Jacki Cooper

Jacki Cooper has been a regular feature on the Australian jazz scene since 1990 and now resides in Sydney, Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Voice from Adelaide University. Jacki is a regular at jazz festivals around the country, including Noosa Jazz Festival, Darling Harbour International Jazz Festival, and Thredbo Jazz Festival. She performs with her husband, drummer John Morrison with their quintet “New Generation” and with John’s big band, “Swing City”.

While working for the renowned Stanford Jazz Workshop at Stanford University in the USA in 1994, Jacki studied with US jazz singers Mark Murphy, Kitty Margolis, Madeline Eastman and Nancy King, and gigged regularly with local musicians. She recorded a radio program on Fog in the City Radio, and was also invited to San Antonio, Texas, to sing with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band at the famous Landing Jazz Club on the Riverwalk. In 2003, Jacki was the featured resident vocalist on the inaugural season for the cruise ship, Oceania Regatta, cruising around Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, and the Mediterranean. In 2005, Jacki invited to perform at Sax n Art Jazz Club in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam with world-class saxophonist, Tran Manh Tuan. In 2007, Jacki and John toured China, performing at JZ Jazz Club and the House of Jazz and Blues in Shanghai. The tour highlight was performance at the Oriental Arts Centre with the Shanghai Symphony Big Band.

In Adelaide, The Jacki Cooper Jazz Quartet performed regularly on the local jazz circuit. Jacki is also an actor and has featured in several commercials on television. In 1998 she was the presenter of CityScene, a lifestyle show promoting events in Adelaide.

Since moving to Sydney in July 2006, Jacki has been collaborating with Swing City’s John Morrison. Together they formed “New Generation” which is a forum for young players. Currently “New Generation” features Tim Fisher on piano, Karl Dunnicliff on double bass, and Bernard Winetroube on vibraphone.

Visit Jacki’s website at www.jackicooper.com for more information.

Delilah

We are pleased to announce that famed Jazz and Blues artist Delilah, will be delighting all with her performance at the 2010 Dingo Creek Jazz & Blues Festival.

There is no doubt about it, Delilah is a born performer, a born entertainer. At the early age of 4 years Delilah was entertaining neighbourhood kids in her backyard in Baltimore, Maryland, charging one cent for admission. Later, inspired by the gospel music of her church choir, more interested in singing in school concerts then reading textbooks, Delilah with stardom in her eyes, headed for San Francisco, singing Jazz and Rhythm & Blues in a Pizza Parlour. Delilah’s undoubtable talents were quickly recognized alongside the likes of Sly Stone and Bobby Freeman.

Bookings in Canada resulted and were followed by a successful trip to Japan. Delilah’s professionalism was however then cultivated over a five-year period spent in Las Vegas. There, she was recognised for the great performer she is, appearing with people such as the late Duke Ellington, Sammy Davis Jnr., Lou Rawls, Robert Goulet (and the list goes on). This period set the mould of a very versatile singer, performer and actress.

A trip to Australia in the early 70s paved the way to an extensive, successful tour of South East Asia. The demand was such that she took in Indonesia, Taiwan, Bangkok, the Philippines and Hong Kong. A trail of rave reviews remained in her wake, wherever she performed. Hong Kong took her to heart, as many then and now are found to do. A weekly television show “Just Delilah” followed amidst modelling assignments and a film. Delilah’s desire to return to her favourite country, Australia, was fulfilled when she returned to play in the stage production “The Wiz”. It was around that time that Delilah decided to make Sydney her home.

This tall, slim and sensuous lady has appeared regularly on every major national television show, such as Bert Newton’s “Good Morning Australia“, Dave Allen’s “Live across Australia” and many more. Her voice and character, her ability as a performer are welcomed for the variety and strength they transmit to an audience. At the time Delilah made a big hit in the disco scene and became firmly established on the club circuit, topped by nomination as the “Queen of Disco”, which highlights the fact that she is a very talented and versatile lady.

Delilah also performed in Tokyo at the World Popular Song Festival 1979, where she wooed the audience with her great performance of the song “Here and Now“, winning the Most Outstanding Performance Award as well as the “Most Attractive Female Performer” Award.

