Keeping up with Big Band

17 July

Keeping up with the Big Band - June

Thank you to Big Band administrator Russell Luhrs for putting together these articles

DooBop Jazz Club on International Jazz Day

Tuesday 30 April was International Jazz Day and the QYO Big Band were the featured artists at the Brisbane jazz venue DooBop.

The Big Band played to a full house of appreciative jazz enthusiast celebrating International Jazz Day.

The Big Band presented two 1 hour sets of music especially tailed to the significance of the day featuring by the musical director Bohdan Davison. Given it was international jazz day the repertoire featured such classics as Blues in Hoss Flat, After Supper, John Brown’s Other Body, Jack the Bear and others such as Can’t Stop Loving You. Various members of the Big Band were given opportunity to showcase their extensive talents with extended improvisational instrumental solo featured in the various charts. The audience responded as educated jazz aficionados should after each solo, with enthusiastic applause.

Vocalist Alistair Hill was featured in both sets with classics such as For Once in My Life, How Sweet It is, Beyond the Sea, Fly Me to The Moon, What a Wonderful World. Alistair's crooning was greatly appreciated by the audience.

The Big Band performed to the usual high standard and were great ambassadors for the QYO program and the jazz fraternity both musicians and those that share a common interest in jazz on what was International Jazz Day at DooBop. The QYO Big Band have been invited back to play at DooBop again on Tuesday 10 September.

Inaugral Brisbane Youth Jazz Festival

The Brisbane Jazz Club hosted the inaugural Brisbane Youth Jazz Festival on Thursday 9 May at the Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre.

Ensembles were invited to nominate for the event. The event was over subscribed and the patrons who were Shannon Marshall, Kristin Bernardi and James Sandon, all friends of the QYO Big Band, eventually settled on 15 ensembles consisting of over 300 musicians with 5 ensembles scheduled to perform over each of the 3 nights. The QYO Big Band was invited to fill the coveted closing spot to bring the hugely success festival to a resonating conclusion.

The Big Band as always performed to an exceptionally high standard demonstrating to their peers and the large enthusiastic audience an exceptional level of musical talent and professionalism. The repertoire selected my Musical Director Bohdan Davison showcased the musical versatility, technical proficiency and musician of the ensemble. This was acknowledged by the patrons and appreciated by the audience. This a was a great opportunity to showcase the QYO program to other young musicians. As always the QYO Big Band were very professional and great ambassadors for the QYO program

QYO Big Band tenor saxophone lead Josh O'Byrne was awarded the trophy as best improvisational saxophone soloist of the festival.

While this was the inaugural event I'm sure its success will see it become a regular feature of the Brisbane jazz scene.