bentenlaughing

Judy Small (advocator of justice & peace) one of our finest Australian Singer/Songwriters.

2026-04-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

Janice: Judy, who was active on the scene when you started playing and singing and were there specific venues that were favoured? For example when I began going to hear music as a teenager I'd go with my cousins to small folk clubs in the city or the Trad Jazz venues like the Iron Workers Building which I think was in George Street.

Judy: When I started playing in the Sydney folk scene in 1973, there were 2 major folk clubs in the city that I was aware of.

One was Cellar Folk (which may still have been called PACT Folk then), which was on Friday nights in the basement of the old YWCA building in Liverpool Street and where the music was pretty much contemporary folk (ie acoustic singer-songwriters or singers who sang the acoustic songs that were on the radio eg those of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan etc).

The main performers I remember from that part of the scene were Mike McLellan, Marion Henderson, Doug Ashdown, Bob Hudson, Margret RoadKnight, Kate Delaney, Alan Ward, Dan Johnston and a really good guitarist whose first name was Lee but I can’t remember his surname, although there must have been others I don’t recall. That’s where I played my very first professional folk gig, well before I started writing songs, and I sang songs by writers like Melanie Safka, Janis Ian & co as well as the above and others, but not trad folk.

The main performers I remember from that part of the scene were and a really good guitarist whose first name was Lee but I can’t remember his surname, although there must have been others I don’t recall.

That’s where I played my very first professional folk gig, well before I started writing songs, and I sang songs by writers like Melanie Safka, Janis Ian & co as well as the above and others, but not trad folk.

The other club was “The Liz”, the traditional folk music club that met every Wednesday night in the upstairs bar of the Elizabeth Hotel in Elizabeth Street.

The people who ran that were very suspicious of the contemporary folk movement and I had to go back and learn or relearn a whole lot of traditional English, Scottish, Irish, American and Australian folk songs in order to play there, although later in the 70s and early 80s they were more welcoming of the music of contemporary singer-songwriters who wrote songs about more modern issues in the folk tradition like our Eric Bogle, Phyl Lobl, and Bernard Nolan, and people like Ralph McTell, Frankie Armstrong and Dick Gaughan from the UK.

I have some great memories of those days and remember one particular Wednesday night after the pub had closed and about 20 of us stood outside in Elizabeth Street sing “Bright Morning Star’s A-Rising” in about 8 part harmonies. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven!

The two clubs were quite separate when I started but then others sprung up, like the Kirk Gallery in Redfern and Blacktown Folk Club and one in a pub in Flinders Street, and the partition between strictly traditional and contemporary folk seemed to become a bit more porous.

It was only after listening to Eric and Phyl in particular that I realised it was acceptable to write Australian songs in the folk tradition about the contemporary issues I wanted to sing about. There were Americans doing that, like Dylan and Joan Baez of course, and Tom Paxton and Si Kahn, but it was listening to the Australians who sang about contemporary issues that mattered that got me into the kind of songwriting I later became known for.

Janice: You are a voice of awareness sharing songs of the ever present need for social justice. You've walked the talk as a judge of the Federal Court of Australia. What do you feel we can individually and collectively bring into being as an expression of peace in our communities ?

Judy: Well I think Tom Paxton said it best when he wrote “Peace will come, let it begin with me”.

If we as individuals treat others with respect, dignity and a genuine sense of common humanity, especially those who are culturally, racially or religiously different from us or with whom we disagree politically, then peace and social justice will indeed come.

That applies to any situation, including being a judge, and I hope you’re right when you say that I walked that talk.

And one of the ways of spreading that message is through the telling of people’s stories, whether in songs, poetry, prose, theatre or other art forms, or in journalism.

The arts are how we see ourselves and our times reflected in a way that moves us, and I think it’s only when we’re truly moved that we can open our minds to different ways of thinking.

That said, we can also make our voices heard collectively when we see injustice happening and that is also very important, as long as we do it respectfully and peacefully.

The only time I think violence can be justified is when a person or a people is being attacked by an enemy who is totally impervious to moral persuasion. For instance, while Mahatma Ghandi’s nonviolent protest was a major force in bringing independence to India - even at the expense of his own life - it was only because the British cared about what the world thought of them.

Those strategies were entirely useless against the Nazi regime in Germany because that regime cared nothing about its reputation and was perfectly content to murder anyone who protested against its crimes.

