Music & Tea at WAG | Sophia Rose Quartet

Emerging Artist Concert Series

City Tidda – Sophia Rose Quartet 

Sophia Rose, trumpet | Nate Griffin, drums | Oscar Lubboock, piano | Alex Parsa, double bass

Join us for a powerful program of original music and personalised arrangements inspired by jazz, identity, culture, and place.

Sophia Rose, a proud Wiradjuri and Barkindji woman, presents City Tidda (“city sister”), a musical reflection on her experience as a First Nations woman living in an urban environment. Drawing on both First Nations and African American musical traditions, the program celebrates resilience, freedom and self-expression. 

Program:

Barkindji Chant / Corroboree Song, Gordon Mitchell

South Coasting, The Vampires / Nick Garbett*

Tide Dance, Sophia Hunt - premiere

Bye Bye Blackbird, Ray Henderson / Mort Dixon

Drift, Lucy Clifford

Redemption Song, Bob Marley

Amalgamate, Sophia Hunt - premiere*

Ti-de, 'Today', Kokoroko*

Wiyathul, ‘Longing for Place’, Gurrumul Yunupingu*

The Age of Worry, John Mayer

Closure, Sean Mason*

*Wollongong only

Sophia Hunt has been surrounded by music since a young age, and her years at the Wollongong Conservatorium fostered a love of many genres. Sophia draws inspiration from trumpet players such as Roy Hargrove, Chet Baker, and Kellin Hanas, as well as Aussie local legends Tom Avgenicos, Miles Rooney, and Audrey Powne. She also seeks to follow in the footsteps of artists who celebrate her cultural identity, such as DOBBY (Murrawarri man), Nancy Bates (Barkindji woman), and the Stiff Gins (Nardi Simpson, Yuwaalaraay woman, and Kaleena Briggs, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta woman). Sophia hopes to pursue her passion for music as a full-time musician, taking each and every opportunity with grace and gratitude.  

Oscar Lubboock is a multi-instrumentalist. Musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Tom Misch, and Jacob Collier have nurtured his love of harmony and groove. He is also inspired by the likes of Oscar Peterson, Robert Glasper, Kiefer, Herbie Hancock, Take 6, Cory Henry, and their music.

Alex Parsa's, biggest double bass influences include Ray Brown and Christian McBride. His biggest double bass influences include Ray Brown and Christian McBride. Having been taught by Craig Scott and Phil Stack, among others, he draws inspiration in his playing from a variety of Australian musicians. Alex also performs original rock music with his band, Necko, which further demonstrates his love for all genres of music. Whether it’s jazz, rock, funk or pop, Alex is ready for any musical adventure life throws at him.

Nate Griffin is a recent arrival on the Sydney music scene and has already begun to establish himself as an exciting and versatile musician. He has a breadth of experience and isn’t fussy about genre, feeling equally at home playing jazz, funk, blues, rock and pop. He has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with James Ryan, Eamon Dilworth, Whitts End, Stefano Rocco and So Fresh Party, to name a few. Nate is studying a Bachelor of Drumset Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium, where he is honing his skills under the tutelage of the masters Simon Barker, Alexander Inman-Hislop, Cameron Undy and Chloe Kim. He plans to continue performing in a variety of musical scenarios, and exploring the many opportunities Sydney has to offer, forging a career as a performer and educator.   

The EACS at Wollongong Art Gallery is a FREE EVENT to ensure accessibility for all. If you are able, please DONATE generously to support the artists' fees.

*Also at St Jude's Bowral, June 6 at 1:15 pm