Riverlinks presents Tom Vincent Quartet
Tom Vincent is a pianist, composer, arranger - an original jazz stylist and captivating performer with unique harmony and melody. Tom Vincent is currently based in Tasmania, Australia, where he composes and records.
With people's focus turning to JAZZ and the upcoming Wangaratta Jazz Festival, it will be good to get a jazz taster right here in Shepparton in the week leading up.The Tom Vincent Quartet is so hot right now. Their national tour kicked off in Perth on Monday night (Monday 5 October) and Riverlinks is delighted to give you the chance to see the Tom Vincent Quartet live at the Eastbank Centre on Sunday 25 October.
The Tom Vincent Quartet is: Eamon McNelis (trumpet/vocals), Leigh Barker (double bass), Hugh Harvey (drums) and Tom Vincent (piano).
They are unique. The Tom Vincent Quartet is the only fully acoustic jazz band in Australia, with a style based on the jazz standard repertoire, but utterly spontaneous and irrepressibly adventurous in performance: sometimes explosive, sometimes simple and tender, yet always remaining true to the blues, swing and inventive aesthetics of jazz.
Eamon McNelis plays trumpet with a range of expression from the beautifully lyrical to the ferociously swingin'. He is supported and fuelled by a relentless rhythm section.
Pianist and arranger, Tom Vincent plays with stunning fluidity and playfulness. Leading the group through adventurous harmonic, polyrhythmic journeys, Tom infuses his own special brand of driving swing jazz piano. For this performance he will get a chance to give the Shepparton Steinway its first ever Jazz ‘work-out'.
Leigh Barker is one of the few jazz double bass players in Australia who plays fully acoustic, with no pick up or amp.
With this range of dynamics, drummer Hugh Harvey shapes and contours the music with suspense and release, at times holding back the excitement, bringing the music to a whisper with brushes.
To ensure the acoustic, intimate quality of the show, we will be presenting the Quartet in the beautifully tuned Eastbank function space and the audience will be treated to cabaret style seating. The audience will also have an opportunity to purchase ‘tapas' style food and great local wines to add to the enjoyment of the evening.
Tom Vincent has lived and played around the world in New York, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Paris, Sydney and Melbourne. He returned to Australia to be with his family in 2002.
Some may know him for the theme music he composed for ABC TV show Collectors, others just know him as 'that maniacally traditional, yet totally bent jazz pianist from Hobart'.
If you enjoy being captivated by passionate live music, you won't be disappointed by The Tom Vincent Quartet.
So come along and dig their grooves at the Eastbank Centre on Sunday 25 October at 8.00pm.
Tickets are available from the Riverlinks Box Office, 70 Welsford Street, Shepparton, online or by phoning (03) 5832 9511.
Reviews
I rank Tom as the most outstanding piano player Australia (take a cheer Aussie) has produced. The tendency of reviewers to allude to technique (pianos particularly) in their appraisal of a recording or concert is not in my view the main component of a Jazz player's performance. For this reviewer, the tour de force is IMPROVISATIONAL ABILITY. When I hear someone play the piano, looking like he means it and sets up a constant flow of ideas that literally blind me with virtuosity plus, the carry through to perpetuate such imaginative work, then, and only then do I make such, you may think extravagant claims about an artiste. Tom Vincent must be confronting a career of great satisfaction, but wait, there's more... so will the listener to his work. Trust me, on all this.
- Keith Hounslow, October 2008
Stunning fluidity and playfulness and a readiness to cover the waterfront of jazz history. The witticism and capability had everyone chuckling as another melody appeared unexpectedly. And it was not just masses of tunes, but also massive fluidity over all parts of the music: rhythms moved all over the place. Polyrhythms between hands, bass line triplets and delayed lines. Melodies that were dissonantly sideshifted or restructured lines with the same form but altered intervals and pitches. A pianist noted that Tom has a big hand, so could play big, unusual chords in his left hand, but they were extensions and colours that we were hearing, as well as intervals. Dynamic and expressive and playful. A wonderful night.
- Eric Pozza, Canberra Jazz Blog, review 12th June 2009
Influenced by Thelonius Monk, and with touches of Ahmad Jamal, this is a very sophisticated ensemble that plays tight, rhythmic modern jazz.
- Greg Barns, Tasmanian Mercury May 2009
Tom's chords have a great polarity, from the dark heavy changes to the bright crisp clusters just as the lyrical polarity of his creative melodies. Tom's writing, especially his ballad work is quite beautiful and has the depth and flow of the river Don. As for his feel, expression and sensitivity, well it's just magnificent, I actually cried whilst listening to his ballad work. Feel and sensitivity are of fundamental importance, you either are born with this so necessary talent or you're not. You can't learn this God given gift and Tom most certainly has it all.