So I think there are lots of things we can do.

On an individual level, we can become volunteers for organisations whose purpose is to promote peace and justice, whether legal or social, or we can write to our parliamentary representatives to bring instances of injustice to their attention, or we can donate money if we are able to assist people who need it or organisations as stated above.

And we can try to muster the courage to speak up when we see a Muslim woman being harassed because she is wearing hijab, or a homeless person being assaulted, or a child wearing clothing that identifies him as Jewish being taunted, or a person with a disability being ridiculed.

On a collective level we can join the peaceful protests against the things we see as unjust, we can vote for politicians who espouse humanitarian policies, we can contribute to social media discourse and challenge those posts which promote or sanction injustice, we can persuade our social, sporting and religious institutions to collaborate in promoting peace and social justice - and oh, so much more.

I suppose the message I’m tying to convey is that we should become involved - in our neighbourhoods, in our social and faith institutions, in our communities, in our political institutions, in national and international organisations that promote those values.

Anything really, except watch and do nothing or sit on our bums and complain!

As Edmond Burke once said: “He is a foolish man who does nothing because he can only do little”.

Janice: Through the lens of your experience both as a spokesperson on the world stage and as a much loved artist in Australia your legacy is vast and multifarious..... this brief interview I hope will encourage readers to delve further into your extraordinary contributions. Thank you Judy for taking the time to share some of your insights with us.

Judy: Thank you so much for this opportunity Janice. As you know, I’ve been a fan of you and your work since the 60s and it’s wonderful to catch up with you like this.

Janice: It is such an honour to know you Judy, thank you for sharing with us.

http://www.judysmall.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Small

There are so many videos of Judy's wonderful singing and writing on her above website and on youtube. Along with those are two special videos I've just discovered which share more of her exquisite mind and depth of spirit, caring & vision.

Mar 23, 2022

NFF Artistic Director Katie Noonan caught up with Australian folk music legend Judy Small.

https://youtu.be/TKesOZhbUCE?si=V_ua8Ubm2qyLDvqJ

Jun 3, 2016

In her 2016 Talking Justice presentation, Federal Circuit Court of Australia Judge Judy Small asks how we ensure that the state remains accountable and responsive in achieving justice?

https://youtu.be/gJvopxOG0eE?si=iSb1p6_Mm5NgE2U-

Bruce Cale talks about working with Essra Mohawk. .

2026-04-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

Janice: Bruce, I can't quite remember when you mentioned to me that you played bass on a track of Essra Mohawk's 1970 'Primordial Lovers' album, but I was blown away as it was given to me by Joy Yates when we worked together in London. It became one of my most loved albums. Your intro on Í Have Been Here Before' is exquisite Bruce; this track is out of this world...such fabulous vocals and musicianship from all. Far far ahead of its time...gorgeous melodic lines, profound lyrics and a mix of genres.....I almost weep every time I hear it.

Was the session in Elektra Studios in LA?

Bruce: Can't remember which studio. The recording date was late 1969.

My connection was drummer James Zitro who was on that track.

Mike Cohen was keyboard, Kenny Jenkins was the electric bass, I was the Arco Bass player, don't remember who the others were.

Essra sang while we played on that take as I recall. Essra, had me do another session with just her and I. She playing piano and singing. I have no idea what happened to that session.

Janice: I'll have to see if that exists somewhere out there as I'm sure it would be appreciated by all who loved Essra's innovative writing & singing; along with learning about and hearing your incredible artistry.

Bruce: Essra was easy to work with, relaxed and I liked her.

Janice: Could you tell me about how you became involved?

Bruce: I had recorded with the Zitro Band in New York, for ESP Records. Zitro was friends with Essra. He recommended me to Essra.

LISTEN UP FOLKS

I HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE WITH

BRUCE CALE ON ARCO BASS

Regarding the following Essra's vocals explore further improvisatory vocal embellishments with basically her on keyboards : This is taken off Essra Mohawk's youtube channel:

This is a bonus track on the new CD reissue of Primordial Lovers, an album by Essra Mohawk originally released in 1970. In 1977, the late music journalist, Paul Williams wrote in Rolling Stone Magazine that Primordial Lovers was firmly on his list of the 25 all time best albums . Here's the actual quote: Rolling Stone: "Warners LP Primordial Lovers*, is firmly on my list of the 25 all-time best albums." - Paul Williams (editor of Crawdaddy)

https://youtu.be/8NzotoXzSRE?si=r_MhxaokDarTVS4W

The Bruce Cale Interview/Jake Feinberg Show....a great interview; youtube link above.

https://australianjazzrealbook.com/artists/bruce-cale/

https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/james-zitro

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essra_Mohawk

Celebrating Gwen Byng & Brissie 60's Rock'n Roll

2026-03-16T21:35:19.859-07:00

Janice: Gwen, I'm guessing your first connection with the music scene was in Brisbane? If not; where and who was it that took your imagination to become involved?

