Our jazz & pop bands have played at events for Tiffany & Co., Australia Day at Parliament House for the Prime Minister of Australia, in Perth for the Prime Minister of Japan, The NSW Art Gallery, and in-store for OMEGA and Louis Vuitton in Melbourne and Sydney.
Jeremy (sax):
Jeremy is one of Australia’s leading saxophonists and composers, performing nationally and internationally at festivals, concert halls, and jazz clubs. Jeremy regularly performs with Ensemble Offspring and The Vampires.
Studied: Sydney Conservatorium of Music (First Class Honours in Jazz Saxophone) & PhD at the Sydney Conservatorium. Jeremy has also studied in London, Oslo, Canada, Greece, Cuba, Bali and New York.
The media has reported that ‘his compositions stand out from the pack’ (SMH), ‘is developing into a significant Australian voice’ (Jazz-Planet.com), and that ‘his playing shows subtle glimpses of a mature master’ (The Australian).
Awards: The APRA Professional Development Award, Bell Award for Young Australian Jazz Artist, a BBM Award, and an Australian Postgraduate Award. He was a finalist in the 2012 and 2013 Freedman Jazz Fellowship and the APRA/MCA Art Music Awards for Best Jazz Work and Excellence in Jazz.
Matt (sax):
“CONCERTS at Sydney Opera House are always special occasions for local and overseas musicians, but they are particularly pleasing if you’re an Australian jazz muso and you walk away with $15,000.
That’s what happened to Sydney saxophonist and composer Matt Keegan at the weekend when his performance helped him win the MCA/Freedman Jazz Fellowship for 2011.
The award is designed to assist young musicians (under 36) developed their careers here and overseas. Keegan, 34, already a stalwart of the local jazz circuit, plans to forge a new music genre by taking his talents to India to collaborate with folk musicians there.
Keegan’s versatility has taken him in several directions. He has released five albums under his name and also spent a few years touring and recording in the US with California rock band Pseudopod at the turn of the century.” The Australian.
Studied: Bachelor of Music (1st Class Honours) + Masters in Music from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Pop: Maroon 5; Thirsty Merc.
TV: The Voice
Stringspace Events: Chifley Tower Christmas party at Guillaume – The Bennelong, Sydney Opera House; Carolina’s – in-store solo jazz sax performance.
Aaron (guitar):
Studied: Bachelor of Music
Awards: 1st prize winner in the National Jazz Awards at the prestigious Wangaratta Festival of Jazz.
Collaborations: “BAZ”, The MFW, Sidecar, Amphibious, Luke Escombe and The Corporation, Vince Jones, The Swinging Blades, Elana Stone, The Alcohotlicks, Zoe and the Buttercups & The 10 Guitar Project.
“This is one intelligent, obfuscating, revved-up release. These men play with repetition; they play sound, with effects and a form that lends itself to taking things just about as far as you can go. It’s Yes and Zappa in a minimalist setting, with a bit of Goldfrapp thrown in.” – Review of The Alcohotlicks album Danaides by Arne Sjostedt (Sydney Morning Herald)
“ Flower’s compositions are as masterful as his playing.” – Jessica Nicholas, ABC Jazz.
“This music bristled with fun, imagination, and surprise and constituted a fascinating project.” John Shand – Sydney Morning Herald
PJ (guitar):
Originally hailing from the lush countryside of rural New Zealand, Peter has become a regular fixture on Sydney’s music scene since late 2011, appearing with various jazz and pop groups around the country and abroad. His love of music was first sparked by the many varied albums in his Dad’s record collection, and he spent his late teens gigging around the Auckland jazz scene in bands led by Roger Manins and Frank Gibson Jr. before moving to Australia.
Recent highlights include tours to Asia with the Briana Cowlishaw Band and playing in Tim Firth’s jazz-metal band, Scordatura. 2014 Peter placed 3rd in the prestigious National Jazz Awards at the Wangaratta Jazz Festival. He currently tours with Katie Noonan.
“I think Australian jazz audiences have been waiting to hear a voice like Peter Koopman on guitar. He has such a sweet sound, and his inventiveness is individual.” – D. Goodman.
Stringspace Events: Porsche launch event at Alexandria; Feature performance with Briana for Clover Moore at the Museum of Contemporary Art; Art Gallery of NSW Garden Party.
Stringspace Projects: PJ features on our YouTube Channel StringspaceLive
Harry (piano):
Studied: Sydney Conservatorium of Music with first-class honours.
Collaborations: James Morrison, Dale Barlow, Matt Corby, Dereb the Ambassador, Touch Sensitive, Ben Hauptmann, Donny Benet, and Ngaiire.
Awards: James Morrison Scholarship
Radio: ABC Jazz digital radio and featured on Jazztrack with Mal Stanley.
Finalist in the 2019 Freedman Jazz Fellowship.
