Jazz on the Village Stage
Jamie Oehlers Quartet
The Jamie Oehlers Quartet is one of Australia’s leading jazz ensembles. A winner of the World Saxophone Competition, winner of three Bell Awards for Best Jazz CD Release, Limelight Award winner and Bell Award Winner for Australian Jazz Artist of the Year, Jamie is one of the beacons of modern jazz in Australia. This group is infectiously energetic, made up of the cream of WA’s jazz talent; Jamie Oehlers – saxophone, Tal Cohen – piano, Pete Jeavons – bass and Ben Vanderwal – drums.
Tal Cohen Quartet
Tal’s unique piano style has its roots in Jewish folk songs and classical music, which he played from a young age growing up in Israel. After relocating to Perth at the age of 16, he took up a music scholarship at Churchlands Senior High School and later pursued studies in jazz improvisation at the prestigious Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
The Graham Wood Quartet
Graham is a professional pianist, arranger and composer (since 1989) and is recognised one of Australia’s leading Jazz pianists. He has toured extensively nationally and internationally and has worked with many renowned international artists including Frank Foster, Sam Rivers, Ernie Watts, Sheila Jordan, Cindy Blackman, Dave Weckl, Claire Martin, Reggie Workman, Ingred Jensen, Mark Murphy, Greg Osby, Bob Sheppard, Carmen Lundy, Chris McNulty, Paul Bollenback, George Garzone, Katie Noonan, Mike Moreno, Gretchen Parlarto, Sara Serpa, Howard Levy, Jon Gordon, Joel Fraum and Fred Wesley and (to name a few). He has been commissioned to compose three major large-scale works for Jazz orchestra including one for the Fremantle International Jazz Festival.
Freddie Grigson Quartet
The Freddie Grigson Quartet features acclaimed musicians guitarist Freddie Grigson, pianist /organist Tom O’Halloran, drummer Chris Tarr and saxophonist James Sandon. The quartet performs a blend of modern/mainstream/bop-influenced originals as well as some standards.
Allira Wilson Quartet
Allira's vocal approach is both unique and eclectic. Her music combines jazz harmony with a contemporary edge, fusing elements of Brazilian rhythms and neo-Soul flavours. Endowed with a powerful voice, her innovative twists and youthful approach revitalize not only the music, but creates a distinctive and fresh sound. Allira Wilson is a recent graduate of the West Australian Academy of Music and is the winner of the Melville Toyota Scholorship for 2010. Allira has performed at the Perth Jazz Society, Jazz Fremantle and Ellington Jazz Club, with performances under her own name and also with the jazz ensemble Blowfish, led by Jamie Oehlers. She has sung with popular big band MFO, All For One Big Band and WAYJO, performing at the Quarry Amphitheatre and Perth Concert Hall with Fred Wesley and John Morrison. She has also performed at the PJS for the Ladies of Jazz Concert 2009, has represented WAAPA in a tour of China in 2010 as well as performing at 2010’s Wangarrata Jazz Festival in Victoria. Allira is the vocalist for the Composers Ensemble in WAYJO for 2011, who recently toured Melbourne in May, performing alongside Michelle Nicole and Matt Jodrell.
Carl Mackey Quartet
Saxophonist Carl Mackey has been a mainstay on the Australian music scene for the past twenty years. Born, and currently based in Perth, Carl paid his dues doing club gigs from the age of fifteen.
A finalist in the James Morrison Scholarship two years running as a youth, he was most recently a finalist in the prestigious Freedman Fellowship in 2007.
He has performed with many leading Australian, and some of the world’s leading Jazz artists including, Lionel Hampton, George Garzone, Terell Stafford, John Sneider, Ronnie Matthews, Wycliffe Gordon, James Morrison, Dale Barlow and Paul Grabowsky to name a few, and has supported the likes of James Brown, Dianne Reeves, Ray Charles, Harry Connick Jnr and John Scofield.