Gwen: Good question! It was most definitely Brisbane but not really so much in a "who inspired me" way. I was doing Psychology at University of Queensland, 1st year, and around halfway through the year I did some "prac" observations at a place called The Open Door, which was run by an ex Minister of Religion Hayden Sargent, who was on talk back radio, and was involved in many things. My plan for my degree was to work with Drug Addiction, hence the connection to the Open Door

He created this venue as a "Drop In Centre" for kids who needed a place to talk. Counsellors etc were on board and he also introduced regular gigs to attract the age group he was aiming for. Friday night was "Blues" night, Saturday night was mainstream "Pop?" music with interstate guests who the local agent would generously pop in spots to fill their nights gigs, Sunday was a laid back "folksie" vibe, which I will admit I never attended. Hayden could see that there was no place for the young musos to peddle their wares so he did a 10-2 Saturday session for young performers and bands. I ended up being the "venue staff" on those days. The guy who ran the "band list" made sure everyone had a shot at performing. Some were very ordinary, some mediocre and then you had those who you knew were going to go somewhere. I had been involved in learning piano for a lot of years, exams at Conservatory of Music etc, so I did have an "ear". As happens, being there every week I got to know most of the guys.

One day I was chatting to one band who told me they were about to give it all up and return to Maryborough/Bundaberg and just give it all away. They were good so I decided, rightly or wrongly, to just help them.That was my first band that I ever helped.

Mark Moffatt went on to do some great work producing and his guitar playing was superb.Mark Harvey was in bands all his life, while also being a Secondary School teacher, also writes some pretty impressive music. Peter Hudson played drums and was a highly valued session drummer but he also had a deeper creative side and went on to design and create jewellery and now is an acclaimed artist whose works hang in the best galleries in this country.. Fred played in bands all his life and still does jump in and out of bands to this day.

The very first piece of advice I gave them was " Never forget that music is a business, While you are all for the craft the business is all about business and dollars, you have to find a way to blend the two, and that will have to come from you as the people in the business only have one objective and that is making money." When Mark passed, his sister rang me and quoted that back to me as one of the things Mark carried through his life and would quote back to others.

His handling of Yothu Yindi proved that he lived by that motto.

So out of "I think we will toss it in" I have never been more proud of people who stayed.

Janice: I only ever visited Queensland a couple of times in the '60's for work but found Brisbane to be behind the scenes in terms of acceptance of difference; especially in the way we dressed. I had a good pal with me and we jangled bells that we were wearing around out necks (faux Hippies that we were!) to annoy people as we walked though the streets.

Gwen: It is hard for Southerners to understand the Queensland Music Scene as they would breeze in and do gigs and go back to their homes. The Bjelke Petersen era was restrictive and hard to create. Long haired guys were targeted by the police force all the time. They would "raid" venues who weren't in their pocket and create havoc. It was hard to be creative and look over your shoulder all the time.

I have linked "The Open Door" page just for some clarity on the subject. Every gig had it's share of undercover cops who stood out like a sore thumb, their stylists were non-existent..

"Saturday mornings at the Open Door were just amazing even if I did get pulled over by the cops on the way there every week." Mark Moffat

Janice: Ok Gwen; you keep your talents close to your heart; you obviously cared about these young musicians.

Gwen: I ended up with a few bands, 5 to be exact. Getting them noticed was interesting though.

Janice: So you became an agent? Or manager?

Gwen: There were a few agents in Brisbane, but two had most of the work. One was a complete shonky character and the other was much more pliable but still very street smart. It really started as just helping bands but ended up as management. They will say I managed every facet of their lives but we are all still close friends today, so guess my style was ok

I was 17 nearly 18, an absolute nobody in the music scene, or anywhere else for that matter, so I decided to approach both agents separately (as they absolutely hated each other).

