Adam Simmons - Saxophones/Flute/Shakuhachi/Fujara
Andrew Ogburn - Piano/Keyboards
Simon Starr - Bass/Vocals
Matt Earl - Drums
Since forming in 1993 the ASQ have performed spirited shows around Australia and internationally, presenting our ever-expanding original repertoire, including material from the acclaimed debut cd "Looking For Something A Little Different?" (1996), DVD "Adam Simmons - 3 Concerts." (2004), and "Metamorphosis" (2006).
The Adam Simmons Quartet has long been enjoyed at popular venues, private and corporate functions and special events - the players share their great delight in playing together, with their beautiful original compositions and terrific, passionate, improvisational skills and positive energy.
"From classic, driving swing to the etherial textures of Asia, 'Metamorphosis' pulls together seemingly disparate elements to create a unified, coherent album of true beauty. The sheer artistry of these players is never over-stated and clearly ten years of collaboration has imbued this quartet with an intuitive understanding of just how to play with, and for, each other."
Owen McKern, 3RRR fm, (Melbourne).
All the members have extensive experience:
ADAM SIMMONS is a multi-instrumentalist wind player and composer with great dynamic range and stage presence.
He's a regular guest and popular performer at New Caledonia's festivals. A highly-respected player, he is seen in Australia with an extraordinary range of groups - notably with Paul Grabowsky's Australian Art Orchestra , Adam Simmons Toy Band, The Engine Room, Steve Purcell's Pearly Shells, Barry Veith Big Band, En Rusk, Bucketrider and Old Des Peres - and delights in playing many styles of music : classical, jazz, pop, rock, opera, electronic dance, solo improvisations, "thrash punk", traditional Japanese shakuhachi...
Adam has also played in Australia with international acts Odeon Pope's Saxophone Choir (US), Tom Mawi (Fiji), Ursel Schlicht (Ger), Michel Benebig (NC), and Grand Union Orchestra (UK).
He has released several well-received recordings of his own compositions (Adam Simmons Toy Band "Happy Jacket", Adam Simmons Quartet "Looking for something a little different?", Adam Simmons "Etudes", New Blood "Heavy Water", Adam Simmons "3 Concerts"), frequently appears as a guest both live and on numerous recordings of other Melbourne acts across all musical styles, and is considered a strong personality in Australia's musical avant-garde community.
In 2000 he toured to Poland with his trio (two saxophones & drums) New Blood.
In 2001 he was invited to spend time at Music Omi (Artists Colony) in New York (US) where he developed his 8-piece Toy Band concept, and in 2003 he returned to US and Poland for solo work. He was recently invited to Curate the 2008 Music Omi program. In 2004 he was commissioned by the Victorian State Government to compose a Major Work for his Toy Band to perform at the Eureka 150 Event in Ballarat. Adam was the recipient of a Special Award for musical excellence and innovation by the national prestigious Music Council of Australia-Freedman Foundation program Ð an award created especially for him - and travelled alone to both USA and Eastern Europe for 3 months early in 2005, further developing his skills with musical mentors in New York, as well as performing and recording in New York, Poland and Germany.
ANDREW OGBURN is a sensitive and highly emotive player and composer with a Major in Jazz Improvisation (VCA) and a strong interest in the music of New Orleans. He has played in Australia, USA, South Korea and Italy and Hong Kong. As a member of Funken Wagnells, Adam Simmons Quartet and Sculpting Time, he has released three CDs with his compositions, and plays in a number of Melbourne groups with diverse styles : jazz, rock, blues, classical and electronic. Andrew has recently produced, recorded and performed on an album of New Orleans R'n'B with his 8-piece band Whip The Mule, who have appeared at many major Australian music festivals.
Andrew has performed with noted blues and roots musicians Kerri Simpson, Chris Wilson, Paul Williamson, Andy Baylor and GIT (also appearing on two of their CDs). He has performed on national radio and television in Australia, and live in the United States, South Korea, Hong Kong and Italy.
His compositions have been performed in Australia, Italy, Cuba, Noumea, and the United States, and Andrew now divides his time between composing, recording other musicians in his studio, and performing in many groups around Australia.
