Harry Mitchell is a pianist based in Perth who spoke about growing his love of live music through his enjoyment of live bands at his church when growing up.  His enthusiam resulted in his studying his degree and masters at University before moving on to teach, compose and run a number of projects – buildling a library of 16 albums to date. Harry remembers the thrill of seeing and playing with guest musicians visiting the university during his study. Harry’s QUIET COUNTRY project seeks to...

Tim Stevens celebrates a number of things this year – marriage, first child – and his Trio – the Tim Stevens Trio. Celebrating the trio takes the form of a gig where the trio will get together and play music from the five albums released across the 20 years as well as new tunes that Tim has ready to go. Tim and Ben Robertson chat in this podcast about many Monday nights rehearsing upstairs at Tim’s home with drummer Dave Beck while building their friendships over a home cooked dinner ;...

Aussie ex-pat musicians Jody Sternberg (Voice, Saxaphone) and David Lewis (Trumpet) spoke with David Moyle and Matt Warne on Bent Notes shortly before their departure from France to visit Australia. Jody and David have lived in France for some years, enjoying the Jazz scene across France. Hear Jody talk about her finding her voice, and her approach to playing the sax – as well as her enthusiasm to visit and perform in Australia. Jody and David will be performing with Melbourne pianist Mark...

Fiona Burnett and Sonja Horbelt spoke about the challenges experienced by female artists as they try to establish themselves in the Jazz world, and the impact that their all-female band MORGANA had when they formed 30 years ago. Regretfully the Jazz world has not moved with as much speed to encourage, train and embrace an equal number of female artists as was hoped, but progress is occurring. Getting back together again last year (2022) to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their forming was...

In this podcast from Bent Notes on JOY 94.9, Michelle Nicolle speaks of her love of the music of J.S. Bach from her early Violin studies when she was only 8 years of age. Changing focus from Classical to Jazz during her university studies saw Michelle change focus to the traditional Jazz repertoire, but not lose that love of Bach, which was reinvigorated when asked by the Bach Festival at the University of Adelaide to present a ‘Jazzy’ Bach concert. After almost ten years of gestation of...

Paul Grabowsky visited the Bent Notes studio to chat about his latest work – Fascinatin’ Algorhythm – being performed by his Jazz trio Torrio! onstage with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. (MSO) Paul spoke about his observation upon returning to Australia early in his career that Melbourne Jazz had stepped out with a new attitude while he had been in Germany, due in no small part to the pioneering work of Vince Jones; and how Paul has continued to develop his and Australia’s our own Jazz...

Guitarist and composer Robbie Melville visited the Bent Notes studio to play live to air two pieces from his latest album – Tangled Trails.  The album contains 55 minutes of solo guitar, the same length as the 1921 silent movie – Tangled Trails.  Robbie discovered after recording the album, that the music coincides with the action on the screen of the movie! Hear Robbie chat with David Moyle, about his favourite guitarists and his enthusiasm for accompanying Silent Movies in Central Victoria...

David Lewis is looking forward to a series of shows at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in June this year when he brings the Paris Combo to Adelaide to celebrate in three very special shows their tribute to their late vocalist and band leader Belle Du Berry. David Lewis also recalls the process of the evolution of the Paris Combo from a covers band to a band that plays original songs when he spoke with David Moyle on Bent Notes recently. The Paris Combo performs three times at the Adelaide...

Nina Ferro spoke with Bent Notes about her time living in London where she became a regular at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club – an opportunity that led to so many musical associations and friendships – and some magnificent musical experiences.  Hear Nina recall with much fondness her special Happy Birthday event at the club! Whilst in London Nina met vocalist Brendan Reilly – this was the start of an ongoing musical friendship and the search for opportunities to perform since then. Hear Nina chat...

When Martin Jackson was guest on Bent Notes he discussed some of the history of the MJC – the Melbourne Jazz Co-Operative – a not-for-profit organisation that Martin launched 40 years ago to support and promote original live jazz performances by established and emerging artists in Melbourne. The MJC provides our Jazz musicians an opportunity to try something new, and to perform with other musicians they may not normally play with. MJC gigs were held for many years at the Bennet’s Lane Jazz...

Trumpeter and pianist David Lewis visited the Bent Notes Studio to chat about the latest album from the Paris Combo, an album released in memory of their late vocalist and composer Belle Du Berry. Hear David talk about his meeting Belle and together bringing their Jazz ensemble Paris Combo to the stage. The album is a tribute to the work of Belle, who passed away before the album was released. A gig in tribute to Belle has been held in Paris, with David working to hold an Australian...

What’s more Joyous than singing alone? Singing with others!! Vocalist and composer Nina Ferro visited the Bent Notes Studio and spoke of the Joy she feels when listening to, or participating in, groups of people singing together – whether that be a huge choir, or a 2-3 piece ensemble. Singing harmonies is an aspect of singing that requires some practice, but adds so much to the enjoyment by the audience of the sound produced. Nina is performing with two other amazing Melbourne vocalists –...

Jennifer Salisbury and Mark Morand performed live-to air on Bent Notes and spoke about Mark’s 32 Bars project – 32 new Jazz songs recorded across 32 venues in Melbourne.  Their performance was a beautiful rendition of the 2nd song in the series – You Fell In Love With Me – performed in the stripped down Voice and Guitar mode. The 32 new Jazz songs are being composed in the Jazz styling format of the jazz songs of the “Great American Songbook”, these new songs are being composed by Mark to...