Gwen: I talked them into coming into the Open Door one Saturday, got the band list to include the 5 bands I had to "audition" for them.

As unfolded they both arrived at the same time, not my best planning, as the atmosphere was toxic between them. So there I stood in between these powerful guys in the industry and me being as naïve as I could possibly be. Both during the hour expressed that I was lucky I was young and female, but I did what I did. Both guys ended up booking 4 of the bands, the youngest band would not have been allowed in venues, but we all knew that and put them forward anyway. My street smart agent Brian ended up being a bit of a mentor to me, taught me to manage with my head and a little bit of heart rather than the other way which I was prone to do.

Janice: It sounds like you were on a swift learning curve!

Gwen: Honestly, we all learnt together. Most of these guys were older than me but they listened and as a unit we would make most band decisions. We had some great bands in those days who had some of the best musicians. Brisbane was a hard place to further your career and if you really wanted to cement your place in music you had to travel south. Whereas S.A and W.A seemed to encourage their musicians and give them safe places, Brisbane did not do that. Some great bands and musos that never left Queensland for one reason or another. Some of the ones that did from the 60's are listed below, sure I have missed some but .....

The Bee Gees
Billy Thorpe:
Lobby Loyde (Barry Lyde):
The Purple Hearts:
Tony Cahill:
Mike Furber and the Bowery Boys:
Ross D. Wylie:
The Coloured Balls:
Thursday’s Children:
Matt Taylor,

Barry Sullivan,

Barry Harvey

Tony Beutel,

Glen Wheatley
Michael Turner
Gavin Wood ( a muso back in the Open Door days and now the voice of everything)

Janice: Our perceptions in Sydney were that Queensland was redneck territory with Bjelke Peterson at the helm.

Gwen: Never mix music and politics was a moot point in Brissie, as politics infiltrated into the very essence of venues. The city has played such a formative role in Australian music but the repressive Bjelke years prevented many early musicians getting the credit and success they deserved.

Janice: Returning to the opening of our interview I was surprised to learn you were studying psychology, I shouldn't have been. You have deep and often humorous insights about people and their quirks!

Gwen: I never finished the psychology course officially, went to work with Hayden at the Open Door and took a bigger role in the music side of the venue, was given an offer by Mike Vaughan to relocate to Sydney which I ended up doing but arrived to his departure.

Janice: Mike Vaughan, manager of the Easybeats. No doubt more of a story to tell. Maybe you and I both missed bigger opportunities....for good or bad? If so we have a commonality & a sliding doors moment. He was interested in managing me but I couldn't see the connection with my kind of music and the Easybeats....short sighted?!

Gwen: He appeared to want me to run Sydney while he stayed in the UK. The original offer was to work with him in Sydney as he expanded his stable. What a ridiculous notion. I was 19.

I stayed in Sydney for a few years, and worked with people who afforded me some great memories and even better experiences. `I returned home after becoming disillusioned watching artists get hooked on drugs and wasting their talent. I returned home, got married, and blended back into the background which is where I love to be. I still dabble in the background and am always happy to help any artist achieve their goals. My connection with Caloundra Event Centre kept me in the loop of gigs and I loved that I got to be involved

Janice: Well Gwen it was quite a ride and I'm sure there is more to share regarding your incredible journey as a young woman bringing to the fore some of Australia's greatest rock bands, I feel very privileged that you are willing to share some of your story with me and sincerely thank you.

Gwen: I am very proud of the Brissie musos and supported them back in the day, and I still do. I often work with them consulting on their projects and even have a couple of "youngies" I will collaborate with.

The back stories of the Brisbane music scene are murky, including the bombing of Whisky A Go Go, police intimidation of young musos was pretty intense (if your manager or agent wasn't contributing to the police ball" but out of all the background we produced some pretty great musos and for that I am extremely proud.

Janice: You're pressing buttons regarding other unheralded females who contributed greatly to the music industry; my good friend, the late Gaille Jang was employed as Activities Officer at Sydney University and later; appointed Deb Doyle as, Union Activities Assistant; together they gave many of the up and coming young bands their first Sydney gigs.

https://gwenbyng.wixsite.com/theopendoor

https://www.markmoffatt.com/

https://www.yothuyindi.com.au/

An interview with my co-writer, Louella Jolly Aussie singer/songwriter

2026-02-09T20:50:00.000-08:00

Janice: Louella, it may be peculiar a co-writer asking you about the process of our recent collaboration Óur Star’ but it dawned on me that it could be interesting; a re-evaluation and learning process for us both!

