Jake Amy is one of Australia’s most in-demand keyboardists and has performed with an ever-expanding array of exciting Australian and international artists such as Grammy nominated artist Ambrose Akinmusire, ARIA Music Award winner Kaiit, gold-selling artist Wafia and South Sudan’s “King of Music” Gordon Koang. Originally born and raised in the regional town of Wonthaggi, Jake has gone on to tour extensively around the world, perform in stadiums to over 30,000 people and on television, most recently appearing on the broadcasted State Memorial Service for Dame Olivia Newton-John AC DBE alongside Bumpy. Jake has also appeared on ABC’s television music quiz show ‘Spicks and Specks’ and Channel 10’s breakfast show ‘Studio 10’. 

 

Jake has supported internationally renowned artists such as Thundercat, Cory Henry, Sampa The Great, Hiatus Kaiyote, Paul Kelly, Joy Crookes, Chaka Khan, Nile Rodgers and Odette.

Anita Wardell's singing is exciting and breathtaking. She is noted for her
mesmerizing and captivating vocal improvisations and vocalese lyrics to
instrumental solos. Anita is a musician who uses the voice as her instrument,
displaying precision and agility, mixed with heartfelt emotion.
Kinda Blue, her second and most recent album for Proper Records UK, shows
Anita's versatility and complete command of her instrument. On this recording,
she has teamed up with some of the UK's finest musicians: Robin Aspland
(piano), Jeremy Brown (bass) and Steve Brown (drums), with special guest
performances by Tristan Maillot on drums, Adam Glasser on harmonica and Phil
Robson on guitar. This carefully selected set of songs gives you an insight to the
infectious and spellbinding performances heard live.
Anita received the prestigious BBC Jazz Award for Best of Jazz category in
2006, British Jazz award 2015. Anita 's latest album is 2013 "The Road" Anita is working on a new release for 2020.

The Australian Art Orchestra has built an unparalleled reputation over nearly twenty years for the breadth and quality of its output. Initially conceived as a contemporary jazz orchestra the group was soon recognised as a serious commissioner and interpreter of new notated works. It also developed a reputation for cross-cultural collaborations that were more ambitious than anything seen in Australian music previously and it delved into hybrid forms well before the terminology for such approaches became commonplace. 

The AAO’s work constantly seeks to stretch genres and break down the barriers separating disciplines, forms and cultures. It explores the interstices between the avant-garde and the traditional, between art and popular music, between electronic and acoustic approaches, and creates works that traverse the continuum between improvised and notated forms.

In January 2013, the AAO entered a new period of artistic leadership under the guidance of Artistic Director, Peter Knight. Knight is an internationally acclaimed composer, trumpeter and sound artist who has toured extensively throughout Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, garnering wide acclaim for an eclectic approach that integrates jazz, world music, and experimental traditions.

With its multi-faceted programming initiatives, the AAO fosters and supports a strong and vibrant local contemporary music scene drawing inspiration from Australia’s cultural diversity. Central to this is an ongoing dedication to nurturing and deepening its dialogues with Australian indigenous cultures as well as maintaining strong connections with artistic collaborators in India, Korea, China and Indonesia. The Orchestra has a record of commitment to the notion of a future in which truly new music that integrates Asian and Western influences is part of the cultural fabric of our region.

The Australian Art Orchestra regularly tours both locally and internationally with recent cities including Paris, London, Brisbane and Chennai.  It has won numerous awards for its work including two Australian Jazz Bell awards, a 2010 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards (Group Award), the H C Coombs Creative Arts Fellowship (2010), a Helpmann Award (2004), and a 2009 Classical Music award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Australian Music in a Regional Area’.


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