SIMON STARR is a bassist and composer with great talent, humour, diverse musical interests and energy - who since graduating from VCA in 1993 has worked constantly as a popular session musician as well as composing and performing in ensembles of his own such as world music/jazz group FROCK, which has played at the Montreux Jazz festival twice, and toured Europe and Asia twice. In late 2004 FROCK released their 4th CD " Degustation" (on Vorticity, and with substantial assistance from Arts Victoria) featuring 4 of his compositions.
Current gigs include - Doug De Vries' Cafe Brazil, Sally Ford's Pachuco Playboys, Descarga Total, the Baartz-Freeman Sextet, Caribbean steel drum music with Pandemonium, country and western sessions, whilst teaching music at Monash University and Box Hill TAFE.
Simon studied in New York in 1994-5 with bassist Dave Holland, which has held him in good stead for performances with such jazz identities as James Morrison, renowned American jazz educator Mark Levine, and Dave Samuels. In 2001 he studied with Jay Anderson and Tuck Andress in Singapore, and in 2004 with double bass legend Gary Peacock in New York.
Simon's been seen regularly over the years with the Adam Simmons Quartet , Compared To What, Caribbean All Stars , with jazz identities Jex Saarelhat, Barney McAll, Tony Gould, Barry Duggan, Paul Williamson, as well as with folk/pop singer-songwriters Barry Michael, Anne McCue and Mark Hilton, and Suze De Marchi (Augie March), and his own original pop band Burst. He has recently played double and electric bass and contributed vocals to albums by Joe Camileri (Bakelite Radio II, III), toured for several years with the Black Sorrows and recently played on sessions for the new Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons album.
In 1999-2000, Simon founded Klezmer group Spiel Azoi and played in the Double Bass section of the Melbourne Sinfonia, performing works by Sibelius, Brahms, Mozart and Bach, and. In addition to this, he performed and recorded with the Cotton Club Orchestra , playing ragtime and jazz from the 20's - and produced, arranged, performed and recorded an album of Middle Eastern ambient music for luminary Laibl Wolf.
In 2001 Simon toured China with Elaine Paige and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber for the Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber Spectacular that played in the Great Hall of The People in Beijing.
In 2004 he wrote, arranged and performed music for the short films "Nausea", "Futures" and "Brothers" (screened at festivals in USA and around Australia), as well as completing a Post Grad Diploma in Performance at Monash University.
MATT EARL has toured Europe with The Hoodangers and The Band Who Knew Too Much several times (returning there again in 2004), and has travelled extensively throughout North America, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom with a variety of Australian and European groups. Based in Melbourne, he plays regularly with The Hoodangers and TBTKTM, as well as Sally Dastey, Kadoonka, and others, and is a well-respected member of the local music community for his distinct style. He regularly tours the more remote outback areas of Northern Australia playing gigs and running workshops with Neil Murray's band, and enjoys an assortment of jazz gigs when he's back home. Matt has recently started composing for the Adam Simmons Quartet and Kadoonka, and is currently playing gigs in preparation for imminent recording with Tonchie McIntosh.
Andrew Ogburn - Piano/Keyboards
Simon Starr - Bass/Vocals
Matt Earl - Drums
Since forming in 1993 the ASQ have performed spirited shows around Australia and internationally, presenting our ever-expanding original repertoire, including material from the acclaimed debut cd "Looking For Something A Little Different?" (1996), DVD "Adam Simmons - 3 Concerts." (2004), and "Metamorphosis" (2006).
The Adam Simmons Quartet has long been enjoyed at popular venues, private and corporate functions and special events - the players share their great delight in playing together, with their beautiful original compositions and terrific, passionate, improvisational skills and positive energy.
"From classic, driving swing to the etherial textures of Asia, 'Metamorphosis' pulls together seemingly disparate elements to create a unified, coherent album of true beauty. The sheer artistry of these players is never over-stated and clearly ten years of collaboration has imbued this quartet with an intuitive understanding of just how to play with, and for, each other."
