Fretless Four - (jazz bands in nsw)

Fretless Four Description

Let Fretless Four take you on a soul-moving journey into the world of jazz.

From reflective ballads to sizzling latin and swing numbers, this professional jazz quartet has the experience and the skills to set the perfect mood for your event. DALE BARLOW - SAX & FLUTES: One of Australia's most accomplished and internationally recognised jazz artists, Dale was a member of legendary American groups The Cedar Walton Quartet, and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, two of the greatest training grounds for young musicians in jazz history. Widely recognised as an inspiring, virtuosic and original Tenor saxophonist/ composer, he is also an accomplished flautist/bass clarinettist/ arranger and pianist. As a composer he has written for large and small ensemble, film, theatre and television, and recorded extensively. His credits include touring and recording with some of the all-time greats: Sonny Stitt, Chet Baker, Gil Evans, Jackie McLean, Billy Cobham, Curtis Fuller, Eddie Palmieri, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Golson, Lee Konitz, Sonny Stitt, Helen Merryl, Mulgrew Miller, Cindy Blackman, Ernie Watts, Eddie Henderson, Kenny Barron, Ray Drummond, Billy Higgins, Cedar Walton and, of course the original Jazz Messenger, Art Blakey. Born into a musical family, Dale (born Dec 25 1960) was highly acclaimed at a very early age in Australia as featured soloist with various youth big bands and small groups. By the age of 17 he was reluctantly being coupled with touring American jazz greats by agents excited at showing off Australian young talent. He toured with one of his idols, Sonny Stitt. After completing his musical studies at the NSW conservatorium, he moved to New York to further hone his musical skills and be part of the greatest Jazz scene in the world. He studied saxophone with George Coleman and Dave Liebman piano with Barry Harris, and Hal Galper, and won a scholarship to study at the "Jazz composers workshop" with Bob Brookmeyer and Manny Album. During this time he worked the New York Scene and toured the world constantly, performing regularly at major jazz festivals throughout the USA., Canada, Europe, Japan, Asia and the Soviet Union, and recording with many of the great Jazz Artists. Since returning to Australia, Dale has received numerous awards and accolades including: Album of the Year/ Jazz performer of the year/ International Artist of the Year/ Bicentennial Artist of the Year, four Mo Awards and numerous grants and credits for his for his achievements and contribution to the arts In Australia. Dale is a Master of Music (Canberra University), appears regularly on television and enjoys excellent media attention. For the last 3 years Dale has toured as a member of Billy Cobham's band. He continues to work around the world as a band leader, recording artist, and as a hired soloist/ composer and arranger with numerous other groups.

DAVID SMITH - GUITAR: David Smith was born in Sydney in 1954. He started playing guitar as a teenager and by 19 he was playing professionally in rock bands. He developed a passion for jazz, in which his early influences included by Tal Farlow, Jimmy Raney and John McLaughlin. David spent four years in the UK from 1975-79 performing in a wide variety of bands. He returned to Australia and played at major jazz venues. In l986 he was invited to New York to perform with Chuck Wayne, Vic Juris and close friend and virtuoso guitarist Jack Wilkins, with whom he made a CD. David is regarded as one of Australia’s best jazz guitarists and currently lectures at the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney.

BRENDAN CLARKE - BASS: Brendan Clarke is a Sydney based Acoustic and Electric Jazz Bassist. Graduating from the Canberra School of Music in 1996, Brendan won the prestigious Drew Sydes Memorial Award for Most Promising Student. That same year he attended and performed at the famous Monterey Jazz Festival in California with the Canberra School of Music Big Band. In 1997 Brendan spent a year performing on the P&O cruise ship "Fair Princess", cruising around the South Pacific backing a huge number of acts from comedians to divas to electric banjo players. Brendan moved to Sydney in 1999 and has since been playing, recording and touring with International and Australian performers such as Barbara Morrison, Joe Beck, Dale Barlow, Bernie McGann, Bobby Gebert, Vince Jones, George Washingmachine, Don Rader, The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra, Warwick Alder, Grace Knight and many more. In 2001 Brendan was the winner of the National Jazz Award at the Wangarratta Jazz Festival. Brendan is also involved in his own Projects The House of Reps and The Denominators.

MATT MOORE - DRUMS: Matt Moore, born Sydney 1971, is a drummer, drum/percussion educator, composer, arranger, recording engineer, author and bandleader. Winner of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Young Composer of the Year award in 1990, Matt graduated from the Canberra School of Music in 1994 with a Graduate Diploma in Jazz Studies. Since moving to Sydney in 1998 he has established himself as a leading Australian drum/percussion educator, teaching at several Sydney private schools and his home studio. In 2005 he and wife Jayne authored and published The Contemporary Drumming Course and in 2007 produced the iNome, a metronome for iPod. From 2004-2008 Matt was a co-musical director, arranger and band member of EMI recording artists Tenor Australis, performing regularly in concert venues throughout Sydney, NSW and Victoria. Since the 1990s Matt has performed around Australia and New Zealand with many rock and jazz groups. Current projects include The Modecs and Fretless Four.

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