Louella: I think its a good question Janice. I have done a little co-writing when I first started singing but the experience with you has been a great experience & learning curve.

Janice: When I sent you the first (of many) drafts can you recall your initial response?

Louella: Yes. My initial response when I first read/felt into the lyrics & over all idea was I liked & connected with the story.

The story of a lonesome Cowboy has been such a classic theme in movies, music & arts for many years. As we started tweaking the lyrics the story evolved.

The process of writing with you was interesting in seeing your approach to arranging the lyrics & the melodic lines to make the song coherent based on your writing skills & experience in the music industry.

Janice: My fascination with cowboy/cowgirls began as a child, I wanted to be one! Well a kid in the suburbs was unlikely to be one...did you have any associations with country music or country life?

Louella: I grew up in a suburban area, Pennant Hills but I did love watching the Western movies as a child & also used to play Cowboys & Indians with my sister & friends, that was a normal thing to do back then.

I was also influenced by my parents’ record collection. My Mum had slightly more folky/country tastes ie: Carpenters, Bing Crosby, John Denver whereas my Dad loved Nat King Cole, Gladys Knight amongst others. There was one particular album I dearly loved & that was a Country Hits album with hits from Lorretta Lyn, Johnny Cash etc so that was one of my first connections to Country music. I fell in love with Stand By Me especially.

Janice: I wasn’t particularly tuned into country music when I was growing up! My influences were via the USA Jazz musicians my eldest brothers record collection but over the years I’ve contributed as a backing vocalist on a few well known artist’s tracks: Anne Kirkpatrick’s Shoot the Moon album with Alison MacCallum and in London a cover version of County Road, recorded of Olivia Newton John with Bones; a three girl group formed in London via Joy Yates, with Bridget Lokelani Dudoit & myself. I grew more interested as rock began to have an influence on country music. The number of Australian country artist’s shows how much Aussie’s love their country music. Are there any Australian country artists who work you’ve been influenced by or are a fan of?

Louella: Yes. I remember when I was 19yrs, old listening to a country music radio station on a bus trip to Melbourne & thinking the country music industry in Australia was going to grow within the next 10 years, which it did.

I wasn’t a huge follower of country music then though some of the country style tunes did catch my ear with artists like Lorretta Lyn, Dolly Parton, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Slim Dusty.

The Eagles were probably the biggest influence when I was young. In primary school I used to go into my brother’s room & listen to his collection of their albums & know all the words by heart. I was particularly drawn to their harmonies which I also used to sing along with.

Other bands ie; Creedence Clearwater Revival also were an influence. In later years Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Gina Jefferies, Troy Cassar- Daley & various others artists I used to come across in my days as a presenter at 2Bob Radio, a community station in Taree, where I did a show there for 7years.

Janice: There are so many accomplished country musicians; both from the past and present and in Australia those who’ve made country their own: Lee Kernaghan, Troy Cassar-Daly, Warren H Williams, Felicity Urquhart are still standouts for me.... but there are interesting up and coming artists as well...

Louella: There is a much larger range of country artists in Australia now days with various styles ranging from Australiana, American style influence, Americana, Bluegrass. These styles also crossover into independent artists & singer songwriters.

Louella Jolly

LJ Spotify

LJ Apple Music

Watchglass: Wheels in an Elsewhere: part two of an interview with singer/songwriter Gina Graham

2025-10-25T23:19:00.000-07:00

Janice: Do you begin recording with a basic guitar and vocals track?

Gina: The way Mark and I work is that he will create an instrumental backing track and I will write the vocal part to fit the track. Sometimes I already have a set of lyrics that I wrote independent of music and it will fit the track, usually with some rearranging/tweaking. Other times I will write the lyrics as I listen over and over to the instrumental.

Janice: Are you both in cohorts in developing the ambience and layering of the backing track?

Gina: The ambience and layering I leave entirely to Mark. After I've added my vocals to the mix, he will further play around with the instrumentation and create the final song. Sometimes he will consult me about something he's done, whether or not I like it. Sometimes I will notice something in the mix that doesn't seem to enhance the song and I'll mention it. But basically, I trust his experience and judgement and I like to allow him the freedom to experiment so that he doesn't get bored! He has been in the song making game much much longer than me.

