Virna Sanzone's High 5

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

High 5

Having released her highly acclaimed, debut album in 2005, Virna Sanzone is emerging as one of Australia’s finest singers. Born in Sydney to a Sicilian father and an Armenian / Chaldean mother, Virna graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 1998, where she studied with Australian greats including Mike Nock, Judy Bailey & Kerrie Biddell, attaining a Diploma in Jazz Studies. Since that time she has worked consistently, both in Australia and overseas, rapidly winning the admiration and respect of audiences and contemporaries alike.

Opening for Ernest Ranglin / Monty Alexander and Roy Ayers on their most recent tours, and having worked with the likes of Paul Mac, Paul Capsis, Jackie Orszaczky, and a who’s who of Australian jazz luminaries, Virna has been an integral part of projects that have seen her move across a diverse range of genres, including jazz, soul, world music and a cappella to name a few. She has appeared as a guest vocalist with both local and international artists including Lulo Reinhardt, grand-nephew of the great Django Reinhardt, South African singer and freedom songwriter, Vusi Mahlasela, and the recently reformed Australian “acid jazz” band, D.I.G. She has also featured with some of Sydney’s most respected bandleaders, including Jonathan Zwartz, Judy Bailey and most recently with Matt McMahon at the Darling Harbour Jazz Festival.

Virna has performed at festivals around the country, including the Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival, the East Coast Blues Festival and the Bellingen Global Carnival. Aside from her own album, she appears on various recordings including bassist/composer Steve Hunter’s album, “Condition Human”, both as soloist and in duet with Jackie Orszaczky. Virna’s self-titled, debut album was originally commissioned by ABC Jazztrack, and features some of Australia’s finest, including Matt McMahon, Sam Rollings, Brett Hirst, Hamish Stuart, James Greening and Phil Slater.

Virna is currently working on material for her second album.

“Writing about music is more difficult than it seems. There have been so many moments in my life when I have found myself moved by a sound that, although I may have been able to notate it, identify it’s time signature or the key in which it was played, I would never be able to fully explain the sensation it gave me or my reaction to it. So I’ve done my best

Five is a small number. Unfortunately I had to leave out some musical experiences that gave me goose bumps and brought tears to my eyes - like the traditional music I heard emanating from a church in Aitutaki, Cook Islands in November 2005, and the Addicts Rehabilitation Choir that I heard in Harlem in April 1999. It was difficult enough to narrow it down to five so here they are in chronological order.”

1. RAY CHARLES at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival April 25th, 1999.

Perhaps it was the festival atmosphere, or the fact that I was in New Orleans for the first time, or maybe the remnants of the unusually stubborn, feverish condition (intensified by the heat and humidity of that city) that had landed me in Tullane Hospital a few days earlier, and only went away when I saw the price of the medicine that was supposed to cure me. I cured myself, and just in time. Ray Charles was everything I could have imagined and more. This was totally unrestrained and joyful performance - had there been a roof it would surely have lifted. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to witness the greatness of Ray Charles, in an environment where he was clearly at ease. This is a memory I will treasure like an old family heirloom.

2. JON CLEARY AND THE ABSOLUTE MONSTER GENTLEMEN at Ernie K-Doe’s Mother In Law Lounge, New Orleans April 28th 1999

Gospel and soul music has been a huge influence for me ever since I was a very young girl and something I naturally gravitated towards. I had been immersed in the most sublime gospel music during this trip, so by the time I got to Ernie K-Doe’s Mother In Law Lounge my ears were primed. I had never heard of Jon Cleary prior to this gig - I recall being shuffled off in a taxi with some friends to a part of town that looked a bit deserted. The venue was small and packed with people and I found myself wondering what I was doing there. Then the music began and I didn’t wonder any more. This band was straight out of church with the deepest groove and singing the most beautiful harmonies. I would hear the band many times in Australia in subsequent years, but that gig was like catching a wave for the first time - totally thrilling.

3. DIANNE REEVES at The Blue Note, New York City, May 1999

I knew her name back then, but I had never heard Dianne Reeves sing before. Fortunately the venue was the perfect size to allow for the intimacy of this music. She revealed herself to be a totally engaging performer with a beautiful spirit, big tone and a technical facility and depth of expression that I had only heard on recordings up until then. The arrangements were loose enough to allow for plenty of space and the band was supportive and sensitive. In hindsight I realise that what I heard that night embodies a great deal of what I aim for in my own singing and arrangements, and in the musicians I gravitate towards. It took me a while to come down from my high after this gig.

4. SHIRLEY HORNE at La Cigale, Paris, 9th July 2003

I feel as though I had only just begun to discover the greatness of Shirley Horne when I saw her at La Cigale, and was terribly sad last year when I heard she had passed away. She was in a wheelchair for the duration of this performance, but the physical barrier did not translate into the music in the slightest. This was one of the most grounded performances I have ever heard and the closest thing to perfection I think I have encountered. Shirley Horne’s mastery of phrasing was fully evident - nothing was sung that didn’t need to be sung, and yet nothing was left out. There was a rare spaciousness and purity to this performance that made it a very moving experience for me.

5. THE ALCOHOTLICKS Jazzgroove Association Night, Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills, late 2004

There are so many wonderful musicians and great bands in Sydney and this is definitely one of them. The Alchohotlicks have a raw energy that, combined with their collective skill and the freshness of their ideas, makes for a very exciting performance. The core of the group consists of Ben Hauptmann and Aaron Flower, both on guitar, and Evan Mannell on drums - their special guest guitarist on this particular night was James Muller. The instrumentation may be unusual, but so is the intensity that their performances generate. Everyone in the packed Excelsior Hotel seemed to be glued to their seats at this gig. This was one of the most satisfying musical experiences I can recall having in my hometown.