Since then and up until the present time Delilah has “paid her dues”, proved herself to be worthy of being noted by many, far and wide. On all levels her professionalism, her voice, her truly talented personality has been proving itself to audiences on all levels. She’s done Disco, she’s done Rock ‘n’ Roll, she’s done Blues, she’s done Soul, ‘cos she’s got soul. This lady can go anywhere and do anything, ‘cos she’s got it all. She’s the spirit of the blues, a little Ella, a little Aretha, a little Lou Rawls, yes! Lou Rawls. Her show takes you from Pop to Country, Rhythm and Blues, to Jazz ballads that makes one’s hair stand on end. There’s rock, like her raunchy rendition of Blueberry Hill. She crosses the age barriers like no other. Delilah’s creative performances bring an element of theatre to the stage, to the audience. She gets them up there with her, she gets down there with them.

‘ … Delilah definitely has the ‘edge’ and James Brown has the ‘edge’ and Hendrix, Morrison and Billie Holiday had the ‘edge’ “
Greg Perano, On The Street 17/10/90

Delilah’s stage presentation is truly in the style of the greats, and that’s why in 1990 John Singleton, David Hollins and Mike Gordon saw her as the lady for their 5 million dollar advertising campaign for Campbell’s Cash and Carry though, once again it was Delilah’s wit and humour that added that bit extra. This highly successful campaign has increased her value as an asset to any organisation which employs her diverse talents.

Delilah is a must to see and hear. From the “old timers” to the “young bucks” Delilah performs in such a way that everyone finds something to take home in their memory pocket and something that brings them back next time for another serving. One can never get enough of what this lady has to offer.

Listen to Deleilah at http://www.australianjazzagency.com.au/acts/delilah/
Read the ABC “Spirit of Things” interview with Delilah

Ara Neccessian

Dingo Creek welcomes keyboard player Ara Neccessian to the 2010 festival.

Ara arrived in Australia from Armenia in mid-7O’s and established himself in recording sessions with some of Australia’s finest singers and musicians. His versatility in different styles of music has enabled him to be in continual demand as a professional musician.

Ara has worked all over Austral and throughout the world on various occasions. He has also performed with singer, Delilah, at Darwin Casino and is currently working with the “Doobie Bros Show” featuring Glen Shorrick as special guests.

He has also worked at the Bourbon and Beefsteak Bar, Kings Cross for many years and continues to work with The Bourbon Boys band at numerous venues throughout Sydney and interstate.

Ara is a welcome keyboard player in any top-line musical combo in and around Sydney and Australia.

Gavin Pitt-Ware

Dingo Creek welcomes Gavin Pitt-Ware to the 2010 Festival.  Gavin is of Torres Strait lsland – Jamaican background.

He started his musical career working with Maori Showbands throughout Australia, New Zealand, Far
East, England & Europe. Gavin came into his own when he returned from overseas to work solo in NSW Clubs and TV performances.

He started his own 3 piece band – “Baseeka” – at the Kings Cross venue, called “The Persian Room” in 1974. He also ventured over to the USA with the Jacquie Love show in the 1980’s. Gavin was a resident’musician/singer for many years at the world-famous Bourbon & Beefsteak Bar.

He is now the founding member of “The Bourbon Boys” who currently perform at live venues throughout Sydney and interstate. Gavin has accessed many styles of music in his 40 years of performing – Lou Rawls, Barry White, Billy Eckstine, Nat King Gole, Lionel Ritchie and many more.

Gavin’s appearance on any programme is guaranteed to please audiences worldwide.

Dave Kemp

Dave Kemp is currently very active on the Brisbane improvised music scene with his groups Latin Vibe (Latin Jazz), the Dave Kemp Group (contemporary) and his more straight ahead jazz group the Dave Kemp Quartet. He undertook study in Boston at the Berklee College of Music in Jazz Vibraphone and is currently teaching & lecturing in the jazz and percussion departments at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.

 

In 2009, he tours his band to Melbourne and Sydney, features at the Valley Jazz Festival and presents the Australian premiere of V5 for vibraphone and string quartet at the Queensland Conservatorium. He has performed as a concerto soloist with the Queensland Orchestra, toured Europe including gigs in Paris and Salzburg and performed in groups as diverse as backing comedian Jerry Lewis to performing in an orchestra for the English Royal Ballet. 

Bob Barnard

“Australian Bob Barnard is the cleanest and most cliché -free cornet player I have ever heard.” 

So wrote the reviewer of the Allegheny Jazz Society (Pennsylvania, USA). In an area where the best jazz musicians in the world are regularly heard that is some praise indeed. His style has been compared to Louis Armstrong, Bobby Hackett, and Bunny Berigan among others. But as this review suggests, he has reached a point where he plays in such a pure and natural style that comparisons are perhaps not so appropriate.

