Sandy Evans' 'High Five'

Historical article recovered from a Wayback capture dated 2018-02-24.

Sandy Evans is recognised as one of the leading saxophonists (tenor and soprano) and composers in contemporary jazz in Australia. She leads the Sandy Evans Trio, and co-leads the internationally acclaimed Clarion Fracture Zone. She is a member of Ten Part Invention, The catholics, the Australian Art Orchestra, austraLYSIS, The Kristen Cornwell Quintet, Guy Strazzullo’s Passionfruit and Kim Sanders and Friends. With percussionist Tony Lewis and koto player Satsuki Odamura, she co-leads the innovative world music trio Waratah. In 2004, together with composer Tony Gorman Sandy launched a new 8 piece ensemble GEST8. Sandy’s composition Testimony about the life and music of Charlie Parker with poetry by the Pulitzer prize winning American poet Yusef Komunyakaa has been a highlight of her career in recent years. Testimony, commissioned originally by ABC Radio, was premiered by The Australian Art Orchestra in the Concert Hall at The Sydney Opera House for The Sydney Festival in January 2002.

Some of Sandy’s Awards include:

2003

Designer Rug Bell Award for Australian Jazz Artist of the Year

1997

Australian Recording Industry Association Award (ARIA) for Best Australian Jazz Recording -Playground by Bernie McGann

1996

Young Australian Creative Fellowship. (Sandy was one of ten young Australian artists to receive this award, colloquially known as a “Baby Keating”)

1996

ARIA Award for Best Australian World/Folk/Traditional Release - Ruino Vino by MARA!

1995

APRA Award for Jazz Composition of the Year for her suite ‘What This Love Can Do’

1996

Mo Award for Jazz Performer of the Year in and for Female Jazz Performer of the Year in and three ARIA Awards.

1993

Mo Award for Female Jazz Performer of the Year

1990

ARIA Award for Best Australian Jazz Recording -Blue Shift by Clarion Fracture Zone

Sandy’s biography was obtained from her website

www.jazz-planet.com/sandy

“I want to preface this by saying that I had to choose five gigs out of 100s that have stood out over my years listening to and loving jazz. These aren’t the “definitive” best, but rather five I chose because if I didn’t settle on something, you’d never get to read this!”

1. THE BENDERS AND MARK SIMMONDS FREEBOPPERS At the Paradise Room Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross 1982

I’m cheating a little bit here to squeeze 2 bands into one gig. I was lucky enough to see both of these bands many times at this legendary Kings Cross venue in the early 1980s. These two bands were probably my biggest formative influences. Seeing them live over a period of several years when they were at a high point in their development was a great thrill for me.

The line up of The Benders was Dale Barlow- tenor (Jason Morphett replaced Dale later when Dale went overseas)

Chris Abrahams - piano

Lloyd Swanton - bass

Andrew Gander - drums

The band always put on fantastic high energy performances, inventive, contemporary music of the highest level of skill. I couldn’t get enough of this band.

The line up of The Freeboppers varied but always included the extraordinary tenor virtuoso Mark Simmonds. With a golden sound that could express the infinite power of the universe Mark took my young ears on many adventures to deep and exciting worlds. Some of his outstanding collaborators in the Freeboppers at that time were Greg Sheehan (drums), Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet), Kees Steen (guitar) and Rob Gador (bass).

2. CECIL TAYLOR TRIO at the Brecon Jazz Festival, AUGUST 1992 (I think)

I went to a workshop with Cecil Taylor in New York in 1986 where he spent the best part of 2 hours reading his poetry in an inaudible mumble from behind the piano. An interesting happening…but when I finally got the chance to hear him perform live I was completely blown away. This was at the Brecon Jazz Festival in Wales during Clarion Fracture Zone’s second European tour.

I mostly remember this performance for Cecil’s extraordinary inventiveness, sustained intensity and colourful dialogue with drummer Tony Oxley.

3. HUGH MASEKELA AT WORLD EXPO in Aichi, Japan, July 2005.

It was a heat wave in Japan in the middle of summer, perhaps a fitting climate in which Expo was to celebrate Africa’s National Day. I trudged down to the gargantuan Expo Dome, which was of course miles away from where I was performing. I wasn’t expecting a whole lot of this gig, mainly because of the Stadium acoustics which I thought would make it hard to have any meaningful experience of the music. Boy was I in for a surprise! Hugh Masekela’s songs and stories about liberation in South Africa, his beautiful flugelhorn playing and his funky and sensitive band made this gig incredibly moving. Hugh is an artist whose vast experience of life combines with his musical talent to communicate a very profound humanity.

4. HERBIE HANCOCK QUARTET WITH BRANFORD MARSALIS, RON CARTER AND AL FOSTER, The North Sea Jazz Festival Mid 1990s

I kept crossing this gig off my list to try to fit others in, but in the end it had to stay because it was simply the best jazz playing on standards I’ve ever seen. These four musicians really had a good time playing together. They sounded like old friends who were totally relaxed with themselves and each other. They took standard jazz tunes and language as their starting point and went wherever the musical ideas took them, creating beauty and groove every steep of the way. The kind of gig you never want to end.

5. WILLEM BREUKER COLLECTIF

A Festival somewhere in Germany, 1986

I have included this gig because it’s the most I’ve ever laughed in my life! Use these guys instead of Prozac.

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