Trumpeter/composer Peter Knight and Vietnamese traditional music virtuoso Dung Nguyen are at the heart of this remarkable collaboration. Inspired by the cultural vitality and diversity of Melbourne, Way Out West creates something miraculous, a truly new sound rather than a pastiche of something pre-existing. The supple seamless vibes they create easily transcend any glib notions of multicultural kitsch. Their new album Old Grooves for New Streets (released on Jazzhead in Australia and in Canada on Effendi) has been getting five star reviews in Australia as well as some very favourable international attention: “Certainly a candidate for Best Release of the Year - I hope lots of ears hear this one!” All About Jazz New York.
Way Out West’s utterly unique sound features the hauntingly beautiful timbres of traditional Vietnamese instruments the dan tranh (16-string zither), and the dan bau (single string zither), played by Dung Nguyen. Nguyen learnt music from his grandfather while growing up in Vietnam, continuing a tradition of many generations. He came to Australia when he was 16 and continued his studies at university where he developed a love of jazz and won prizes for his guitar studies.
In addition to Knight and Nguyen, Way Out West also features world-renowned West African percussion specialist, Ray Pereira, along with other Melbourne music luminaries, explosive saxophonist Adam Simmons, earthy acoustic bassist Howard Cairns, and young firebrand drummer Rajiv Jayaweera

Marc Hannaford is one of the most interesting musicians to come out of the Illawarra in recent years. After growing up in Austinmer and finishing school at Bulli High School, he moved to Canberra to study jazz at ANU, and from there moved to Melbourne. He is now regarded as a creative and individual composer and improviser, and performs with many of the finest jazz musicians in the country.
At just 24 years old Marc was awarded 2nd Prize in the 2006 National Jazz Awards at Wangaratta Jazz Festival. 2007 saw him included as one of the four national finalists in the Music Council of Australia’s prestigious Freedman Fellowship (held at the Sydney Opera House) as well as one of three nominees for the Australian Jazz ‘Bell’ Awards Young Jazz Musician of the Year. .
Marc released his debut album: “The Garden of Forking Paths” on Extreme (www.xtr.com) in 2007. In May/June of 2008 Marc traveled to Banff, Canada to take part in the International Workshop for Jazz and creative music. Here he learned intensely from world-reknowned musicians Dave Douglas, Thomas Morgan, Ethan Iversson and Wayne Krantz. He then traveled to New York to receive lessons from pre-eminent contemporary classical pianist Marilyn Nonken.
This group will present the music Marc has been heavily involved with over the past few years. It features the great trumpeter Scott Tinkler, one of the most distinctive performers on the instrument you will find anywhere, and an integral part of Australian improvised music for the best part of 2 decades.
John Rodgers and Ken Edie are little known in the Illawarra, but are well known to fans of challenging contemporary music. Both live in Brisbane and have been members of the Artisans Workshop with Elliot Dalgleish.

Launching their new album 'Pendulum', out now through Jazzgroove Records, the ever popular Gerard Master Triowill return to Wollongong for another intimate performance of original music.
This will also be the first of our performances in the 313 Theatre. It's a great intimate venue with a perfect setup and acoustics for this music so we hope you can make it down to this special event.

Now firmly established as one of Australia’s leading saxophonists, Andrew Robson divides his time between his own group the Andrew Robson Trio, the World According to James, Ten Part Invention, and the award winning world music group, the Mara Ensemble. Previously he has worked extensively with the great Jackie Orszaczky, including 2 European tours and three of his albums.
In 2003 Andrew was awarded the Freedman Fellowship, Australia’s most prestigious prize for an innovative jazz performer, and was nominated for an Aria Award for his second album. So far in 2008 he has released two critically acclaimed albums, “Bearing The Bell” on ABC Classics and “Radiola”, his third trio album, on his own label Lamplight Records.
The Andrew Robson Trio features Steve Elphick on double bass and Hamish Stuart on drums, both undisputably at the forefront of their craft in Australia for many years.