Owen McKern, 3RRR fm, (Melbourne).
All the members have extensive experience:
ADAM SIMMONS is a multi-instrumentalist wind player and composer with great dynamic range and stage presence.
He's a regular guest and popular performer at New Caledonia's festivals. A highly-respected player, he is seen in Australia with an extraordinary range of groups - notably with Paul Grabowsky's Australian Art Orchestra , Adam Simmons Toy Band, The Engine Room, Steve Purcell's Pearly Shells, Barry Veith Big Band, En Rusk, Bucketrider and Old Des Peres - and delights in playing many styles of music : classical, jazz, pop, rock, opera, electronic dance, solo improvisations, "thrash punk", traditional Japanese shakuhachi...
Adam has also played in Australia with international acts Odeon Pope's Saxophone Choir (US), Tom Mawi (Fiji), Ursel Schlicht (Ger), Michel Benebig (NC), and Grand Union Orchestra (UK).
He has released several well-received recordings of his own compositions (Adam Simmons Toy Band "Happy Jacket", Adam Simmons Quartet "Looking for something a little different?", Adam Simmons "Etudes", New Blood "Heavy Water", Adam Simmons "3 Concerts"), frequently appears as a guest both live and on numerous recordings of other Melbourne acts across all musical styles, and is considered a strong personality in Australia's musical avant-garde community.
In 2000 he toured to Poland with his trio (two saxophones & drums) New Blood.
In 2001 he was invited to spend time at Music Omi (Artists Colony) in New York (US) where he developed his 8-piece Toy Band concept, and in 2003 he returned to US and Poland for solo work. He was recently invited to Curate the 2008 Music Omi program. In 2004 he was commissioned by the Victorian State Government to compose a Major Work for his Toy Band to perform at the Eureka 150 Event in Ballarat. Adam was the recipient of a Special Award for musical excellence and innovation by the national prestigious Music Council of Australia-Freedman Foundation program Ð an award created especially for him - and travelled alone to both USA and Eastern Europe for 3 months early in 2005, further developing his skills with musical mentors in New York, as well as performing and recording in New York, Poland and Germany.
ANDREW OGBURN is a sensitive and highly emotive player and composer with a Major in Jazz Improvisation (VCA) and a strong interest in the music of New Orleans. He has played in Australia, USA, South Korea and Italy and Hong Kong. As a member of Funken Wagnells, Adam Simmons Quartet and Sculpting Time, he has released three CDs with his compositions, and plays in a number of Melbourne groups with diverse styles : jazz, rock, blues, classical and electronic. Andrew has recently produced, recorded and performed on an album of New Orleans R'n'B with his 8-piece band Whip The Mule, who have appeared at many major Australian music festivals.
Andrew has performed with noted blues and roots musicians Kerri Simpson, Chris Wilson, Paul Williamson, Andy Baylor and GIT (also appearing on two of their CDs). He has performed on national radio and television in Australia, and live in the United States, South Korea, Hong Kong and Italy.
His compositions have been performed in Australia, Italy, Cuba, Noumea, and the United States, and Andrew now divides his time between composing, recording other musicians in his studio, and performing in many groups around Australia.
SIMON STARR is a bassist and composer with great talent, humour, diverse musical interests and energy - who since graduating from VCA in 1993 has worked constantly as a popular session musician as well as composing and performing in ensembles of his own such as world music/jazz group FROCK, which has played at the Montreux Jazz festival twice, and toured Europe and Asia twice. In late 2004 FROCK released their 4th CD " Degustation" (on Vorticity, and with substantial assistance from Arts Victoria) featuring 4 of his compositions.
Current gigs include - Doug De Vries' Cafe Brazil, Sally Ford's Pachuco Playboys, Descarga Total, the Baartz-Freeman Sextet, Caribbean steel drum music with Pandemonium, country and western sessions, whilst teaching music at Monash University and Box Hill TAFE.
Simon studied in New York in 1994-5 with bassist Dave Holland, which has held him in good stead for performances with such jazz identities as James Morrison, renowned American jazz educator Mark Levine, and Dave Samuels. In 2001 he studied with Jay Anderson and Tuck Andress in Singapore, and in 2004 with double bass legend Gary Peacock in New York.