From left, Yoshi- Cajon, Chris- bass, Gina- vocals, Mark- guitar, taken after a gig at Manly's Sugar Lounge

https://watchglass1.bandcamp.com/album/wheels-in-an-elsewhere

An interview with Blue Mountain's artist Jan Melville

2025-10-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

Janice: Before you've put pen to paper or whichever medium you're working with, do you have a good idea of the end result?

Jan Melville: I do not always know the end result of some of my works, mostly the ones that I know are my etchings as I do sketches of the ideas before making the plates to work on.

I seem to get the ideas in my mind and when working them up into sketches, I can change parts of it as I go.

Or even start all over again if not happy with how the end result is looking.

Janice: Which are your favorite mediums to work with?

Jan Melville: I like to work with collage, mixed media and etchings.

I like the freedom that say collage and mixed media bring. When working with them they allow me to be a lot looser when I work, as against when I work in printmaking I get tighter as there is only the one go to get the work right.

Janice: Your work resonates with a connection to nature. Has this always played a part in the themes you explore in your work?

Jan Melville: Since moving to the Blue Mountains I became a lot more aware of nature as we are surrounded by bush. This has made me stop and really look at what is there. Not just above and around me but also on the ground beneath me.

Gina Graham, the new album: Wheels in an Elsewhere by Watchglass!

2025-10-14T21:35:00.000-07:00

Janice: Gina, I'm listening to your new album, Wheels in an Elsewhere. Your winsome vocals and seamless marriage of lyric and music allow one to enter a spaciousness...where are you taking us?

Gina: Interesting that you mentioned spaciousness, as the album is largely about the spaciousness of being apart from worldly life, troubles, insanities and the treadmill… in the sense of being something more like pure spirit. Not trying to paint our lives as a bleak picture but it can certainly seem like that at times for many of us, I believe. And we’ve all at times thought “stop the planet I want to get off”! Now the phrase wheels in an elsewhere is taken from the fourth song on the album which was inspired by my randomly pondering what death might be like. In the song the elsewhere is the world you leave behind. And the wheels of course are just the material matters of life including cars, work business. problems and the ongoing nature of it all. It is quite a philosophical album, though funnily enough, whilst I was writing each song I didn’t realise that most of them were connected with the “spiritual spaciousness vs material” theme.

https://watchglass1.bandcamp.com/music

Long Way Home: Glaswegian rock legend Frankie Miller. An interview with author Davy Arthur.

2025-09-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

Jan: Davy, when did you first experience Frankie's music? Was it live or on record?

Davy: In 1956, our family had moved to a very large housing scheme on the outskirts of Edinburgh, where I attended the local primary school, where football was the main focus. Then in 1965, when all my football friends joined the local Secondary School, I went to a Senior Secondary in town (Boroughmuir), where one was able to study up to A Level standard.

One of the exciting aspects was that I was immediately thrown into a “melting pot”of different young people from all over the city. Over the next couple of years and from a musical point of view, 2 stood out. Gordon McIntosh and Billy Lyall.

Gordon was a guitarist in a local band called Leathur Soul then found fame with Bilbo Baggins. Billy Lyall was in the Bay City Rollers then moved to Pilot with David Paton. They had huge hits with ” Magic” and “January”. So from 1967 onwards, these two were mainly responsible for introducing me to the live music scene around Edinburgh where I met dozens of amazing people.

I first saw Frankie Miller perform live in June 1968. He was eighteen years old and I was fifteen. The occasion was our school ” Basketball Dance “.

Teargas and The Stoics were both on the bill. It was life changing for me in that I had never seen live bands of this calibre before and I have kept an archive of Frankie Miller cuttings and memorabilia ever since.

Over the next 25 years I never missed a Frankie Miller headline tour again.

I went on to start a fan magazine and a close friendship developed from that.

From backstage chats etc, it developed into regular telephone contact which often led to Frankie allowing me to hear new songs he had written.

Life changed for us all in 1994 when Frankie was perhaps reaching a peak in his career.

Jan: As I understand it; you've spent a lot of years staying in touch with Frankie through his health difficulties and have built a true friendship. Can you share the process of how this book developed?

Davy: The fan magazine,( rough and ready as it was at the time---the internet came later ! ) brought me in touch with some fantastic people.

One of these was Professor Mark Todd from San Marcos Texas. Design Professor, at Texas University.

I stopped the Mag. after Frankie took ill and lost touch with most of the people.

