Paul Derricott
Paul Derricott, 29, is committed to developing his own strong musical voice. Paul’s passion is improvised thematic music. Paul has established himself as a member of the The Denominators, Miss Donne, MG and The Frauds, New School Collective (Cairns), The Mark Lewis Quartet and The Matt Crane quartet. Paul has also worked with Carl Dewhurst, Brendan Clarke, Dave Panichi, Nick Bowd, Sean Wayland, James Muller, Dave Theak, Chuck Yates, Jane Irving, Dale Barlow, Warwick Alder, Don Rader and as the leader of Arrow. He toured Europe with Aron Ottingtons band Aronas, performed at the London Jazz Festival with The London Jazz Collective and was a guest artist with the Oxford University Big Band on their tour to the North Sea Jazz Festival.
Gai Bryant
Gai Bryant is a saxophonist/composer currently living in Sydney, Australia. She has worked with Korean taegum maestro Won Hyang-Juan, Jim McNeely, Carl Orr, Mark Simmonds, Paul McNamara, Sandy Evans, Jackie Orzaczky, Jann Rutherford, Lloyd Swanton, Janet Seidel, Don Burrows, Roger Frampton and others.She has studied with soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom and composers Mike Gibbs and Jim McNeely. Gai has toured with her own groups within Australia performing at major jazz venues and jazz festivals. Internationally she has toured to Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Sweden and Finland performing with her own groups and as a guest instrumentalist.
Brendan Clarke
Brendan Clarke is a Sydney Jazz Double Bassist. In 2001 he was the winner of the National Jazz Award presented at the Wangaratta Jazz Festival. He is one of Australia’s most sought after bassists and has performed extensively across Australia at all major venues and jazz festivals. He has also toured Europe many times which has included performances at the Berlin Jazz Festival, Jazz hooilart in Belgium and the Locano film Festival in Switzerland. He has also performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival in California. In Australia he has had the opportunity to play, record and tour with many great international and national jazz artists including Kirk Lightsey, Jim McNeely, Wycliffe Gorden, Barbara Morrison, Don Rader, Dale Barlow, Vince Jones, James Morrison, Roger Manins, Bobby Gebert, John Harkins and Bernie McGann.
Jeremy Borthwick
Jeremy Borthwick is a Sydney based trombonist, composer and educator. He has performed and toured with many great international jazz artists including Cleo Laine, Jim McNeely, Bert Joris, Florian Ross, John Hollenbeck, Charles Tolliver, Barney McCall, Spoon, Philip Johnson and Alan Youngblood. He works regularly with many leading Australian musicians including Dan Barnett, James and John Morrison, Mike Knock, Phil Slater, James Muller, the catholics, Steve Hunter, Johnathon Zwartz, Dave Theak, Andrew Dickeson, Anthony Howe, George Washingmachine, Jon Stevens, Monica Trapaga and the Unity Hall Jazz Band. His current projects include his quartet “Exposed Bone”, the “Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra”. He has performed at most major festivals in Australia and several in New Zealand and Europe including Montreaux and Ascona.
Jeremy Sawkins
In February 2006 Jeremy returned from Ireland to his native Sydney Australia. He reclaimed the guitar chair in Wanderlust and performs regularly at the Intercontinental Hotel with singer/pianist Bonnie Jensen. A new version of ‘Jazz Organism’ featuring Darren Heinrich, Laurence Pike (drums) and Spike Mason (sax) has performed for the Jazz Groove Association and plans are afoot to release a live recording of Jazz Organism “Live in Dublin” later this year. During his career, Jeremy has had the opportunity to work with many other fine musicians including Bernie McGann, Paul McNamara, Jackie Orzaczky, Tony Buck, Don Burrows, Phil Wilson (USA), Indra Lesmana (Indonesia), Phil Slater, Matt McMahon, Jim Kelly, Paul Cutlan and many more. He has also played in many other groups over the years covering a wide variety of musical styles including ‘The Zips’; ‘What is Hip’; Monica Trapaga’s Continental Deli and Brazilian Spectacular; Chris Cody’s Coalition; Grace Knight’s Big Band and Frank Bennett’s Big Band.
Press
“Gai Bryant …one of the brightest lights in the local jazz scene.”
– Financial Review
“Paul Derricott’s… outstanding and varied compositions, intelligently played; (are) a demonstration of how pop influences can be fused into valuable jazz interpretations. ”
– John McBeath
“Borthwick weaves agile lines around lazy trombone yawns and raking blasts.”
– John Clare, SMH
“The wailing and growling trombone of Jeremy Borthwick also shows piston-like agility.”
– Peter Wockner, ABC
“What Sawkins (does) with the tunes is explore the idiom’s moods – from sunlit buoyancy to the blues-tinged reflections of a Philip Marlowe on a lonely stake-out -from a contemporary perspective.”
– John Clare