Simon's been seen regularly over the years with the Adam Simmons Quartet , Compared To What, Caribbean All Stars , with jazz identities Jex Saarelhat, Barney McAll, Tony Gould, Barry Duggan, Paul Williamson, as well as with folk/pop singer-songwriters Barry Michael, Anne McCue and Mark Hilton, and Suze De Marchi (Augie March), and his own original pop band Burst. He has recently played double and electric bass and contributed vocals to albums by Joe Camileri (Bakelite Radio II, III), toured for several years with the Black Sorrows and recently played on sessions for the new Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons album.
In 1999-2000, Simon founded Klezmer group Spiel Azoi and played in the Double Bass section of the Melbourne Sinfonia, performing works by Sibelius, Brahms, Mozart and Bach, and. In addition to this, he performed and recorded with the Cotton Club Orchestra , playing ragtime and jazz from the 20's - and produced, arranged, performed and recorded an album of Middle Eastern ambient music for luminary Laibl Wolf.
In 2001 Simon toured China with Elaine Paige and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber for the Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber Spectacular that played in the Great Hall of The People in Beijing.
In 2004 he wrote, arranged and performed music for the short films "Nausea", "Futures" and "Brothers" (screened at festivals in USA and around Australia), as well as completing a Post Grad Diploma in Performance at Monash University.
MATT EARL has toured Europe with The Hoodangers and The Band Who Knew Too Much several times (returning there again in 2004), and has travelled extensively throughout North America, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom with a variety of Australian and European groups. Based in Melbourne, he plays regularly with The Hoodangers and TBTKTM, as well as Sally Dastey, Kadoonka, and others, and is a well-respected member of the local music community for his distinct style. He regularly tours the more remote outback areas of Northern Australia playing gigs and running workshops with Neil Murray's band, and enjoys an assortment of jazz gigs when he's back home. Matt has recently started composing for the Adam Simmons Quartet and Kadoonka, and is currently playing gigs in preparation for imminent recording with Tonchie McIntosh.
Since forming in 1993 the ASQ have performed spirited shows around Australia and internationally, presenting our ever-expanding original repertoire, including material from the acclaimed debut cd "Looking For Something A Little Different?" (1996), DVD "Adam Simmons - 3 Concerts." (2004), and "Metamorphosis" (2006). The Adam Simmons Quartet has long been enjoyed at popular venues, private and corporate functions and special events - the players share their great delight in playing together, with their beautiful original compositions and terrific, passionate, improvisational skills and positive energy.
"From classic, driving swing to the etherial textures of Asia, 'Metamorphosis' pulls together seemingly disparate elements to create a unified, coherent album of true beauty. The sheer artistry of these players is never over-stated and clearly ten years of collaboration has imbued this quartet with an intuitive understanding of just how to play with, and for, each other."
Owen McKern, 3RRR fm, (Melbourne).
All the members have extensive experience:
ADAM SIMMONS is a multi-instrumentalist wind player and composer with great dynamic range and stage presence.
He's a regular guest and popular performer at New Caledonia's festivals. A highly-respected player, he is seen in Australia with an extraordinary range of groups - notably with Paul Grabowsky's Australian Art Orchestra , Adam Simmons Toy Band, The Engine Room, Steve Purcell's Pearly Shells, Barry Veith Big Band, En Rusk, Bucketrider and Old Des Peres - and delights in playing many styles of music : classical, jazz, pop, rock, opera, electronic dance, solo improvisations, "thrash punk", traditional Japanese shakuhachi...
Adam has also played in Australia with international acts Odeon Pope's Saxophone Choir (US), Tom Mawi (Fiji), Ursel Schlicht (Ger), Michel Benebig (NC), and Grand Union Orchestra (UK).
He has released several well-received recordings of his own compositions (Adam Simmons Toy Band "Happy Jacket", Adam Simmons Quartet "Looking for something a little different?", Adam Simmons "Etudes", New Blood "Heavy Water", Adam Simmons "3 Concerts"), frequently appears as a guest both live and on numerous recordings of other Melbourne acts across all musical styles, and is considered a strong personality in Australia's musical avant-garde community.
