New Backing Track: "Epic" by Jonathan Zwartz
Epic is a through-composed work in 5/4 in the key of B minor. The odd meter makes for a strangely hypnotic effect, allowing the piece to go for sometime without seeming particularly long. Composed by double bassist Jonathan Zwartz, it features on his debut album of original compositions released in 2009 “The Sea” which won two prestigious Bell awards, and was the best selling Australian jazz release in 2010 and 2011.
According to Jonathan Zwartz, “the piece was written on nylon string guitar and inspired in a general way by Brazilian music, particularly music for voice and guitar. The melody is very much a vocal one.” It came about as a kind of lullaby to help the composer's children to sleep.
Epic features performances by Jonathan Zwartz, Barney McAll, Phil Slater, Doug DeVries, Hamish Stuart and Fabian Hevia.
New Backing Track: "Song For Bobby" by Pyramid
“Song for Bobby” composed by David Hirschfelder, features Bob Venier on Flugelhorn. The cutting edge Australian jazz-fusion band Pyramid achieved cult status and went on to gain top billing at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1983. It comprised David Hirschfelder on Keys, Bob Venier on Trumpet/Flugelhorn, David Jones on Drums, and Roger McLachlan on Bass. According to David:
Backing Tracks Coming Your Way!
Backing Tracks Coming Your Way!
What we're aiming to do is get more people into playing jazz, particularly Australian Jazz. Over the forthcoming months we're going to be regularly adding resources that helps students practice, as well as providing some pathways of understanding for educators as a way of getting into the music. The backing tracks feature an all-star rhythm section of Larold Dirtog on Piano, Frank Di Sario on Double Bass, and Tony Floyd on Drums. Recorded at Soggy Dog Studio by Steve Vertigan. In addition to having an awesome backing track to practice with, there will be supplementary materials that will help beginning jazz students and teachers alike; with composition analysis, background stories for each tune, sample piano voicings, sample basslines, sample drum patterns, and often solo transcriptions. This will help Music Investigation, Music Style and Composition, and Music Performance students. The composition analysis will discuss melodic, rhythmic and harmonic devices, so that students can gain a deeper understanding of what is going on.
We hope you enjoy it and find it useful!
New Tunes for February
James Wakeling new tunes // Scott Dunbabin new tunes // Anthony Schulz new tunes