One evening in Scotland at a very small intimate venue,

( probably around 2005) we were with Henry McCullough and his band. We noticed during the first half of the show that there was a couple singing along to all the songs ( which was rather unusual ).

At the interval there were a small group of people hanging around and chatting with Henry.

One of them asked about Frankie and Henry said " Oh, you'll have to speak to Davy Arthur about that".

Then this American accent shouted out. " You mean THE Davy Arthur?"

It was Mark Todd who had flown over with his wife Krystal to see Henry play.

It turned into a party that night, believe me !

Mark visited my home and was thrilled to look through my

" Frankie Miller Collection" of cuttings and memorabilia.

" You have enough for a book here " he said.

So the first design drafts were done way back then which I was eventually able to show Frankie. He loved them !!

http://frankiemiller.net/index.htm

https://www.waterstones.com/book/long-way-home/davy-arthur/9781915975232

MAEVE: A jazz coda by Janice Slater

2025-09-14T23:09:00.000-07:00

Maeve was warm and sunny on the inside. Hard exterior when she had to be.

Maeve's beauty was not her destination. Not a face that would entertain Playboy's editors or gather dust in doctors' antechambers. Her face spelled out the proverbial eye in the beholder. Round and unpretentious without makeup.

Maeve was not looking for the middle way. Life more than not took her into danger. She drove a red deluxe taxi. When she did her face up for late-night rides into dives where jazz musos laid down what was below the belt and pulsed the mathematics of jazz, Maeve's beauty was in-your-face intelligence.

The first woman tenor jazz player to kick ass at the Conservatorium of Music.

Paid her dues playing scales on the saxophone. Long hot afternoons on a rented terrace in Newtown. Two socialite sisters owned this row of tenacious Victorian tenements.

Maeve shared this jewel in the crown of bindi-eyed Newtown with two other jazz musicians. One played his horn in a padded cell to save the rest of the house from an accumulation of spittle and short repetitious riffs.

Logarithmic logic and lean limbs belied an underlying sexiness; dark eyes and unwashed black curls accented his intelligence and wit.

The other, who played electric bass, was adroit of wit with lean fingers. He had a simple-minded Afghan hound, which replicated his aquiline profile. Maeve and he sparked electric, but the Afghan created a barrier between them whenever they attempted a tête-à-tête.

...and then there was the late arrival. Em, the would-be jazz singer.

Taut and tied. Laying in wait for Cage, consumerism, kids, chaotic like comets, collisions of kites beyond clouds. Back-to-back boogaloo, bells, and neolu. Scrapers strikers linga sho. Chilorekore n'toum.

Coco & Haze - Here for you (Official Video)

2025-09-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

Part three: Interview with Judy Bailey (1979) Judy: All those forms contain their own architecture (softly) don’t they?

2025-09-08T22:07:00.000-07:00

Jan: my first memory of you Judy is playing in sessions; you were with Tommy Tycho right? What were those years like for you? Were they predominantly you playing, doing a lot of session work and doing your own gigs as well?

Judy: I spent something like eight years pretty well non-stop in the Television Studios and the amount of actual night time playing say jazz work I used to have average 1 2 nights a week. That was all though. Most of my work, was studio work and I didn’t go near a club until I was expecting my daughter and I had my first foray into the clubs with Barry Crocker. (Interruption of sexy voice French waiter and friend of Judy’s on tape)

Jan: So those years were really like you were into that studio thing.

Judy: Great learning, great learning years, because I'd never ever done anything like that, that was the first time in my life and then when I was expecting Lisette.

I was playing and went with Barry Crocker, I was his MD musical director around the clubs for practically a year and then two weeks before Lisette was born I quit and after I went back to the club’s briefly then went back into the club’s 2 or 3 years

When the marriage finished I had to earn a living and that was my quickest way to earn a living.

Jan: Also being a woman musician around that time the only woman jazz musician, beside yourself I remember, was bassist Valda Hammick.

Did you play much with Valda?

Judy Valda worked with me at the Belrose Bowling Club for maybe a year or maybe a bit longer, eighteen months and then she went to the States and that’s when Ron Philpott came to the club and Ron and I have worked together ever since.

It’s been lovely because we’re friends in the social sense and we’re musical friends too and that’s lovely. Gosh that is an association started in '83 I think, the beginning of '83 I think or the end of '82? What am I saying '72!