In 2000 he toured to Poland with his trio (two saxophones & drums) New Blood.
In 2001 he was invited to spend time at Music Omi (Artists Colony) in New York (US) where he developed his 8-piece Toy Band concept, and in 2003 he returned to US and Poland for solo work. He was recently invited to Curate the 2008 Music Omi program. In 2004 he was commissioned by the Victorian State Government to compose a Major Work for his Toy Band to perform at the Eureka 150 Event in Ballarat. Adam was the recipient of a Special Award for musical excellence and innovation by the national prestigious Music Council of Australia-Freedman Foundation program Ð an award created especially for him - and travelled alone to both USA and Eastern Europe for 3 months early in 2005, further developing his skills with musical mentors in New York, as well as performing and recording in New York, Poland and Germany.
ANDREW OGBURN is a sensitive and highly emotive player and composer with a Major in Jazz Improvisation (VCA) and a strong interest in the music of New Orleans. He has played in Australia, USA, South Korea and Italy and Hong Kong. As a member of Funken Wagnells, Adam Simmons Quartet and Sculpting Time, he has released three CDs with his compositions, and plays in a number of Melbourne groups with diverse styles : jazz, rock, blues, classical and electronic. Andrew has recently produced, recorded and performed on an album of New Orleans R'n'B with his 8-piece band Whip The Mule, who have appeared at many major Australian music festivals.
Andrew has performed with noted blues and roots musicians Kerri Simpson, Chris Wilson, Paul Williamson, Andy Baylor and GIT (also appearing on two of their CDs). He has performed on national radio and television in Australia, and live in the United States, South Korea, Hong Kong and Italy.
His compositions have been performed in Australia, Italy, Cuba, Noumea, and the United States, and Andrew now divides his time between composing, recording other musicians in his studio, and performing in many groups around Australia.
SIMON STARR is a bassist and composer with great talent, humour, diverse musical interests and energy - who since graduating from VCA in 1993 has worked constantly as a popular session musician as well as composing and performing in ensembles of his own such as world music/jazz group FROCK, which has played at the Montreux Jazz festival twice, and toured Europe and Asia twice. In late 2004 FROCK released their 4th CD " Degustation" (on Vorticity, and with substantial assistance from Arts Victoria) featuring 4 of his compositions.
Current gigs include - Doug De Vries' Cafe Brazil, Sally Ford's Pachuco Playboys, Descarga Total, the Baartz-Freeman Sextet, Caribbean steel drum music with Pandemonium, country and western sessions, whilst teaching music at Monash University and Box Hill TAFE.
Simon studied in New York in 1994-5 with bassist Dave Holland, which has held him in good stead for performances with such jazz identities as James Morrison, renowned American jazz educator Mark Levine, and Dave Samuels. In 2001 he studied with Jay Anderson and Tuck Andress in Singapore, and in 2004 with double bass legend Gary Peacock in New York.
Simon's been seen regularly over the years with the Adam Simmons Quartet , Compared To What, Caribbean All Stars , with jazz identities Jex Saarelhat, Barney McAll, Tony Gould, Barry Duggan, Paul Williamson, as well as with folk/pop singer-songwriters Barry Michael, Anne McCue and Mark Hilton, and Suze De Marchi (Augie March), and his own original pop band Burst. He has recently played double and electric bass and contributed vocals to albums by Joe Camileri (Bakelite Radio II, III), toured for several years with the Black Sorrows and recently played on sessions for the new Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons album.
In 1999-2000, Simon founded Klezmer group Spiel Azoi and played in the Double Bass section of the Melbourne Sinfonia, performing works by Sibelius, Brahms, Mozart and Bach, and. In addition to this, he performed and recorded with the Cotton Club Orchestra , playing ragtime and jazz from the 20's - and produced, arranged, performed and recorded an album of Middle Eastern ambient music for luminary Laibl Wolf.
