JAMES MORRISON SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS QUARTET

Mon 9 Feb 2009 @ 8:00pm

Admission Members $15 PJS Student Members $8 Concessions $18 Guests $22

Tonight’s concert features four Western Australian winners of the internationally renowned James Morrison Scholarship; Troy Roberts (saxophone), Dane Alderson (bass), Andrew Fisenden (drums) and Konrad Paszkudski (piano).

The James Morrison Scholarship is a national scholarship awarded to the best jazz musician on any instrument. Each year six emerging musicians are personally selected by James Morrison from an audition CD. These six attend the annual Generations in Jazz Festival in Mt Gambier, South Australia, where they play with Morrison, performing both planned and impromptu pieces, before the final winner is chosen.

Western Australian musicians have dominated the competition in recent years, with 5 winners in the last decade.

For all four musicians in this ensemble, 2008 has been a busy and rewarding year.

Troy Roberts, 2001 winner, has recently returned from the US, where he performed alongside 9 other saxophonists from around the world, chosen as semi finalists in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in Los Angeles. Whilst in the US, Troy launched his latest CD release, XenDen Suite in Miami.

Dane Alderson, 2002 winner, was one of 10 finalists in the 2008 National Jazz Awards competition held at the annual Wangaratta Jazz Festival, this year featuring the bass.

Andrew Fisenden, 2003 winner, has spent the year in Perth, performing with his regular combos Sly and The Royals, and with award-winning nu-jazz outfit VOID (which also features Roberts and Alderson) and the red hot 35th anniversary ensemble at the PJS.

Konrad Paszkudski, 2008 winner, has performed at Sydney’s Basement and the Perth Concert Hall with James Morrison and travelled to Japan for the Tokyo Jazz Festival as part of his sponsorship arrangement with Yamaha.

This evening’s performance will feature a collection of the group’s favourite music, comprising standards, contemporary works and original compositions.

"Konrad has a great sound and is so creative when he plays - but that's not what grabs you the most. He swings real hard!!.... what more can I say?” James Morrison

“Alderson's performance on the electric bass is versatile from style to style… turning quickly from poppin' and funk to articulate melodic passages…an incredible soloist in his own right, Alderson displays agility on the upper register as well as the lower frets.” Radio IOJAZZ

“…his tasteful expression and variety of changes in pattern kept my interest…Fisenden performed the dynamics and syncopated flourishes with exacting precision…” Radio IOJAZZ

“He plays with an agility and articulation that not only settles well in the groove, but at incredible velocity. Roberts is as expressive as any saxophone player of today and owns the technique to back up his performance.” Radio IOJAZZ