2 x ABC-TV concerts (live simulcast from the Montsalvat Jazz Festival & the ‘Jazz As Now’ series).
Bert Newton Show, Channel 10.
Channel 9 program ‘Weddings’.
FILM APPEARANCES
1986 - 'Death of a Soldier'
NOMINATIONS
2004 - Finalists in the Bell Awards (Melbourne International Jazz Festival) for Classic Jazz Album of the Year Category.
Sounds Like
What people said....
"...easily one of the top show jazz bands in Australia today..."
The doyen of Australian jazz - Graeme Bell, AO.
‘...the Society Syncopators, one of Melbourne’s leading jazz groups..are fine ambassadors for the City of Melbourne’
The Hon. Ivan Deveson, AO; Previous Lord Mayor of Melbourne.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, I can say without doubt that this is the best jazz group who have performed here, in all my 27 years of running this club.’
Public announcement by Lous Dassens, proprietor of the world-famous ‘Dr.Jazz’ club in Dusseldorf, at the conclusion of the band’s concert - June 1995.
‘How does Australian jazz measure up on the international stage? I have heard...that Australia has the world’s best jazz musicians. There is some truth to that as far as traditional jazz is concerned...the very best traditional bands and soloists here (Bob and Len Barnard, Tom Baker...Society Syncopators...) do compare favourably with the best anywhere.’
Special feature on jazz by Adrian Jackson, jazz critic;
‘Melbourne Age’ newspaper.
‘The visit to Tonga by.... "Society Syncopators" has been most successful....the highlight of the Post's cultural relations program for the year....Through their musicianship and public relations skills, the Society Syncopators have made a valuable contribution to Australian relations with Tonga. Cultural Relations Branch (Dept. of Foreign Affairs & Trade) would be well advised to consider where else their talents might be similarly employed in the interests of Australian diplomacy.’
Official report to Canberra by Hon. H.C. Brown - Australian High Commissioner to Tonga.
As trans-Tasman cultural ambassadors, jazz sextet the Society Syncopators proved more successful and entertaining than Australia’s First XI, with a sparkling set of trad jazz...it was clear they could play any idiom...’
Concert review by Bruce Stirling, jazz critic for the ‘New Zealand Herald’ newspaper.
‘This is a terrific piece of work. Their Dixieland style rivals that of the great jazz bands of the U.S.’
Ed Crankshaw - operations manager of Radio KRML, California.
Founded the band in 1984, also plays double bass and piano.
Played jazz as a teenager in Sri Lanka before emigrating to Australia.
His first serious band was the highly successful 'New Harlem Jazz Band' in 1969,
leading it from 1978 to 1982; (New Harlem was support for Turk Murphy's Melbourne concert). Chris has performed with overseas legends such as Dick Cary, Bud Freeman, Tom Pletcher, Art Hodes, Dan Barrett and Dill Jones; with Australian stars such as James Morrison, Bob Barnard, Graeme Bell,
Ade Monsbourgh and Tom Baker. In England in 1983, Chris played with many top English bands..
Peter Gaudion - Trumpet / Vocals
Played with Frank Traynor's Jazz Preachers, led his own group, 'Blues Express' for several years, then joined The Syncopators in 1984. Played and recorded with Jimmy Witherspoon, Ralph Sutton, Red Holloway, Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, Kenny Davern, Art Hodes, Don Ewell, Red Richards, Don Burrows, John Sangster, James Morrison, Delilah, Graeme Bell and world renowned baritone, Donald Cant & organist Tony Fenelon. He has toured several times with the Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk & Dutch Swing College bands. Peter was a star of the stage show 'High Society' which toured Australia in 1992/1993. Also known for his entrepreneurial activities, Peter has owned or run jazz venues/restaurants over the past 20 years including the famous Victoria Hotel & Jazzlane.
Richard Miller - Clarinet / Saxophone / Vocals
Played with the very popular and legendary 'Red Onions' in the 60's and early 70's, undertaking two successful European tours including the Breda Jazz Festival with them. Performed with the modern jazz group 'Onaje' which has performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival, and in 'Blues Express'. An avid composer with eclectic taste, Richard writes most of the original material performed by the group and has been a member since 1984. Richard has played and recorded with Jimmy Witherspoon and Red Richards. He has also played with Kenny Davern, Art Hodes, James Morrison, Bod Barnard, and Ralph Sutton amongst many others.
Jeff Arthur - Acoustic & Electric Guitar / Banjo
A valuable acquisition to the band in 1991, Jeff has been musical director of notable headline concerts in Melbourne. His versatility and virtuosity enable a wide range of material and styles to be performed. A master of the guitar, Jeff's talent is such that his considerable prowess on the banjo belies the fact that he only commenced playing it in 1992, and was using the correct banjo fingering on the gig one week later. Prior to joining The Syncopators, Jeff played rock & blues with Allison Durban, Ronnie Burns, Dennis Walter, Donna Lee, Delilah, Normie Rowe, The Australian Show Band, Bo Diddley and the `Jeff Arthur Experience'. recording the now famous `Clayton Sessions´
James Clark - Double Bass / Tuba
Well schooled in classical piano, James played in Adelaide before moving to Melbourne to join The Syncopators. Notable bands include the ´ Royal Garden Jazz Band´ , `Hephounds´ with Catherine Lambert and Andrew Firth, and the Kym Purling Trio, which supported a recent James Morrison/Ray Brown concert. He has backed artists such as `Wild´ Bill Davison, Bob Barnard, Art Hodes and Ian Date and had master classes with Ray Brown in the USA. James is a recording engineer of high repute, responsible for many Melbourne bands´ output - including The Syncopators.