In 2001 Simon toured China with Elaine Paige and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber for the Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber Spectacular that played in the Great Hall of The People in Beijing.
In 2004 he wrote, arranged and performed music for the short films "Nausea", "Futures" and "Brothers" (screened at festivals in USA and around Australia), as well as completing a Post Grad Diploma in Performance at Monash University.
MATT EARL has toured Europe with The Hoodangers and The Band Who Knew Too Much several times (returning there again in 2004), and has travelled extensively throughout North America, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom with a variety of Australian and European groups. Based in Melbourne, he plays regularly with The Hoodangers and TBTKTM, as well as Sally Dastey, Kadoonka, and others, and is a well-respected member of the local music community for his distinct style. He regularly tours the more remote outback areas of Northern Australia playing gigs and running workshops with Neil Murray's band, and enjoys an assortment of jazz gigs when he's back home. Matt has recently started composing for the Adam Simmons Quartet and Kadoonka, and is currently playing gigs in preparation for imminent recording with Tonchie McIntosh.
ANDREW OGBURN is a sensitive and highly emotive player and composer with a Major in Jazz Improvisation (VCA) and a strong interest in the music of New Orleans. He has played in Australia, USA, South Korea and Italy and Hong Kong. As a member of Funken Wagnells, Adam Simmons Quartet and Sculpting Time, he has released three CDs with his compositions, and plays in a number of Melbourne groups with diverse styles : jazz, rock, blues, classical and electronic. Andrew has recently produced, recorded and performed on an album of New Orleans R'n'B with his 8-piece band Whip The Mule, who have appeared at many major Australian music festivals.
Andrew has performed with noted blues and roots musicians Kerri Simpson, Chris Wilson, Paul Williamson, Andy Baylor and GIT (also appearing on two of their CDs). He has performed on national radio and television in Australia, and live in the United States, South Korea, Hong Kong and Italy.
His compositions have been performed in Australia, Italy, Cuba, Noumea, and the United States, and Andrew now divides his time between composing, recording other musicians in his studio, and performing in many groups around Australia.
SIMON STARR is a bassist and composer with great talent, humour, diverse musical interests and energy - who since graduating from VCA in 1993 has worked constantly as a popular session musician as well as composing and performing in ensembles of his own such as world music/jazz group FROCK, which has played at the Montreux Jazz festival twice, and toured Europe and Asia twice. In late 2004 FROCK released their 4th CD " Degustation" (on Vorticity, and with substantial assistance from Arts Victoria) featuring 4 of his compositions.
Current gigs include - Doug De Vries' Cafe Brazil, Sally Ford's Pachuco Playboys, Descarga Total, the Baartz-Freeman Sextet, Caribbean steel drum music with Pandemonium, country and western sessions, whilst teaching music at Monash University and Box Hill TAFE.
Simon studied in New York in 1994-5 with bassist Dave Holland, which has held him in good stead for performances with such jazz identities as James Morrison, renowned American jazz educator Mark Levine, and Dave Samuels. In 2001 he studied with Jay Anderson and Tuck Andress in Singapore, and in 2004 with double bass legend Gary Peacock in New York.
Simon's been seen regularly over the years with the Adam Simmons Quartet , Compared To What, Caribbean All Stars , with jazz identities Jex Saarelhat, Barney McAll, Tony Gould, Barry Duggan, Paul Williamson, as well as with folk/pop singer-songwriters Barry Michael, Anne McCue and Mark Hilton, and Suze De Marchi (Augie March), and his own original pop band Burst. He has recently played double and electric bass and contributed vocals to albums by Joe Camileri (Bakelite Radio II, III), toured for several years with the Black Sorrows and recently played on sessions for the new Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons album.
In 1999-2000, Simon founded Klezmer group Spiel Azoi and played in the Double Bass section of the Melbourne Sinfonia, performing works by Sibelius, Brahms, Mozart and Bach, and. In addition to this, he performed and recorded with the Cotton Club Orchestra , playing ragtime and jazz from the 20's - and produced, arranged, performed and recorded an album of Middle Eastern ambient music for luminary Laibl Wolf.
