Australian Jazz Resources

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russell · #1 Post by **russell** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:16 pm

I will add to this topic with different great Australian jazz groups that I have used for Djing or danced to.
The first featured group is John Morrison's Swing City. They are a professional big band based in Sydney Australia. They were featured in the Sydney Olympic opening ceremony. They mainly do corporate gigs but over the years have run events for dancers. They are very supportive of the Sydney lindy hop scene.
Their website has a great video of Barbara Morrison performing with them when she toured Australia. This gig was put on for dancers. I was there but I can't see myself in the dancer shots. Great video to check out.
They also have some mp3 on the site.

http://www.swingcity.com.au/main.html

They also have a whole concert on streaming audio from a staged practice session. This is available at

http://www.ozzyjazz.com/swingcity/index.htm

There is also other Australian jazz streamed at the same site.

Bob the Builder · #2 Post by **Bob the Builder** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 5:31 pm

Hay, Russell
I’m glad you started this thread. I think your one of the Swing dance DJ’s here in Oz with one of the larger collections of Australian Artists.

In Melbourne we have several dance bands and I’ve really only got published CD’s off only a very small amount of them.
I really like JW’s version of “Lindy hoppers delight” on his double CD. http://scad.com.au/jwswing/ . I know some of the Perthies also really seem to like it and it gets a lot a air play.
Another CD I really like is Cairo Club Orchestra’s “Sunday” which is just a solid all round CD. http://gowrie.alphalink.com.au/cairo/index.htm

I’d be interested on hearing some of your other recommendations Russell.

russell · #3 Post by **russell** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 7:54 pm

Another one of my favourite Sydney jazz guys is Dan Barnett. He sings and plays a mean trombone. He runs a big band that plays once a month at a pub in Balmain. The gig goes off with some of the top players in Sydney there. Unfortunately very little dance space. His website is

http://www.danbarnett.com.au/

He has two CDs available with samples of some of the tracks. My favourite track of his is a version of Red Top.

Nate Dogg · #4 Post by **Nate Dogg** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:25 pm

russell wrote:Another one of my favourite Sydney jazz guys is Dan Barnett. He sings and plays a mean trombone. He runs a big band that plays once a month at a pub in Balmain. The gig goes off with some of the top players in Sydney there. Unfortunately very little dance space. His website is

http://www.danbarnett.com.au/

He has two CDs available with samples of some of the tracks. My favourite track of his is a version of Red Top.

At first I thought you were talking about Dan Barrett. Funny that they both play trombone.

AMG Bio
Biography by Scott Yanow
A major player in the small-group swing movement of the 1980s and '90s, Dan Barrett's trombone is equally at home in Dixieland and swing settings. He started on trombone in high school and played in California with the South Frisco Jazz Band and the Golden Eagle Jazz Band, two fine trad groups. At the urging of Howard Alden, Barrett moved to New York in 1983 where he worked with the Widespread Depression Orchestra, played at Eddie Condon's club, and in 1985 was with Benny Goodman's Orchestra. Barrett came to fame through his series of recordings (both as a leader and as a sideman) with Concord; among his many projects were co-leading a quintet with Howard Alden that was reminiscent of John Kirby's band of the 1940s, despite having very different instrumentation. Dan Barrett, who also played with Buck Clayton's big band, switched to the Arbors label in the 1990s where he became musical director and recorded frequently.

russell · #5 Post by **russell** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 7:13 pm

OK thanks Nate for the opportunity to segue into the next artist whose name is Tom Baker who did work with Dan Barrett. Tom Baker was a Sydney based trad jazz exponent. He was born in the USA but became an Australian citizen so we claim him as one of our own. He unfortunately died recently at the young age of 49. He did an album with Dan Barrett. Check it out at

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... ce&s=music

Note - there is a another Tom Baker listed on Amazon who appears to play relaxation style music. Also not to be confused with the Tom Baker of Doctor Who fame

Tom Baker has a son Matt Baker who has followed in his father's footsteps and is a jazz pianist/singer. He has palyed several times at the Montreux Jazz Festival. His website has samples of his CDs. Some of hsi material I have used for DJing.

http://www.mattbaker.com.au/matthomepage.htm

russell · #6 Post by **russell** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:32 pm

Went to a live gig for another great Australian jazz group last night. They are the "Sweet Lowdowns". They are a subgroup of the Red Hot Rhythmakers that were mentioned on Mr Jesse a while ago.

Check them out at:

http://www.sweetlowdowns.com.au/CDs.htm

also see Rhythmakers (which has their newly released CD) at:

http://www.redhotrhythmakers.com/index.php/discography

dogpossum · #7 Post by **dogpossum** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 2:57 am

I'm a big fan of Carol Ralph. But I haven't any linkage for her.

I DJ regularly from her CD 'Swinging Jazz Portrait'.

The Rhythmakers' CDs also get quite a bit of play with me.

I know you've been chasing some blooz artists Russ - do you have any linkage?

[edit]Both the Sweet Lowdowns and Carol Ralph are playing at MLX8, the Melbourne Lindy Exchange on the last week of November. Sweeeeet[/]

russell · #8 Post by **russell** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:32 pm

Just released - a compilation double CD of original compositions and arrangements by Graeme Bell (icon of Australian jazz)

http://www.newmarketmusic.com/album/a-c ... -2007.phps

phantom dancer · #9 Post by **phantom dancer** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 12:38 am

Matt Baker, who plays piano on my CD "The Phantom Dancer: 14 Swing Era Songs from 1926 - 1939", which I'm sure you have in your collection, available at CDBaby, is not Tom Baker's son. You'll see Matt's official biog on my CD website http://www.thephantomdancer.com. Click on The Band page

Thanks for your support,
Cheers
Greg Poppleton
& his Bakelite Dance Band)
PS: It's The Phantom Dancer Radiothon Tues 14, Sun 19 & Tues 21 Oct on 107.3 2SER-FM Sydney & http://www.2ser.com - support Australia's longest running swing & jazz show, on-air since 1985

russell · #10 Post by **russell** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:53 am

Matt Baker, who plays piano on my CD "The Phantom Dancer: 14 Swing Era Songs from 1926 - 1939", which I'm sure you have in your collection, available at CDBaby, is not Tom Baker's son.

My bad - I picked that up incorrectly in my jazz travels. Yes I have The Phantom Dancer in my collection