Jack Pantazis & Ade Ishs

The Music of American Jazz Masters: Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays

Sunday 5th October | Doors open 6pm | Show at 6.30pm

Jack Pantazis and Ade Ishs explore the works of American jazz guitarist Patrick Metheny and Lyle Mays. Together they formed the acclaimed Pat Metheny Group whose works incorporated elements of progressive and contemporary jazz, latin jazz, and jazz fusion. The group also went on to win 11 Grammy Awards.

"I really dig Jack. He’s a good friend and a beautiful musician!’ — Mike Stern

Jack Pantazis
Jack is one of a rare breed…..an in-demand professional musician for the past 35 years and as an educator with approx 30 years of teaching experience. It’s very difficult to find musicians who comfortably fit in both roles and claim that they are having not only success but very much enjoying the two ‘sides of the coin’ in areas that very much compleongoingplayedment each other…

Primarily, Jack is fundamentally a jazz musician whose mastery skills and artistry also cross over into other styles such as…pop, rock, fusion, latin, classical…

His consummate playing skills have had him performing with people ranging from big bands that includes ‘The Daryl McKenzie Jazz Orchestra’ ( member for the past 17 years), ‘The Tim Davies Big Band’, 'The Toshi Clinch Big Band' to smaller outfits such as his own groups ‘The Jack Pantazis Group’, ‘Synchronicity’ and playing tribute to ‘Wes Montgomery group and bands such as 'Dig We Must’

Jack has accompanied international artists that Grammy Nominated Mike Stern (ex-Miles Davis guitarist), American jazz great trombonist Bill Watrous and our own Australians James Morrison, Marina Prior just to name a few….

Jack is the guitarist for channel Nine’s Australia wide broadcast of ‘Carols By Candlelight Orchestra’ (for the past 8 years) under the baton of John Foreman.

Apart from live bands Jack has also played in pit orchestras. Musicals that include ‘Rent’, ‘Mama Mia’, ‘The Lion King’, ‘Wicked’ at The Regent and Her Majesty’s Theatres in Melbourne.

The educating side of Jack sees him as a teacher in the VET system teaching at Melbourne Polytechnic . Teaching subjects ranging from theory, aural, rhythm, guitar ensemble and bands…and of course, guitar.

For a musician to be playing as regularly and teaching full time as Jack is and has been doing for such a long time….it is testimony to his dedication, commitment, professionalism…and most importantly….his ‘passion’ that he passes on to his students and to every playing situation he finds himself in.In the past couple years Jack has also traveled and performed in Greece...taking the stage with some of Greece's amazing musicians playing his own compositions.

For more information see: https://www.jackpantazis.com

ade ishs

With over ten albums/EPs bearing his name, Indonesia-born ade ishs celebrates stylistic diversity as reflected in his eclectic repertoire. His music has been described as “strong … and beautiful” (Ivan Lloyd, ABC Jazz, November 2013), “very uplifting” (Jazzwise, UK, March 2015), and “incredibly evocative” (Loudmouth, Australia, May 2021). More recently, “the pianist radiates as he stretches along the harmonic progressions” (Jazz and Beyond, Australia, July 2021) and “ishs’s compositions stand out as well-constructed and tuneful” (Dingo Australian Jazz Journal, October 2021).

After living his formative years in Indonesia, ade migrated to Melbourne, Australia. He has performed with Dung Nguyen (Way Out West — Australia), Geoff Kluke (Australia), Daigo Nakai (Germany), Benny Likumahuwa (Indonesia), Candra Malik (Indonesia), Reyharp (Britain), Zamil Idris (Malaysia), and many other musicians in Australia and Indonesia of various genres.

He has been invited to play at such prestigious festivals as Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Ubud Village Jazz Festival, Wangaratta Festival of Jazz & Blues, and St Kilda Festival.

He also served as the musical director of Celebration of Indonesia 2017, a musical depicting various Eastern Indonesian cultures in the forms of music, dance, and drama showcased to a packed crowd at the Melbourne Town Hall. From 2017–2021, Melbourne’s Radio 3ZZZ Indonesian program had him as a regular guest music expert.

Since mid-2021, ade has lived in the Australian island state of Tasmania’s north-western rural area.

‘… I have become a great admirer of his approach and desire to succeed as a contemporary jazz pianist.’ — Steve Sedergreen

‘ade ishs is one of the most engaging live jazz performers I have encountered. There is no distance between ade and his audience. Everyone is invited in and embraced by the charm of his personality, the accessibility and richness of his music and the fluidity of his improvisation which seems to respond not only to what is happening in ade’s mind and heart but to what is happening in the audience’s heart.’ — Simon Williams, Inner FM Melbourne

‘One of ishs’s greatest strengths is his ability to improvise his way around the kind of harmonic intricacies …’ — Mandy Stefanakis, Loud Mouth

‘The smile that is across his solos, the sometimes pugilistic attack, the open-heartedness, never afraid to play pretty but also never afraid to drop a dissonance, sweet-and-sour ….’— John Hardaker, Australian Jazz.net

For more information see https://www.adeishs.com