In 2001 Simon toured China with Elaine Paige and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber for the Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber Spectacular that played in the Great Hall of The People in Beijing.
In 2004 he wrote, arranged and performed music for the short films "Nausea", "Futures" and "Brothers" (screened at festivals in USA and around Australia), as well as completing a Post Grad Diploma in Performance at Monash University.
MATT EARL has toured Europe with The Hoodangers and The Band Who Knew Too Much several times (returning there again in 2004), and has travelled extensively throughout North America, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom with a variety of Australian and European groups. Based in Melbourne, he plays regularly with The Hoodangers and TBTKTM, as well as Sally Dastey, Kadoonka, and others, and is a well-respected member of the local music community for his distinct style. He regularly tours the more remote outback areas of Northern Australia playing gigs and running workshops with Neil Murray's band, and enjoys an assortment of jazz gigs when he's back home. Matt has recently started composing for the Adam Simmons Quartet and Kadoonka, and is currently playing gigs in preparation for imminent recording with Tonchie McIntosh.
SIMON STARR is a bassist and composer with great talent, humour, diverse musical interests and energy - who since graduating from VCA in 1993 has worked constantly as a popular session musician as well as composing and performing in ensembles of his own such as world music/jazz group FROCK, which has played at the Montreux Jazz festival twice, and toured Europe and Asia twice. In late 2004 FROCK released their 4th CD " Degustation" (on Vorticity, and with substantial assistance from Arts Victoria) featuring 4 of his compositions.
Current gigs include - Doug De Vries' Cafe Brazil, Sally Ford's Pachuco Playboys, Descarga Total, the Baartz-Freeman Sextet, Caribbean steel drum music with Pandemonium, country and western sessions, whilst teaching music at Monash University and Box Hill TAFE.
Simon studied in New York in 1994-5 with bassist Dave Holland, which has held him in good stead for performances with such jazz identities as James Morrison, renowned American jazz educator Mark Levine, and Dave Samuels. In 2001 he studied with Jay Anderson and Tuck Andress in Singapore, and in 2004 with double bass legend Gary Peacock in New York.
Simon's been seen regularly over the years with the Adam Simmons Quartet , Compared To What, Caribbean All Stars , with jazz identities Jex Saarelhat, Barney McAll, Tony Gould, Barry Duggan, Paul Williamson, as well as with folk/pop singer-songwriters Barry Michael, Anne McCue and Mark Hilton, and Suze De Marchi (Augie March), and his own original pop band Burst. He has recently played double and electric bass and contributed vocals to albums by Joe Camileri (Bakelite Radio II, III), toured for several years with the Black Sorrows and recently played on sessions for the new Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons album.
In 1999-2000, Simon founded Klezmer group Spiel Azoi and played in the Double Bass section of the Melbourne Sinfonia, performing works by Sibelius, Brahms, Mozart and Bach, and. In addition to this, he performed and recorded with the Cotton Club Orchestra , playing ragtime and jazz from the 20's - and produced, arranged, performed and recorded an album of Middle Eastern ambient music for luminary Laibl Wolf.
In 2001 Simon toured China with Elaine Paige and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber for the Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber Spectacular that played in the Great Hall of The People in Beijing.
In 2004 he wrote, arranged and performed music for the short films "Nausea", "Futures" and "Brothers" (screened at festivals in USA and around Australia), as well as completing a Post Grad Diploma in Performance at Monash University.
MATT EARL has toured Europe with The Hoodangers and The Band Who Knew Too Much several times (returning there again in 2004), and has travelled extensively throughout North America, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom with a variety of Australian and European groups. Based in Melbourne, he plays regularly with The Hoodangers and TBTKTM, as well as Sally Dastey, Kadoonka, and others, and is a well-respected member of the local music community for his distinct style. He regularly tours the more remote outback areas of Northern Australia playing gigs and running workshops with Neil Murray's band, and enjoys an assortment of jazz gigs when he's back home. Matt has recently started composing for the Adam Simmons Quartet and Kadoonka, and is currently playing gigs in preparation for imminent recording with Tonchie McIntosh.