- Serge Ermoll ~ Australian Jazz Pianist, May 2009
Band Profile
Tom Vincent
Pianist/Composer studied with Don Burrows, George Golla, Mike Nock, Roger Frampton. Graduated from the Sydney Con in 1989, where Burrows suggested he further his studies abroad. Burrows described Tom as a trailblazer, ‘...a musician who does not merely recycle what he's heard, but will really take music somewhere of his own.' International Study Grant - Australia Council for composition study in New York where he lived for three years. Two years living in Europe, performing regularly in Amsterdam, London, Paris, Berlin, Luxembourg. 2006 and 2009 performed in Tokyo. Has released three piano trio CD's: Vincent/Meader Trio, Second Impressions, and Blood Red. Composed and performed for the Island Brass Academy, Sundays Live - national broadcast ABC 2007 and 2008. Trio with Christian Wojtowicz and Elliott Dalgleish at Tasmanian Conservatorium Recital Hall. 2006 Tom Vincent Trio six-week tour of Tasmania. Composing/arranging/recording for Collectors ABC TV. Composed for the Seymour Group. Six months in Europe performing Vincent/Meader Trio. Tom Vincent Trio tour: 27 performances in five states of Australia - Playing Australia Grant. Qld tour with Qld Theatre Company - jazz musical. Finalist Wangaratta National Jazz Piano Awards. Based in Melbourne, regular jazz performances. Arts Tasmania Grant for Septet recording. John Butler Seed Grant to study audio engineering with George Goerss. John Butler Seed Grant and Arts Tasmania Bridging Grant to attend Australian International Music Market in Brisbane. Festival performances: Melbourne International Jazz, Sydney Improvised Music Association, Brisbane Pinnacles Jazz, Port Fairy Spring Music, Wangaratta Jazz, Adelaide Fringe, Hobart Improvised Music, 10 Days on the Island, St Helens Jazz, Tasmanian Spring Ensemble, Byron Bay Music, Hobart Blues, Clarence Jazz, Queensland International Music, Devonport Jazz Festival. Studied and/or Lectured at: Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Southern Cross University, Northern Rivers Conservatorium, Victorian College of the Arts, Tasmanian Conservatorium.
Eamon McNelis
Trumpet/vocals 1999 MSO's Young Composers Program - recorded his piece The Little Man and the Deep Blue Sky. Recorded albums with: Band Who Knew Too Much, Adam Simmons Toy Band, City City City, Zulya Kumalova, The Julien Wilson Quartet, The Mark Fitzgibbon Quintet, TISM, Hop Jump Big Band, Bucketrider, Ren Walters Group, Room 101 Big Band, Downbeat Big Band, Pearly Shells, Bobby Valentine, Barry Veith Big Band, Geoff Hughes and Alison Wedding, Vada, Southside Six, various Salsa Bands, Mariachi Los Romanticos, Old Dez Perez, Raul Rekow, Bob Barnard, Ben Carr Quartet, Will Guthrie's Antboy, My Disco, Ted Vining Trio, Brown Hornet, Chris Tanners 'Virus', Conglomerate, Hoodangers, Aaron Choulai Sextet, Kynan Robinson's 'En Rusk', Frock, Blow it out your Brass Band, Blarke Bayer Ensemble, Eddie Perfect, Ned Collete. Tours Australia several times a year. Toured Europe w Hoodangers, Irish band Grada, and Band Who Knew To Much. Jazz Festivals played at: Wangarratta, Merimbula, Paynesville, Melbourne, Half Bent; Music Festival played at: Meridith, Melbourne Fringe, Port Fairy Folk. 2003 finalist Wangarratta Jazz Festival Brass Competition. 2006 Toured Scandanavia - Band Who Knew Too Much. Denmark - won 'Jazz Pris' at Femoe Jazz Festival. Cross-cultural project with a Perovetan choir (Tatana village - Paupua New Guinea) - collaboration between choir and Vada, premier at the Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane Festival, Arts House at the Meat Market -Nth Melb, and Port Moresby Arts Centre. Lead trumpeter for Buddy Holly musical, Melbourne 2009. Completing debut album as a singer/composer with Flap with Australia and Europe Tours in 2009.
Leigh Barker
Bassist/Composer studied with Eric Ajaye - Canberra School of Music - popular accompanist for the cream of the traditional and contemporary Jazz scenes, frequently appearing with Jamie Oehlers, Scott Tinkler, Julien Wilson, Julie O'Hara, Peter Baylor, the Bennetts Lane Big Band, The Band Who Knew Too Much, Heather Stewart and many others. 2004 - USA for five weeks s- formal studies with bassists Ben Wolfe, Eric Revis and Reginald Veal - time with mentors Branford Marsalis and guitarist Doug Wamble. In 2007 Leigh took his Quintet on the road around Australia performing more than 25 concerts of his original music, to promote the release of his second CD, "Off to Moruya" which was recorded for the ABC ‘Jazztrack' program. His band also released a self titled CD in 2004 and is preparing to release a third album, a concert recorded at Bennett's Lane Jazz Club in June 2007. Played with American Tenor Saxophonist Ned Goold -musical director of the Harry Connick Jr. Big Band. Toured w own band through regional New South Wales and Tasmania. Given master classes at high schools and Hobart, Wollongong and Goulburn music Conservatoriums. Two self-titled CD releases. 2009 Performances in Paris, Denmark at jazz festival, New York and Vancouver.
Hugh Harvey
Drums Bachelor of Music (jazz performance) University of Adelaide Elder Conservatorium of Music 2002 - Most Outstanding Undergraduate (drums) award in the 2001/2 Jazz Awards. Hugh relocated to Melbourne in 2004, receiving a first class Honours degree in music performance from the VCA. Toured Thailand and Scotland, performed at the Barossa, Echuca, Glenelg and Wangarratta Jazz Festivals, and Womadelaide and Womad Rivermead 2003. A versatile sideman, Hugh is currently working with the James Annesley quartet, Cam McCallister sextet, Brooks/Bilander's Motion, Anton Delecca quartet, Loni Thomson Ensemble, Andrew Murray 15tet and rock/blues band, The Broadside Push. Hugh performs regularly with interstate ensembles including Adelaide based trio Triptych, and the Adam Page trio/sextet, and Tasmanian pianist Tom Vincent's quartet.
http://www.tomvincent.com.au/
http://www.youtube.com/TomVincentMusic