"...this is a first-rate band, and Robson an impressively mature soloist and composer." Adrian Jackson, Rhythms Magazine, August 2008 " The Andrew Robson Trio’s Radiola may prove 2008’s landmark Australian release." Doug Spencer, The Weekend Planet, ABC Radio National, June 2008

ISHMAEL WADADA LEO SMITH trumpet-player, multi-instrumentalist, composer and improviser has been active in the creative contemporary world music for over thirty years. His theory of Jazz and World music was significant in his music development as an artist and educator.

Born in Leland, Mississippi, Smith's early musical life began in the high school concert and marching bands. At the age of thirteen, he became immersed within the Delta Blues and Improvisation music traditions. He received his formal musical education with his father, the U.S. Military band program (1963), Sherwood School of Music (1967-69), and Wesleyan University (1975-76).

As an Improvisor-Composer, Smith has studied a variety of music cultures (African, Japanese, Indonesian, European and American) and has developed a Jazz and world music theory, and a notation system to fully express this music which he calls "Ankhrasmation".

He has taught at the University of New Haven 1975-'76, the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, NY. 1975-'78, and Bard College 1987-'93. He is currently a professor of Music at the California Institute of the Arts, and is the director of the MFA program in African American Improvisation. He is a member of ASCAP Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians.

Mr. Smith's awards includes: Islamic World Arts Initiative of Arts International 2004, Meet the Composer/ Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Commissioning Program 1996, Asian Cultural Council Grantee to Japan June-Augast 1993; Meet the Composer/ Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Commissioning Program 1990; New York Foundation on the Arts Fellowship in Music 1990; Numerous Meet the Composer Grants since1977; and National Eneowment for the Arts Music Grants 1972, 1974, 1981.

Some of the artists Mr. Smith has performed with are : Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony Braxton, Leroy Jenkins, Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie, Richard Teitelbaum, Joseph Jarman, George Lewis, Cecil Taylor, Andrew Cyrill, Oliver Lake, Anthony Davis, Carla Bley, David Murray, Don Cherry, Jeanne Lee, Milton Campbell, Henry Brant, Richard Davis, Tadao Sawai, Ed Blackwell, Sabu Toyozumi, Peter Kowald, Kazuko Shiraishi, Han Bennink, Misja Mengelberg, Marion Brown, Kazutoki Umezu, Kosei Yamamoto, Charlie Haden, Kang Tae Hwan, Kim Dae Hwan, Tom Buckner, Malachi Favors Magoustous and Jack Dejohnette among many others.

For this Australian visit, Wadada Leo Smith will be joined by a group of younger Australian musicians dedicated to contemporary music. The project is an initiative of Peter Farrar, supported by the Australia Council for the Arts.

Matt Smith and Jim Kelly:
Matt Smith, one of the most outstanding young jazz musicians to come out of the Illawarra, returns with this special project from northern NSW. One of the first students to be involved with Eric Dunan's jazz program at Wollongong Conservatorium, Matt has moved on to studies in Lismore which have led him to a career in music. Recently he has been performing with Wollongong-based group 'The Strides' as well as this duo project with his teacher and mentor, Jim Kelly.
Jim has firmly established himself as a leading Australian contemporary jazz guitarist, composer and educator whose reputation goes well beyond Australian shores. In the 70s he formed Crossfire, AustraliaÕs most celebrated fusion group which toured extensively and recorded seven albums. From the late 70s Jim became a highly sought-after session player performing on countless jingles, documentaries, film scores, plus pop and jazz artists albums.

Trio Apoplectic:
"Dave Jackson, Abel Cross and Alex Masso demonstrate the kind of ease with one another that distinguishes the greatest ensembles...their responsiveness to each other's instrumental sound and their capacity to be themselves in the ensemble makes the playing extraordinary." - Tim Stevens (Music Forum Magazine)

Trio Apoplectic return home from their fifth regional tour, having spent all of May driving around NSW and flying to northern Queensland. Expect to see three young musicians well and truly comfortable with making music together, and always enthusiastic in their exploration of new and old material.
www.trioapoplectic.com

The Three Omegas:
Led by outstanding young guitarist Dave de Vries, a finalist in the National Jazz Awards last year and leader of Medium Brown, the group includes the go-to rhythm section of Mike Majkowski and James 'Pug' Waples (Mike Nock Trio, Roil)

Formed in 2007, The Three Omegas present a unique approach to the guitar trio format. Their music is stripped back to its raw elements where aspects of rhythm and melody are allowed to be treated delicately, and can often build into surging waves of sound with a minimalist approach.

