch. 

Trumpeter and composer Paul Williamson has established a reputation for producing distinctive recordings of his originals, documented on his eleven CDs (most on the Jazzhead label).

With this performance he unveils a new project featuring the innovative and acclaimed artists Dylan Van der Schyff (drums), Helen Svoboda (double bass & vocals), Scott McConnachie (saxophones), and Miro Lauritz (vibraphone).

This performance will feature the premiere of new works from the ensemble members.

Guitarist James Sherlock and M.S.O. double bassist Ben Hanlon bonded over their shared passion for jazz and backgrounds in classical music.  As such their performances combine improvisation, dynamic interplay and genre-straddling arrangements of jazz standards, classical repertoire, modern orchestral, chamber works and the occasional popular work.

Tonight they launch their second album, Stravinsky, featuring two suites based on the larger scale ballet works of iconoclastic composer Igor Stravinsky with one on The Rite of Spring and the other on Petrushka. As well as arranging the main themes there are open improvised sections based on the melodies, rhythms and harmony of the original work. Also featured on the album are works by Debussy and Gershwin.

There will be an opening set from the young duo of Merinda Dias-Jayasinha (voice) and Isaac Gunnoo (double bass).