Two legends of the Australian music industry present great jazz, with a special focus on the local scenes from Sydney, Melbourne, and beyond.
Dan Barnett was born into music, being the son of the legendary Sydney bassist Cliff Barnett. He began his musical life as a trombonist and quickly developed a love for singing and has since carved out an enviable reputation on the Australian music scene. Dan has worked and recorded with some of the greats in Australian and world music such as James Morrison, INXS, Jack Johnson, Will Calhoun, Paul Kelly,Tom Burlinson, Barbara Morrison, Mark Murphy, Bob Barnard, Boy George, Dan Barrett, Tom Baker, Bob Montgomery, Culture Club,Warren Vache, George Washingmachine, Emma Pask, Judy Carmichael, Janet Seidel, Don Burrows, George Golla, Thirsty Merc,Spy VSpy, The Allniters, Skunkhour, Evan Christopher, Stranger Cole, David Paquette, Judy Bailey, Rhonda Birchmore, Kevin Hunt and “The Australian Art Orchestra” production “Testimony”, the Legend of Charlie Parker, and Sydney festival production “The Trocadero Dance Palace”. Dan is also a permanent member of the legendary Unity Hall Jazz band and Blues Point Jazz vocal group as well as being a renowned bandleader of both big band and small groups.
Dan is a regular on the Australian and European festival circuit, having played at Waiheke JVC Jazz New Zealand, Thredbo, Festival of Voices, Clarence Jazz Festival, Noosa Jazz Festival, Manly, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne Festivals, Wangaratta Jazz Festival, River Festival (Brisbane), Jazz in The Domain, Darling Harbour Jazz fest, Wyndham Estate, Lleuwin Estate, Ascona Jazz Switzerland, Sildajazz Norway, Breda Jazz Nederlands, Bulach Jazz festival, Porvoo Jazz Finland, Riverboat festival Denmark, Montreux Jazz, Havana International Jazz Festival, and on tours of Thailand, Europe, Taiwan, Russia, and the U.S.A.
Dan was a runner up in the prestigious 2006 London International Jazz Competition for singers and in 2007 and 2008 toured Brazil three times as part of “Jazz Festival Brazil” to rave reviews. On the strength of this, he toured his 14pce big band to Brazil in late 2008 for “Banco do Brazil”.
He also has nine CDs under his own name. 5 with his big band “The Right Track” “Point of No Return” which went top 10 on the AIR charts (on La Brava records) & “Somewhere, Someplace, Sometime”, “Walkin’ Shoes” and his latest Strictly Swingin’ recorded live at the Unity Hall Hotel, the band’s spiritual home for the last 13 years as well as “Little Green Men” with his group Barnett 5 (Vitamin Records) recently released “Through her eyes” and Dan’s fourth release “One for C”, a tribute to his late father in May 2009 and was nominated for a Bell Jazz Award. Dan returns yearly to the EU for dates in France, Holland, Finland, Switzerland, Italy, Scandinavia, the Caribbean, and Asia as well as constantly touring nationally as a highly sought after singer, musical director, educator, and featured soloist.
“Dan Barnett is a natural bandleader with the personality and charisma to charm the most demanding of audiences. Add his talents as a fine, swinging vocalist and excellent trombone player, and you have the complete package ….one of the most satisfying sounds in Australian music”. Kevin Jones, respected music writer for The Australian newspaper and Fine Music magazine.
“Formidable Scatting” – Fine music Magazine
“A truly unique musical voice” – Critical Jazz USA
“Highly entertaining” – Fine music Magazine
“Barnett’s vocals are done to an old school crooner like perfection that makes old school new cool.” – Critical Jazz USA
Sydney pianist and composer, Matt McMahon began classical piano lessons when he was seven, but it was in his teens that his interest in jazz began, influenced by the recordings of Miles Davis and Weather Report and live performances by such Australian greats as Mike Nock, Bernie McGann and Paul Grabowsky. Matt completed a BA from the University of Sydney in 1992 with an honours degree in English Literature. He later completed an Associate Diploma in Jazz Studies from the NSW Conservatorium of Music where he studied with Mike Nock and Roger Frampton, and studied in New York. Matt has led his own groups including his trio, and is involved in the collaborative group “The Band of Five Names” featuring Phil Slater and Simon Barker, with whom he has recorded two albums. Matt won the National Jazz Award at the 1999 Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and has performed with many of Australia’s jazz icons including Vince Jones, James Morrison and Don Burrows. He is actively involved in the jazz community as a broadcaster and founder of the Jazzgroove Association, and has an interest in jazz education. He currently teaches at the NSW Conservatorium of Music and tours both nationally and internationally. The 2005 Freedman Jazz Fellow, Matt recorded his impressive debut album as leader, Ellipsis, with Jonathan Brown on bass and Simon Barker, drums.
