John Morrison

Performing Saturday 19th Feb at 3.30pm, 5:30pm & 7.00pm

John Morrison has delighted audiences for more than 25 years with his humor and dedication to sounds that swing. Equally at home in a small group or big band setting, his musical facility runs the entire spectrum from traditional jazz, swing, Bebop, R&B, Soul and commercial jazz rock.

The eldest of the Morrison family, John has spent much of his musical life playing and recording with his younger brother James Morrison. At age 8, John began playing cornet in the school brass band and by the age of 10 had built his first drum set from pots and pans. In these early few years he played many different instruments and styles but jazz drumming was to be his calling.

After living in New York for over 12 months in the late eighties, John and James returned home to form Australia's premier jazz big band "The Morrison Bros Big Bad Band". John widened his exposure and experience also playing with a variety of other well-known artists including James Moody, Scott Hamilton, Richie Cole, John and Jeff Clayton, Garry Dial, Jimmy Whitherspoon, Eartha Kitt, Don Burrows, George Golla, and Bob Barnard

As the driving force behind Swing City, John, who was voted Australia's best big band drummer, looks forward to a big future for his most exciting project to date - Swing City.

Further to his playing schedule, John is a musical director for Pan Pacific and heads highly successful high school jazz music camps.

He is known for his work in the recording studio both as player and producer and hosts his own "Jazz at Five" radio show on Sydney radio station FM 99.3

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RAAF Force 10 

Performing Saturday 11th Feb at 4.30pm

Force 10 is a ten-piece function band providing music for dinner dances, gala balls, charity events and official Air Force functions. The band consists of piano, bass, drums, three saxophones, two trumpets, two trombones and male and female vocalists. It performs a range of styles including music from the '20s and '30s, Big Band, Swing, Rhythm and Blues, as well as contemporary Pop and Soul.

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Victoria Police Showband

Performing Saturday 18th Feb at 4.30pm

 

 

 

 

 

The Victoria Police Showband is a vibrant, dynamic group made up of instrumentalists and vocalists.

The Showband performs jazz, swing, contemporary pop as well as music from musicals and light opera.  The band is a powerful proactive tool for increasing positive contact and communication with the public.  Through the medium of music they can effectively enhance the delivery of Victoria Police's corporate messages and themes.

The Showband is a versatile group of some of the best musicians in Melbourne that can target everything from police ceremonial functions to schools, balls to formal concerts and anything in between. Performing state-wide to audiences of all ages, the Victoria Police Showband delivers the Force’s message of goodwill to those it serves, the people of Victoria. 

The Showband is an energetic twenty-five piece group fronted by a dynamic team of vocalists. In uniform, police members deliver powerful performances of songs from the 1940’s Big Band Era, to current Top 40 popular hits. The Showband features saxophones, trumpets, trombones, keyboards, drums, guitar and bass, and has amazing versatility.

Westernport Regional Band

Performing Saturday 4th Feb at 5.30pm

Westernport Regional Band is an enthusiastic community band, comprising of Woodwind, Brass and Rhythm and play a variety of styles of music with our main focus on Jazz and the Big Band style of the 30's and 40's.

The Westernport Regional Band rehearse every week in Hastings and play a number of concerts including Coolart and Inverloch Jazz Festivals and community events and encourage the appreciation of music amongst our youth.  The Westernport Regional Band is independantly operated and all musicians from any school or of any age and standard are welcome to join us.

 Ian Oldstein is our inspirational Musical Director and our rehearsals are vibrant and entertaining.  The emphasis is on FUN for the players and the audience.  We hope you enjoy today's performance as much as we enjoy playing for you.

 Check out the website:  www.wprb.vze.com  Listen to WPRB:  www.myspace.com/westernportregionalband   Send an email:  wprband@gmail.com  Phone:  Jan Barbieri  5977 6777

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Jack Earle Big Band

Performing Saturday 25th Feb at 4.30pm

  Jack Earle is a young local performer that started playing piano at age 4 and trumpet at age 6. Currently in year 11 at St. Michaels Grammar school, he regularly performs at school concerts and in community theatre and has played as a guest artist with the swingin.com big band & the Daryl McKenzie Jazz Orchestra. In 2009 Jack was the assistant musical director for MLOC’s season of “White Christmas”, achieved his Associate diploma on piano and, he formed the Jack Earle Big Band which played their debut performance at the 2009 Big Band Sunsets series.

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Royal Australian Navy Big Band

The Melbourne detachment maintains versatile music capabilities specialising in the delivery of ceremonial music, traditional and contemporary wind music, and popular music products. This detachment maintains a strong metropolitan and regional focus with its reach extending to national tasks.

Key capabilities are its parade band and concert band. Built into its scheme of complement and extending its reach is a high-energy show group - the Corvettes - and a wind chamber ensemble - Pipe the Side.

The Corvettes comprises a big band, a rock group, and a small jazz ensemble.

Pipe the Side comprises woodwind and brass combinations including woodwind and brass quintets, and small vocal ensembles.

For information about career opportunities in Royal Australian Navy Band or performance schedules please contact the Band Officer on 03 5950 7200.

Miles High Jazz Orchestra

Performing Saturday 12th Feb at 5.30pm

The Miles High Jazz Orchestra (MHJO) is an 18-piece big band showcasing the talents of young local musicians in styles ranging from hard bop, swing, and blues all the way to funk, rock, and hip hop. The MHJO entertains through the antics of frontman and comedian Oliver Clark, as well as providing great big band repertoire. If you want to laugh, dance, sing, and listen to great music all night, the MHJO is for you!