Andrew Swann - Drums / Vocals
Joining the band in 1998, Andrew is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, from which he fortunately survived musically unharmed. He has performed extensively in the USA, Europe, Asia and New Zealand and appeared on TV programs such as ´ Hey Hey it´ s Saturday´ , ´ Good Morning Australia´ , and `The Eric Bana Show´ . Some of the artists Andrew has performed with include - James Morrison, Vanetta Fields, Danny Moss, Chris Wilson and Ross Hannaford, Paul Kelly, Swinging Sidewalks, Pearly Shells and his own Andy Swann Band. Andrew has also played Drums in the Queen musical ´ We Will Rock You´ in Australia and Japan.
Steve Grant - Piano
Steve is one of the most sought after young pianists in Melbourne. He is equally brilliant on the trumpet and is a true multi-instrumentalist. Stephen is one of that rare breed of young pianists who is completely at home amongst the works of the masters of the 20’s and 30’s as well as being able to play more contemporary styles of jazz. As a member of the Steve Magnusson Trio, he performed in Berlin as winners of a touring grant competition. Stephen has just joined the Syncopators and is on their latest CD as well as on their 2007 European Tour. He has performed with just about everybody in the “who’s who” of Australian Jazz.
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS
The only Victorian traditional jazz ensemble selected to tour Europe in 1995 as part of the Australian Government’s ‘Experience Australia’ program, including a performance at the prestigious ‘Northsea Jazz Festival’, Den Haag, Netherlands.
Breda Jazz Festival
As headline artists, a standing ovation at the main auditorium of the 1996 Breda Jazz Festival, Netherlands before an audience of 2500. Since then the Syncopators have appeared regularly in Breda including the 2003, 2005 & 2007 festivals.
Department of Foreign Affairs
Overwhelmingly selected by a panel of State Jazz Co-ordinators for an overseas tour for Dept. of Foreign Affairs/Musica Viva in 1989 from 15 nominations Australia-wide. Further similarly funded tours in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1995.
Australian Jazz Festivals
Featured artists at several jazz festivals around Australia:
York Jazz Festival in WA (1985 - 94, 96 & 99)
Gold Coast International Jazz Festival (1991)
Montsalvat Jazz Festival (each year)
Melbourne Spoleto Festival (1989)
Melbourne International Festival (1990, 91, 92, 94, 95 & 1999)
Castlemaine Festival of Arts (1990)
Wangaratta International Festival of Jazz (1992, 97, 2000, 03 & 05)
Thredbo Alpine Jazz Festival (1989, 93, 94, 97 & 2001)
Wollongong Jazz Festival (1993)
Newcastle Jazz Festival (1992, 94, 95)
Inaugural Portland Jazz Festival (1994)
13th WA Jazz Festival, Armadale (1995)
Bartercard Glenelg Jazz Festival (1999, 00, 01)
Wagga Wagga Jazz Festival (1999 & 2000)
Bowral Jazz Festival (1999)
Noosa Jazz Festival (2000, 01, 02, 03, 07 & 08)
Cairns Jazz Festival (2006)
Townsville Jazz Festival (2007)
International Jazz Festivals
South Pacific Jazz Festival, Vanuatu 1991
Dusseldorf Jazz Rally 1995 1997, 1999, 2001, 2005
Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2001
NorthSea Jazz Festival, Den Haag 1995
Hessen Jazz Festival, Idstein 1995, 1999
Enkhuizen Jazz Festival, NL 1996 and 2007
Breda Jazz Festival, NL 1996 (Headline act), 1999, 2005 and 2007
s’Hertogenbosch Jazz Festival, NL 1996
Zevenaar Jazz Festival, NL 1996, 2005 and 2007
Eindhoven Jazz Festival 1997, (Headliners)
Overseas Jazz Festivals in 1999 include Dillenburg, Dusseldorf, Silkeborg, Askersund, Idstein and Weimar.
Hannover Jazz Festival 2003
Gronau, Kempten & Wendelstein Jazz Festivals, 2005
Balve Hohle Jazz Festival 2000 and 2004
Hildesheim and Espoo Jazz Festivals, 2003
Dresden Jazz Festival, 2003 and 2005
Apeldoorn Jazz Festival 2007
Ascona Jazz Festival 2006
Sellout concerts at the Bonn Arts Museum
Concert performances at the Sound Shell on the resort island of Sylt, Germany in 1999.
Hey guys, thanks for supporting our Melbourne Backstage Pass page and for being a part of this. We hope you have a great new year. This year we plan to kick some ass!! Cheers BSP
