Club Jazz - Jazz and Swing Band Music Sydney

 


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Jazz Singers - Sydney Australia

Australia has had a strong and vibrant jazz singing scene since the 1920s, commencing with visiting performers and reciprocated by Australian jazz vocalist touring regularly in America and Europe . Historically mainstream jazz singing centred on 'swing', although most jazz singing styles combine elements of improvisation and the 'jazz swing feeling'. See the Club Jazz Duo for jazz singing covering the 1920s through to the 1970s on Wednesdays from 6-8 pm at the Manhattan lounge.

A swing feeling is a rhythm with a constant tempo. Swing dominated the popular dance styles of the 1930s after the swing feel became more popular in the late 1920s. The dominant movement of the 1950s was 'mainstream' which centred on 'Swing', although it overlapped with 'Be-bop' and 'Latin', new modern singing styles which had emerged in the 1940s. In Australia , jazz was also viewed as an unconventional form. Many people, particularly younger people, were attracted to jazz singers as an alternative to the popular music of the time.

Jazz also gained a reputation for being the music of artists, painters and poets – the radicals of the time – and as such, found fans attracted to this bohemian element. In the 1960s and 1970s there was a decline in the popularity of jazz in Australia because of the new pop and rock music styles that emerged. Since the 1980s however, jazz has experienced a revival in popularity.

Today, jazz singers like Vince Jones have the ability to move his audiences in an emotional way. This trait, more often associated with classical musicians, demonstrates the maturity of jazz singing in being able to reach audiences on many levels. Australian Jazz singers have contributed to this modern and mainstream sound, as well as creating original sounds by mixing jazz styles and helping to define new jazz.

Some Australian Jazz singers of note include:

  • Andrea McEwan
  • Andrew Bisset
  • Courtney Severini
  • Daniel Matto
  • David Mcleod
  • Di Bird
  • Emma Pask
  • Frank Bennett
  • Gabriella Cilmi
  • Janet Seidel
  • Jeff Dorset
  • Jon Reichardt
  • Kate Ceberano
  • Leonie Smith
  • Lisa Edwards
  • Lucinda Peters
  • Lynne Newman
  • Paula Terry
  • Renée Geyer
  • Susan Gai Dowling
  • Tim Bruer
  • Vince Jones
  • Wendy Rule