“My music director Harry Sutherland – when I sent him the music after it was done and asked him to come on tour, he scored the entire album part by part, and he was almost more responsible for divvying up each specific role for each band member more than I was. To have someone with that kind of genius-level of operating has made my job really fun.” – Matt Corby (1883 Magazine)
Gerard (piano):
Gerard is a sought-after virtuoso pianist in demand with elite pop and jazz artists of Australia.
Collaborations: Lior, Wes Carr, Lisa Mitchell, Pete Murray, Lily Dior, James Morrison, Emma Pask, The MyClymonts & Missy Higgins
Musical Director: Lisa Mitchell (touring band); Wes Carr (Australian Idol winner)
Projects: Member of ‘Tambalane’ with Ben Gillies (Silverchair) and Wes Carr; solo support shows for Lior; Lady Rizo band – Sydney Festival.
Independently released ‘Spin’ EP – film clip frequently played on the ABC TV show ‘Rage’.
- Studio sessions with The Potbeleez, co-writing song ‘101 Reasons’ on their Gold Record.
- The song’ Red Rocket’ was included in the smash US TV show ‘Breaking Bad’.
Stringspace Events: Louis Vuitton in-store Christmas jazz band.
Gary (piano + accordion):
Gary Daley is a highly respected pianist, accordionist, educator and composer. Best known as a musician playing in some of the elite bands of Australian jazz, most notably, The Catholics. He appears on many highly regarded Australian recordings with numerous artists.
Collaborations: He leads the quartet, Bungarribee, which features several of Australia’s preeminent contemporary musicians. Bungarribee performed original compositions along with fresh improvisations on music by classical composers such as Bartok, Ligeti and Bach, filtered through diverse styles such as jazz, folk and Carnatic rhythms.
Awards: Gary is the recipient of two Australia Council for the Arts grants for new work and recording.
His projects have received many glowing reviews, and he has presented his music at major venues and festivals.
“Something new and unforgettable……..magic happens on the stage, and it’s hard to put a finger on it. What an intelligent approach to music! “- Zoli Mauritius, Music by The Sea Festival.
Bungarribee is a band that can go anywhere and seemingly do anything, keeping the listener’s eyebrows in a near-permanent state of astonishment.”
[4.5⭐] – John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald.
Another side to Gary is his appearances on the ABC TV children’s channel in the twice-Aria nominated pre-school show Lah Lah’s Adventures and the Stripy Sock Club. In addition to performing, recording and touring, Gary is the artistic director for the highly regarded concert series Live at the Village in the NSW Blue Mountains.
Stringspace Projects: Gary features on our YouTube Channel StringspaceLive.
Max (double bass):
Studied: Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Double bassist Maximillian has established himself as a force of creative energy in the Sydney Jazz and experimental music scene.
He has worked alongside some of Australia’s biggest names in Jazz, including Mike Nock, Paul Grabowsky and Dale Barlow. As well as accompanying such luminaries, Max is a chief collaborator in projects that have been touring locally and internationally, with recent performances at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival (Vulkan DK/Aus), Wellington Jazz Festival and The Manly Jazz Festival (The Pocket Trio) to name a few.
Max is an active recording artist featured on recent album releases, including ‘Blueprints and Vignettes’, ‘Good Winter’ (Antipodes Aus/NZ) and the recent debut album by The Pocket Trio “All At Once.”
Barry has selected some fellow cosmonauts of equal fearlessness and intrepidity for this trip. Jeremy Rose, who seems to spend as much time digging deep into the earth as he does cruising the cosmic breezes, is on alto and bass clarinet. And, after hearing how they breathe as one with these tunes, I couldn’t think of a better rhythm section than the masterful Dave Goodman on drums and rising star Max Alduca on double bass. – Words About Music review.
Alex (drums):
Studied: Bachelor of Music Degree in Jazz Performance from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, studying with Richard Miller.
Collaborations: James Muller, David Theak, Sean Wayland, and Judy Bailey.
Awards: James Morrison Generations in Jazz Scholarship finalist and 1st prize winner of the prestigious 2018 National Jazz Awards at Wangaratta.
Stringspace Events: Final Fantasy – Stringspace Orchestra Concert; Australia Day party in Parliament House, Canberra – an event hosted by the Prime Minister of Australia.
Stringspace Projects: Alex features on our YouTube Channel StringspaceLive
Dominic (drums): Pop & Cuban style
Dominic is Australia’s youngest Babalawo and only Olu-Bata (Priest of Aña Sacred Bata drums).
Collaborations: Deni Hines (AUS), HERMITUDE (AUS), Pedrito Martinez (CUBA), OMAR (UK), Bill Summers (Herbie Hancock), Julio Padron (CUBA/Irakere), and Huey Dunbar (DLG), among others.
Dominic placed 2nd, competing at the prestigious international percussion festival held annually in Havana, ‘La Fiesta Del Tambor’.