Full Program:
Friday 29th Feb
4pm - Workshop with Phil Slater

7pm - Shannon Barnett + Pa-Paw
8pm - Baecastuff

Saturday 1st March - DAY PROGRAM
Auditorium:
10am - Darren Heinrich Trio (Performance/workshop)
11am - Darren Heinrich Trio (Performance/ Workshop)
1pm - The World According To James
2:15 -< The> (Workshop)
3:15 - < The>(Performance)
Room 1 - 2:
11am - Workshop with James Greening
12:30pm - Big Band Masterclass with Dave Theak
1:30pm - Finn Ryan Quartet
2:30pm - Ali Foster Quartet (Jann Rutherford Memorial Award Winner 2007)
3:15pm - Conservatorium Jazz Ensemble
Theatre:
10:30am - Workshop with Steve Elphic and Toby Hall
12pm - TBA
1pm - TBA
2:00pm - Eamon Dilworth Quartet
3:00pm - Drew Bourgeois Trio
Workshops - Rooms TBCA
10:30am - Saxophone Masterclass with Andrew Robson
1pm - Vocal Masterclass with Elana Stone
2pm - Brass Masterclass with Shannon Barnett
2pm - Guitar Masterclass with Aaron Flower

Saturday 1st March - EVENING PROGRAM
6:00pm - Wollongong Conservatorium of Music Jazz Orchestra with Dave Theak + Special Guests
7:30pm - Elana Stone Band

One of the most outstanding young jazz groups to come out of Wollongong, Pa-paw features Freyja Garbett, Lucy Clifford and Jodie Michael. Joining them for this performance will be Shannon Barnett, a leading trombonist from Melbourne who has performed with the likes of Andrea Keller, Barney McAll, the Australian Art Orchestra, Vada and The Bamboos, as well as leading her own groups and in 2007 winning the Bell Award for Australian Young Jazz Artist of the Year

Baecastuff was formed in 1996 by Robertson after he and Slater returned from a European Tour with d.i.g which included appearances at the Montreux and North Sea Jazz festivals. The concept was to create an ensemble to present original compositions with influences from 70's Miles Davis, Dave Holland, Ornette Coleman and Jan Garbarek, and to combine that with modern rhythms such as Jungle and Drum'n'bass. The band has now developed a unique sound that one reviewer described as "jazz in spirit but open to developments in funk and electronic music such as drum'n'bass." The band calls it Jungle Jazz.
"this Australian band gets a lot more out of jazz, funk, rock and their various crossing-points than many a more renowned band." Penguin guide to Jazz on CD. (UK)

James Greening's trombone playing is one of the joys of Australian music Ð his wit, creativity and exuberance is alive in every note.
Writing in the SMH, John Clare said James "blends crooning lines into the ensemble, and sometimes yawns and slides mightily across it, or rockets from its feather-light bed with overtones crackling, in a galvanising, rich bray".
That facility teamed with the exceptional talents of alto saxophonist Andrew Robson makes for a formidable frontline and is a key reason why WATJ is always an exhilarating live experience.
The rhythmic and harmonic intelligence of Steve Elphick and Toby Hall's irresistible propulsion also make important contributions to the ensemble's kinetic energy and artistic success.
"[Greening's] trombone playing has always carried a buoyancy in the phrasing and shaping of the notes, above and beyond the ripe tone and wit of many of the lines. His compositions further the cause, and sit neatly beside those of RobsonÕs that have been incorporated into the repertoire."-John Shand, SMH.