The Melbourne International Jazz Festival‘s Take Note Jazz Leader for 2023 is Melbourne based Sax player, comnposer and band leader Cheryl Durongpisitkul. Cheryl spoke of the thrill of being commisioned to write a large work and to have it performed at the MIJF festival this year, and the opportunity provided for Cheryl to mentor and educate students across schools in Victoria during the year. Hear Cheryl in this podcast from Bent Notes. Cheryl Durongpisitkul was guest of Bent Notes on...

Adam Simmons, editor of the Dingo Jazz Journal, visited the Bent Notes Studio to chat about this year’s Jazz in the Square event celebrating International Jazz Day. Adam spoke about the history of International Jazz day, established by UNESCO in 2011 and co-chaired by Herbie Hancock. Jazz in the Square is a free event in The Edge at Federation Square in Melbourne, kicking off at 1pm, with a Gala Performance to end the day from 7:30pm. Hear Adam talk about the Jazz to be experienced at The...

Christine Manetta loved singing when she was at school – especially performing as part of her school’s productions, however as often happens life takes over after school and Christine traveled a different path including a teaching and scientific career and motherhood.  Christine’s love of music and performing never went away, and has resurfaced years later when the opportunity arose for Christine to take on the challenge of retraining her voice, putting a repertoire and band together, and...

As a guest on Bent Notes, Bass player and composer Christopher Hale spoke about how Inspiration is an active activity, the joy of responding to inspiration in Korea in 2012 – and now creating brand new music integrating the shaman ritual drumming styles and traditional rhythms of Korea with contemporary jazz and rhythms from Australia. Ritual Diamonds is Christopher’s brand new album, made in collaboration with Korean drumming innovator Woo Minyoung and some of Australia’s great jazz...

Belinda Parsons, Fem Belling and Nina Ferro visited the Bent Notes Studio to chat about getting back to the business of entertaining  live audiences, and the absolute JOY of singing the Christmas Fare of songs in front of a Big Band in their annual Big Band Christmas Show.  They were very generous in singing live-to -air one of their favourite fun Christmas Songs – Big Bulbs! For the 6th year in a row this amazing trio are putting their combined memory effort to the test to recall the...

Guitarist Harry Tinney has released a new album under his WASTELANDS project.  The album seeks to respond to a sense of cultural and spiritual apathy that Harry experienced during COVID Lockdowns in Melbourne. The Wastelands album ORACLES was developed as part of the Emergence concert series supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.  Wastelands are Harry Tinney, Angus Radley (bass) and Felix Blossom (drums). Harry also spoke about his experience as a finalist in the...

Melbourne based saxophonist Julien Wilson worked on his own individually styled music during COVID Lockdowns in Victoria.  Coming out of that work are Three albums – 2 just released, the third due in 2023. (possibly titled “Way Back When”) Hear Julien talk about creating these albums incorporating technology along the way, getting back to live face to face gigs – including performing solo (without technology) in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Wangaratta for the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and...

Leigh Barker and Heather Stewart moved to Paris six years ago to create a new European base for their music, family and diverse projects.  Now with TWO editions of his band, Leigh chose to record the two bands and release Two digital Albums (combined to create a single CD release!)   They are PARIS and MELBOURNE Leigh chatted online from Champagne-sur-Siene just before leaving for Australia to launch the two albums and undertake an Australian tour (Vic, NSW, ACT, SA, TAS) with his Melbourne...

For years Tim Stevens did not want to play Standards because he felt that they had all been done so well before by so many great musicians, including pianists Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans. However, during lockdown Tim decided that he would play one piece a day – being a combination of his own compositions, improvisations and standards – starting with the Londonderry Air – to which he received a huge response, encouraging him to include more standards into his “Quarantunes“, as Tim calls...

Angela Davis spoke about her affinity for melody in her composition and performance when she spoke with David Moyle on Bent Notes. Angela also chatted about her latest work – SUITE FOR MAX, composed as part of the ABC Fresh Start commission and inspired by her experiences as a new mother. Angela will be performing the work with bass player, Sam Anning, guitarist Stephen Magnusson and drummer Patrick Danao at this year’s Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues on Saturday October 29,...

Julius Schwing spoke about the benefits of living on Bruny Island and discovering the ‘touch’ sounds of a guitar when he listened back to a recording he made of his guitar playing. Julius makes his festival debut performing three times twice at the 2022 Wangarratta Festival of Jazz and Blues – with his trio; with Scott Tinkler; as well as being a finalist in the National Jazz Awards. Hear what Julius had to say in this podcast from Bent Notes on JOY 94.9 Julius Schwing was guest of Bent...

Trumpeter, vocalist and composer Eamon McNelis visited the Bent Notes studio to chat about his musical upbringing, ‘Bric-A-Brac’, and his band The Skellingtons. Eamon describes how he his love of music is built around the detail of the music and how that detail enables people to be expressive through how they phrase their performance – and learning the trumpet because there were no violins available! The Skellingtons are performing their swinging sounds of the evocative music of the 30’s...