Mike Nock Phil Slater Church St Studios 23 September 2023

“Nock’s ringing iconoclasm pervades all his music, taps a deep well of melody that transcends jazz and informs and ignites his every encounter.” – Fred Bouchard, Downbeat (USA)

Bringing three generations together for the first time, the performers on this bill have all played and in some instances recorded with each other on separate occasions, but this will be the first time they have all come together in a concert setting.

Mike Nock is widely recognised as a crucially important voice in Australian modern music, as is trumpeter Phil Slater. Joined by Jonathan Zwartz on double bass and the young star drummer George Greenhill, this promises to be an entertaining and exciting night of improvised music.

About the musicians:

Based in Sydney since 1986, Mike previously spent 25 years in the USA, working with many of the world’s top jazz artists and recording on the great labels including Enja and ECM. His composer credits include orchestral music, woodwind/percussion ensembles, electronic/choral works and more and have been recorded and performed by a range of highly regarded artists. Attracting many awards and honours over his lengthy career in 2014 he was awarded the Don Banks Award the most valuable individual music award in Australia.In 2009 he was inducted into the Bell Awards Australian Jazz Hall of Fame and in 2003 presented with the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM).Since returning to Australia, his groups have conducted extensive tours of Europe, Asia, USA, and Canada, as well as touring regularly throughout Australia & New Zealand.

Phil Slater has performed and recorded with a wide range of artists including Lou Reed, Jim Black, Archie Roach, The Australian Art Orchestra, Genevieve Lacy, Pnau and Nick Littlemore.He studied composition with Peter Sculthorpe, Barry Conynham and Andrew Ford at the University of Sydney and University of Wollongong, and has composed and performed original music for many theatre, film and television productions including Stuff Happens and Exit The King for Belvoir St Theatre, Mother Courage, Gallipoli, and King Lear with Sydney Theatre Company, and the Tale of Samulnori with Legs On The Wall.Slater has been awarded the Australian National Jazz Award, the Bell Award for Australian Jazz Artist of the Year, the Bell Award for Best Australian Contemporary Jazz Ensemble (Phil Slater Quartet), the Limelight Award for Outstanding Contribution to Australian Jazz, and is a Freedman Fellow.In 2019 he released his 'Dark Patterns' Album to immediate critical acclaim and was subsequently nominated for an ARIA award in that year. Having completed his doctoral studies in 2021, Phil is now a senior lecturer in jazz at Sydney University.

Jonathan Zwartz has played with Pharoah Sanders, Branford Marsalis, Lionel Loueke, Kurt Elling, Nigel Kennedy, Mark Murphy, Annie Ross, Larry Goldings, Johnny Griffin, Junior Cook, Terri-Lynn Carrington, Mike Nock, Katie Noonan, Lionel Loueke and the Vampires. He is also a composer,  producer, live music advocate and curator.
He has released three award winning albums as composer and bandleader. His debut Album ‘The Sea’ was released in 2009 and won two Bell awards.His follow up CD entitled ‘The Remembering and Forgetting of the Air’, won best jazz album in the Australian Recording Industry (AIR) awards.His third Album ‘Animarum’ (2018) won the ARIA for best jazz album as well as the Bell and Air awards for that year.In late 2019 recorded with Mike Nock, Julien Wilson and Hamish Stuart a composer’s collaborative album entitled ‘This World’ which was released in 2020 to critical acclaim and sold out tours.
He coproduced, played on and wrote the orchestrations for singer/songwriter Martha Marlow’s debut album, Medicine Man.

George Greenhill is a hugely talented young drummer and one of the most in demand musicians on the Sydney Jazz scene. He recently returned from a trip to NY where he studied with Kenny Washington, Joe Farnsworth, Carl Allen and the illustrious Jimmy Cobb. 

Tickets are strictly limited, don't miss out!