Following in the tradition of organ great Jimmy Smith, the Darren Heinrich Trio plays jazz from the songbooks of organists Jimmy Smith, Larry Young and John Patton, as well as his own original music. They will present two sets in a performance/workshop format, a rare opportunity to gain an insight into the Organ trio, with SydneyÕs leading exponents of this music and leading educators.

The Vampires formed in 2004, while its four members were studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Beginning with aparent influences such Charlie Parker, Bernie McGann and Ornette Coleman, the band has incorporated the compositions of Garbett and Rose to find a style drawing from Afro-Carribean and South American grooves, and more open improvisation within these grooves, in their original material. The group features the uncannily natural combination of the two horn players and composers, Nick Garbett (trumpet) and Jeremy Rose (alto saxophone) and the well established and like-minded rhythm section team of Mike Majkowski (double bass) and Alex Masso (drums).
The group has recently released their debut album South Coasting through Jazzgroove Records

ELANA STONE - Winner- Best Jazz Artist At The MUSICOZ Awards, 2004. Winner - National Jazz Awards At Wangaratta Jazz Festival 2005. Semi-Finalist - Montreaux Jazz Festival Vocal Competition
A group of friends whose collective talents draw on the rich traditions of soul, jazz and the blues, The Elana Stone Band bring the emotive force of an award winning talented singer/songwriter to an array of classic styles.
A professional singer since the age of fourteen, Elana Stone has spent the better part of a decade exploring her considerable range. Immersing herself in the technical base of jazz and soul, her wandering eye soon saw the young singer drawing folk, funk, and modern pop music into her growing repertoire. Stepping outside the confines of jazz, her prodigiously talented group provide an exciting voice for Elanas growing songwriting ability. Their borderless attitude to genre reflects Elanas original music; a singer-songwriters intimacy voiced using a broad and progressive palette.
Despite her eclecticism, Elana remains at heart an improviser, and is at home in the live environment. Structures become elastic as each player fully explores the contours of the tune. Elana and her quartet bring a profoundly inclusive energy, warmth and a total lack of self-consciousness to their performances. By turns ecstatic and melancholic, the audience shares Elana and her bands fortunes throughout the night.

For one performance only, the award-winning Wollongong Conservatorium of Music Jazz Orchestra will perform under the direction of David Theak.
Finalist 2004 Freedman Fellowship, Finalist 2002 National Jazz Awards. Has worked with Mike Nock, theak-tet, Dan Barnett Big Band, Steve Hunter, Barbara Dennerlein (Germany), and has led 2 tours of Europe with his own quartet, theak-tet and is the driving force behind the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra. David was recently appointed a full-time lecturer in Jazz Studies at the Sydney Con. and is proud husband of award winning jazz singer Kristin Berardi.

Zoe + The Buttercups '...visiting places where cowboy hats are not a fashion statement,and slipping surreptitiously into those graffiti-daubed neighbourhoods that breed funk and reggae.' SMH

'Bassist Zoe Hauptmann is the guiding light behind this weird and wonderful mix of rock, jazz and country that will in turns elicit cries of YEE-HA and cool nods of intellectual approval.' SMH

'.....there was a madness in the air which could entice one to take up whittlin'.' SMH

The Flame Cafe - Wollongong
89/91 Crown Street Wollongong
ph (02) 4225 7409

14 gen, $12 IIMA, $10 Students, $25 Dinner and show package.
Reservations are mandatory for all tickets for Jacam Manricks.
BYO with small corkage fee.

FOR RESERVATIONS AND BOOKINGS: Purchase tickets at the Flame Cafe, The Wollongong Conservatorium. If you are unable to purchase tickets in person, call 4228 1122 the press extension 5 (Jazz Department) and leave your NAME, HOW MANY TICKETS, WHAT KIND OF TICKETS, AND A PHONE NUMBER (preferably mobile) or email iimalivejazz@yahoo.com. Phone and internet bookings must be recieved by FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH.

Meals Served on the night:

Thai beef salad
Chicken caesar salad
Penne Bolognaise
Penne Spicy Chorizo
Flame beef burger
Marinated prawn skewers