Adam Simmons, Gideon Brazil, Phil Bywater - saxes, toys
Declan Jones, Eamon McNelis - trumpets, toys
Kynan Robinson - trombone, toys
Anita Hustas - bass, toys
Joe Talia - drums, toys
Download a 7 minute AMRAP radio interview about the Toy Band and check out these video and audio links for the Toy Band.
'... the best musical party in town!' The Age
'Crazy theatrics and progressive jazz combined... oodles of fun' Buzzcuts
Three saxophones, two trumpets, trombone, bass and drums - along with 4 large suitcases containing hundreds of assorted children's toys and toy instruments - make up the array of instumentation that the group use to make their enthralling music...and their bizarre, spontaneous - often intimate - unique performance. Musically ultra-tight, the elements of fun and party keep you enough off-balance to lose yourself and simply enjoy.
Adam returns fresh from 3 months recording and playing in New York and Eastern Europe with boundless enthusiasm and ready to unleash his seven nutty co-horts for a special season in the new Umbrella Revolution. No venue could be more suitable than a beautiful tent for this bizarre musical performance to take place. Every show is different, and there's no knowing what might happen when 8 of our most inspired young jazz musicians and composers get together with 4 big suitcases of children's toys and toy instruments, as well as their own huge array of drums, bass and horns.
The Toy Band toured Victoria in 2004 with funding from Arts Victoria and have performed at many festivals and venues since its birth in November 2001. Festivals include Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Meredith Music Festival, St Kilda Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival, Half Bent Winter Music Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, and there last gig at The Famous Speigeltent almost brought the tent down
Contact Annabel Warmington for further information about the ASTB - annabel@alphalink.com.au
Some quotes:
"Much of this music mixes many styles,from Dixieland to swing to funky to more progressive jazz excursions, with the more progressive elements in the majority and consistently impressive horn solos throughout. This is ultra-tight, constantly changing direction and often challenging, as well as those occasional elements of fun thrown in to keep us off balance and having many surprises turn up along the way."
Bruce Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery Newsletter (New York), December 2002
"Live, the band is a joyful riot; the soloists push towards the avant garde at times but the strength and beauty of Simmons' music prevails throughout. All the instrumentalists reveal the depth of talent in Melbourne's improvised music scene."
Derek Leather, The Sunday Age, December, 2002
"This is certainly an extraordinary take on musical expression and it's gaining quite a cult following amongst the alternative community of Melbourne."
STU Magazine, November 2002
"... the Toyband successfully manage to walk the tightrope between humour/gimmick factor and serious playing, and they do this with such infectious style that you can't help but giggle along happily, even while you're pensively stroking your chin."
Bob Baker Fish, Inpress, December 2002
"Eight fiercely-talented musicians, gleefully interrupting one another's solos with burst balloons, streams of bubbles and a cacophony of bells, whistles and wind-up toys. The audience went wild; the musicians went wilder"
Jessica Nicholas, The Age
"Gulp it, swig it or sip it! Drink in the rollicking, intoxicating triumph of Adam Simmons Toy Band. Music combined, shaken and poured with an inspired measure of pleasure, a jubilant jigger of vigour, an inventive dash of panache and a twist of the run of the risk."
Joseph, Avid Music Appreciator
Adam Simmons, Gideon Brazil, Phil Bywater - saxes, toys
Declan Jones, Eamon McNelis - trumpets, toys
Kynan Robinson - trombone, toys
Anita Hustas - bass, toys
Joe Talia - drums, toys
Download a 7 minute AMRAP radio interview about the Toy Band and check out these video and audio links for the Toy Band.
'... the best musical party in town!' The Age
'Crazy theatrics and progressive jazz combined... oodles of fun' Buzzcuts
Three saxophones, two trumpets, trombone, bass and drums - along with 4 large suitcases containing hundreds of assorted children's toys and toy instruments - make up the array of instumentation that the group use to make their enthralling music...and their bizarre, spontaneous - often intimate - unique performance. Musically ultra-tight, the elements of fun and party keep you enough off-balance to lose yourself and simply enjoy.
Adam returns fresh from 3 months recording and playing in New York and Eastern Europe with boundless enthusiasm and ready to unleash his seven nutty co-horts for a special season in the new Umbrella Revolution. No venue could be more suitable than a beautiful tent for this bizarre musical performance to take place. Every show is different, and there's no knowing what might happen when 8 of our most inspired young jazz musicians and composers get together with 4 big suitcases of children's toys and toy instruments, as well as their own huge array of drums, bass and horns.
The Toy Band toured Victoria in 2004 with funding from Arts Victoria and have performed at many festivals and venues since its birth in November 2001. Festivals include Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Meredith Music Festival, St Kilda Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival, Half Bent Winter Music Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, and there last gig at The Famous Speigeltent almost brought the tent down
Contact Annabel Warmington for further information about the ASTB - annabel@alphalink.com.au
Some quotes:
"Much of this music mixes many styles,from Dixieland to swing to funky to more progressive jazz excursions, with the more progressive elements in the majority and consistently impressive horn solos throughout. This is ultra-tight, constantly changing direction and often challenging, as well as those occasional elements of fun thrown in to keep us off balance and having many surprises turn up along the way."
Bruce Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery Newsletter (New York), December 2002
"Live, the band is a joyful riot; the soloists push towards the avant garde at times but the strength and beauty of Simmons' music prevails throughout. All the instrumentalists reveal the depth of talent in Melbourne's improvised music scene."
Derek Leather, The Sunday Age, December, 2002
"This is certainly an extraordinary take on musical expression and it's gaining quite a cult following amongst the alternative community of Melbourne."
STU Magazine, November 2002
"... the Toyband successfully manage to walk the tightrope between humour/gimmick factor and serious playing, and they do this with such infectious style that you can't help but giggle along happily, even while you're pensively stroking your chin."
Bob Baker Fish, Inpress, December 2002
"Eight fiercely-talented musicians, gleefully interrupting one another's solos with burst balloons, streams of bubbles and a cacophony of bells, whistles and wind-up toys. The audience went wild; the musicians went wilder"
Jessica Nicholas, The Age
"Gulp it, swig it or sip it! Drink in the rollicking, intoxicating triumph of Adam Simmons Toy Band. Music combined, shaken and poured with an inspired measure of pleasure, a jubilant jigger of vigour, an inventive dash of panache and a twist of the run of the risk."
Joseph, Avid Music Appreciator