To ask him about his style, one finds out that he does not regard himself as a trad or old-fashioned player. He says he plays a style that began with Louis Armstrong. “It’s a classic style, if you like, that comes up through Bunny Berigan, Bobby Hackett, Ruby Braff, and Warren Vaché.” Barnard’s is the perfect mainstream style–a cross between the lyricism and drive that the trumpet can achieve.

Barnard is presented by jazz festivals and clubs all over the world and the response is seldom less than enthusiastic. Reviews are seldom less than rave, from the Melbourne Age to El Mercurio (Santiago, Chile), from the Sydney Morning Herald to the Jazz Journal International (London) or Rapport (Los Angeles).

He made his first recording at the age of sixteen. Bob was already recognized as one of Australia’s most outstanding jazz players before he was twenty years old. Since that time he has become an icon of Australian jazz and has probably made a deeper impression internationally than anyone else in his field. 

He has played successfully on most of the major (and minor) jazz festivals of the world both with his own bands and as featured artist with international all-star lineups. 

Barnard has also recorded with top US jazz artists over the years including Wild Bill Davison, Milt Hinton, Peanuts Hucko, Dan Barrett, Ken Peplowski, Bob Wilber, Warren Vaché, Ralph Sutton, Dick Wellstood, Jim Galloway, Jim Cullum, Bud Freeman and many others. He has appeared with well-known British players such as Humphrey Littleton, Roy Williams, Kenny Ball, Brian Lemon, and Acker Bilk to mention a few. He has been featured artist on many occasions at London’s Ronnie Scott’s, one of the world’s best-known jazz cubs.

At this stage of his career, Bob enjoys the respect and admiration of some of the top jazz players of the world as well as critics and audiences. He also has a legion of fans from the classical and popular music fields. Dr. Clement Semmler, a pioneer of Australian Jazz broadcasting wrote in the Bulletin (August 1990), “Barnard rightly enjoys the reputation as one of the best mainstream trumpet players in the world.” Tasmanian critic Steve Robertson called him “the perfect jazz musician.” In the Denver Post he was referred to as “the great Australian trumpeter Bob Barnard…a rich-toned revelation, swinging like mad…” and praised for “an a capella chorus of improvised perfection.”

Born in Melbourne, Australia in 1933 to a musical family, Bob started trumpet lessons at age 11 and played in various brass bands before joining the family dance band at age 14. Bob’s brother formed his own jazz band in 1948 and Bob made his first recording with that band on his 16th birthday. In 1962 he joined Graem Bell, touring most of Australia as well as New Zealand and New Guinea. After a stint as a studio musician, Bob formed his own band in 1974, which soon became Australia’s top jazz band. This band toured Australia as well as S.E. Asia for the Australian government and on its own toured the U.S. four times, Europe twice, as well as Japan, Hong Kong, and Canada.

With his quartet Bob works gigs in the Sidney area and solo spots around Australia and the world. In 1990 he was honored with an award for his outstanding contribution to the music industry both nationally and internationally and was a winner of the Critics Award at the Gold Coast International Jazz Festival for three consecutive years (1990-1992).

In Australia, he has been honored with awards such as the Order of Australia in 1990, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal 1977, Advance Australia 1991, Jazz Performer of the Year, 1993 and 1997, by the prestigious Australian Music and Entertainment Awards (the Mo Awards). Other awards of recent years include the Australian Hall of Fame (Gold Coast) 1993, (Montsalvat) 1988, the Australian Jazz Critics Award 1990, 91, 92, (this award cannot be given to one artist more than three times), and the Australian Legends of Jazz Award 1991.

In the Melbourne Age Adrian Jackson asked him how his playing had changed over the years. “It has changed, but very gradually. I’m a bit more sophisticated in my outlook, and in my playing. But it’s still basically me. The way I play is the way I play. I haven’t changed that much, I’m just a little older and wiser. Maybe others are in a better position to judge it.”

Len Barnard (brother) is on a better position than anyone. He says: “The thing with Bob is, he’s a very sensitive player. He can adapt to any situation, and the way he plays will depend on who he’s playing with, and how they’re approaching it. 

“He can still play very ‘hot’ when he wants to. He can still pull it out of the hat when you least expect it. I think he gets taken for granted here, because he doesn’t do stunts or anything, he just plays. But he does it beautifully.”

Read more about Bob at  http://www.acay.com.au/~barnard/index.html