Jazz titan Gary Bartz has two special Melbourne shows during the Melbourne International Jazz Festival on 22 and 23 October.
The Grammy-winning saxophonist brings his revolutionary approach to improvisation to 170 Russell on 22 October, collaborating with celebrated Australian pianist Barney McAll and members of Hiatus Kaiyote. Gary Bartz has spent six decades reshaping jazz through groundbreaking work with Miles Davis on Live-Evil and pivotal performances alongside Art Blakey and Charles Mingus. His recent projects include Jazz Is Dead with Ali Shaheed Muhammad from A Tribe Called Quest and producer Adrian Younge, adding to a catalogue of over 45 solo albums including the seminal Harlem Bush Music.
Gary Bartz
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The 170 Russell performance features daring reinterpretations of his iconic NTU Troop material and solo work, driven by spiritual jazz and boundless improvisation. The ensemble includes Rita Satch and Belle Bangard on vocals, Gilly G on guitar, Sam Anning on bass, Jason Heerah on percussion and vocals, and Felix Bloxsom on drums. Opening act SO.Crates performs at 8pm, featuring Skomes on beats, Cazeaux O.S.L.O. on rhymes, Will Larsen on saxophone and bass clarinet, Pataphysics on trumpet, Nathaniel Sametz on trombone, and guest vocalist Husseinie Hujale.
On 23 October, Gary Bartz appears in conversation with bassist, broadcaster and educator Eric Ajaye at Chapel Off Chapel for the ABC Jazz series Jazz Legends. The intimate artist talk begins at 6pm, with Barney McAll joining Bartz to discuss their Melbourne International Jazz Festival performance and cross-generational collaboration. The conversation explores stories from his six-decade musical journey and his role as one of jazz’s most influential thinkers. Tickets for the 170 Russell performance are $79, while the Chapel Off Chapel conversation is $10.
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