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SHAKE A TAILFEATHER - the BLUES BROTHERS Show

Performing Saturday 25th Feb at 8.00pm

This internationally acclaimed act has been wowing the corporate scene for 12 years. Performance credits include events such as the World Cup Sailing Championships and playing rooms such as the Burswood Casino (Perth), Star City (Sydney), Crown Palladium, Brisbane Entertainment Centre and the Auckland Sheraton. As well, they have shared the stage with artists such as Burt Bacharach, Todd McKenny & Normie Rowe. Crafting their act from the classic movie of the same name, the Blues Brothers Show will stop at nothing to get the audience involved. A word of warning for Big Band Sunsets Festival goers though, hold on to your drinks and food while they're around 'cos they are generally pretty hungry and VERY thirsty! This show has been a huge hit at the festival for the past 3 years, and is back by popular demand again performing with the entire 35 piece MoJO backing them.

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Ross Irwin

Ross Irwin is a 25 year old trumpet player, singer/songwriter, arranger, composer, producer and educator from Melbourne , Australia . Ross is an artist who truly covers all areas of the music industry, from Jazz education, through to the international Rock scene. As well as playing, writing and arranging for a number of bands including The Cat Empire, The Bamboos and The Daryl McKenzie Jazz Orchestra, he also runs his own projects, including Indie Rock band The Irwins, The Ross Irwin Soul Special, and Los Delincuente All-Stars. He has performed at festivals all over the world including Glastonbury Festival UK, Edinburgh Festival, The Big Day Out, Rock Am Ring/Park Germany, Meredith, Livid, Summer Sonic Japan, Byron Bay Blues and Roots, Perth Blues and Roots, Falls Festival, The Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, Woodford, Golden Plains, Homebake, Queenstown Soul Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Manly International Jazz Festival, Womad, Sydney Soul and Funk Festival, Adelaide Fringe, and the Bacardi Festival. He has toured the world as one of the Empire Horns, with the internationally acclaimed Australian Band, The Cat Empire, as well as playing on their debut, double platinum selling album, and arranging, co-writing and playing on the ARIA award winning "Cities" album. Ross has also toured internationally with the Australian deep-funk outfit, The Bamboos, as well as playing and arranging for their worldwide, critically acclaimed debut album, "Step It Up", and their follow ups “Rawville”, “Just Say”, “Listen Hear The Bamboos Live” and “Sidestepper” on "TruThoughts Records UK". Music from these albums has been heard on dance floors and radio all over the world, as well as being used for TV shows and films such as "Grey's Anatomy", “Ugly Betty” and “Transformers”. As well as touring with bands, Ross has been invited all over the country to give guest lectures and workshops to high school and university students, speaking on Jazz, Big Bands, song writing and the music industry. He is also an adjudicator and test piece writer for the Generations In Jazz National Stage Band Awards in Mt. Gambier , SA.

As well as a number of recording credits including pop, jazz and rock albums, TV commercials and film soundtracks, Ross has also performed on, and arranged for such TV programs as Rove Live, The Panel, MTV, Channel V's Music Max, The Arias, The Today Show, Good Morning Australia, Live at the Chapel, StarStruck, X Factor, Sunday Arts, Australia’s Got Talent, and Australian Idol. He has recorded, performed with, and arranged for such bands and artists as Jimmy Barnes, Paul Kelly, Marcia Hines, Thirsty Merc, End Of Fashion, Diesel, Regurgitator, Karnivool, Hugh Jackman, Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet), The Custom Kings, Ozomatli, Michael Franti, Stax Records giant Eddie Floyd, James Morrison, Alice Russell, Tyra Hammond, Ross Wilson, The Black Sorrows, Bill Watrous, Guy Sebastion, Daryl Somers, John  Foreman, Members of the Memphis Horns, Kate Cebrano, Brian Cadd, Xavier Rudd, The Resin Dogs, Deni Hines, Alan Vizutti, Jim Pugh, Brian May and Roger Taylor of legendary British rock band QUEEN, Vanessa Amarossi, British writer and comedian Ben Elton, as well as doing support gigs with Australian Bands for "Guru" from (Gangstarr/Jazzmatazz), Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, The Black Eyed Peas, Roy Ayers, and the late, great Godfather of soul, James Brown.

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MoJO - The MORDIALLOC JAZZ ORCHESTRA

Performing the SWING DANCE on Saturday 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th Feb at 7.00pm

MoJO is a 35 piece community band that plays transcriptions of classic swing and big band tunes. At a MoJO performance you'll here music from great artists like Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and so many more!!

There's always a chance to have a dance, so make sure you bring your best dancing shoes. Or maybe you'd prefer to just sit back, listen to the music, and be transported back to the great era of the big bands. The band performs around 30 concerts per year, the highlights of which undoubtedly are the Big Bands Sunsets Festival held on each Saturday in February and the series of MoJO Dinner Dances that take place throughout the year.

MoJO has a strong commitment to developing musicians no matter what stage they are at in their musical journey. Anyone can join MoJO and our members reflect an enormous diversity of professions, cultures, ages and musical experience. There is a well structured training environment where anyone can learn 'from scratch' or develop their ensemble skills in the training band.

Most of all though, MoJO is renowned for its ability to bring 'fun' into the music. You will always go away from a MoJO performance with a smile on your face. Their light-hearted rapport with the audience combined with their great 'swinging' music makes them one of the most well-supported community ensembles in the country.

For more info on MoJO check out the website: www.mojoswing.com.au

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