Bliss – Turiya Turiya—an eclectic jazz trio comprised of harp, double bass and drums—stuns with 50 minutes of ethereal sounds and dreamlike tapestries. Frontwoman Michelle Smith leads the way on harp with a virtuosic display of glissandos and trills, colouring otherwise traditional fusion compositions with a distinct and refreshing sound. Drummer Talya Valenti and bassist […]
“His touch is distinct and clear as glass…the Horowitz of Jazz Piano” – Martial Solar (Paris) The legendary James Morrison Quartet joins forces with Grammy award-winning pianist, Marian Petrescu (from Romania) for one night of sublime jazz in the city. With dazzling technique and dynamic interpretation this is a celebration of all that is intoxicating […]
Saturday 3 August 2024 City Recital Hall Australian Chamber Orchestra and Sydney Dance Company Review by Paul Neeson (Arts Wednesday) In Silence & Rapture the ACO combines the music of JS Bach and Arvo Pärt with contemporary dance choreographed by Sydney Dance Company’s Rafael Bonachela, and the question I am pondering is was it a […]
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One of the most celebrated artists of his era. Returning to Australia in December 2024, and with a career spanning almost four decades, GRAMMY® Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated artists of his era. Bell has performed with virtually every major orchestra, and maintains engagements as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, […]
Monday 29 July 2024 Sydney Opera House King’s College Choir, Cambridge Review by Paul Neeson (Arts Wednesday) I feel conflicted. When I look at the stage I see a couple of the boys fidgeting (they caught my eye because the rest of the choir were still, focused and disciplined). Fidgeting with their gowns, their hands, […]
Read More… from Review. King’s College Choir, Cambridge at the Sydney Opera House
Saturday July 27, 2024 Riverside Theatres Parramatta National Theatre of Parramatta Review by Paul Neeson (Arts Wednesday) In his new play, Karim, James Elazzi explores the frictions inherent to age, race, sexuality and identity. It is a dark play dealing with themes of family disfunction, drug addiction, loneliness and the breakdown of relationships, but Elazzi […]
With the coming of Love Police’s Americana Festival ‘Out On The Weekend’ which hits Williamstown, Ballarat and Korumburra this October, Sydney is being graced by a number of sideshows featuring some of the best contemporary alt-country and americana acts. Hurray For The Riff Raff – October 5 With Annie Rose Maloney – Factory Theatre, Marrickville […]
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Below Dawn – Bryony Jarman-Pinto Below Dawn, Bryony Jarman-Pinto’s second studio album, is fearlessly personal and filled to the brim with sentiment. Blending ethereal jazz vocals with a distinctive neo-soul backbeat, the singer entrances us with a soulful deliverance of love and hope. As is the case with any well-crafted work of art, Below Dawn […]
Volant – Matthew Ottignon From one of Australia’s most in-demand saxophonists, Matthew Ottignon comes a new ensemble and self-titled album Volant. The music effortlessly blends his spiritual jazz influences with the minimalist, introspective acoustic jazz that Australia is renowned for. Crafted amidst a period of solitude, Volant represents an ambitious step in Ottignon’s artistic musical […]
Read More… from Albums of the Week: Volant – Matthew Ottignon // Kokoro – Sababa 5 & Yurika
Saturday July 20, 2024 Sydney Town Hall Sydney Philharmonia Choirs Review by Paul Neeson (Arts Wednesday) Not for the first time have we walked out of a Sydney Philharmonia Choirs concert feeling privileged that we had just witnessed something very special. Artistic Director, Brett Weymark’s curation of Rachmaninov’s All Night Vigil combined lighting, staging, extraordinary […]
Read More… from Review: Rachmaninov’s All Night Vigil at the Sydney Town Hall
In December 1914 Sir Ernest Shackleton set out on a journey to cross the Antarctic from coast to coast. The ill-fated expedition came into trouble when their ship Endurance became trapped in ice. It wasn’t until August 1916 that the entire crew was rescued and returned to safety. Now a virtual reality exhibition recreates their […]
Review by Aya Pfeufer July 2024 “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” directed by George C. Wolfe effectively portrays the struggles of jazz artists, the cost of ambitious goals, and racial tensions between White and Black Americans in Chicago during the 1920s. The Netflix film is an adaptation of the play by the celebrated August Wilson, the […]