What happened was Valda booked Ron to replace her. I’d never seen or heard of him before and the moment I heard him play I thought 'hello here we go, he’s all right'... just exactly the same feeling I had first time I heard James Morrison in his first year in the Jazz program. He was in my ensemble and this guy with the trombone began to play and I thought 'hello...here's another one'. I mean they’re about as scarce as hen's teeth for me.

Jan: Also the fact that you’ve been involved with so many singers, like Margret RoadKnight, Judy Small, Kerrie Biddell, Bernadine Morgan, Denise Keane.

Photo: Judy Bailey Bennelong Singers, with Judy Bailey Janet Sidel, Barbara Colhoun (Canham) , Sandie White, John Nicole, Barry Leef with John Aue bass, John Pochee drums. Photo: Jane March

Judy:... and singers from overseas, Terry Thornton, Sammy Davis Junior, Helen Humes,

Jan: There’s a really distinct difference isn’t there in playing as an accompanist.

Judy: Yep

Jan: What are your thoughts about that?

Judy: I love accompanying. I love...that's to do with architecture, to try and make the music compliment what the singer is doing so that you're looking at a whole performance. Not singer...with band, so that there's a totality about it.

Jan: Do you get an opportunity to work with young piano players in that context i.e. accompanist to singers?

Judy: I haven’t really discussed that much with other piano players.

Jan: A lot of musicians seem to see it as the singer out front and they sometimes have the attitudes of singer can’t cut it as well as the rest of them.

Judy: Oh yes.

Jan: I know there have been tremendous changes in the awareness of singers. I know since I’ve been studying both composition and basic musicianship I have a better appreciation of the incredible things that musicians do and that’s an area where again someone like yourself can enlighten us a lot more.

Judy: Just before we leave that subject one of the things that I think has been rather sad has been the way that, I don’t think singers have been helped, complemented.

I mean complemented musically as much as they might have been.

There’s been a funny sort of attitude that so many musicians have had towards singers for so many years that you know, we could get out there and sing a song just as good if not better and they’re getting paid more than us and it’s not right.

A lot of its stems I think from clubs where the musicians have felt jealous of the fact that the club acts are offered as much as five times what the musicians might get for the night and they’re only there a fifth of the time. I think there’s been a fair amount of that.

Jan: Do you think that's changing as you probably witness a lot more of the younger singer's coming through that have a different attitude.

I find with teaching people these days from actors through to people want to know more about jazz.

Judy: Yeah I think that the attitude is changing you know in a lot of ways.

Jan: Judy you have a teenage son and daughter. What’s it like combining being a parent and a jazz musician, also how do they see you as a musician?

Judy: I don’t ask them.

Jan: Do they play a lot of the music they like around the house?

Judy: Yeah but not in my hearing if I can help it (laughter)

Jan: Okay I’m gonna continue another day but this is good this is good

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/musicshow/margret-roadknight-australian-singer-blues-jazz-folk-gospel/105376586

https://www.jamesmorrison.com/about

https://www.boulevardmusic.com/private-instruction-teacher-bios/bass-guitarupright-bass/

https://openacademy.sydney.edu.au/tutor/7

Photos: Margret RoadKnight. Kerrie Biddell. Courtesy of Jane March

A new collaboration! OUR STAR

2025-07-13T22:18:00.000-07:00

Sung by Louella Jolly. (Feat: Henry Jolly)

https://open.spotify.com/track/0UWF6RwjuBFlcWHI76gNUj?si=c8e27f8ed4584482

https://youtu.be/6Qq1BtVyFAU?si=g3nHTx2qtKDVWePW

℗ Louella Jolly Released on: 2025-07-09 Featured Artist: Henry Jolly Lead Guitar: Henry Jolly Lead Vocals: Louella Jolly Sound Engineer: Henry Jolly Composer: Louella Jolly; Janice Slater; Cyna Slater

https://music.apple.com/au/album/our-star-feat-henry-jolly-single/1823983251

Thanks everyone for listening!

https://amrap.org.au/artist/louella-jolly-1

Julie (nee Lewis) Rutledge: A friendship across time

2025-05-05T21:12:00.000-07:00

Julie: I want to begin this interview on the Holland Road, Shepherd's Bush, London, 1971.

What were you doing at that time?

Julie: I was working with the Mike Holly band at the Empire Ballroom in London

Janice: Tell me about the repertoire you did with the Mike Holly Band?

Julie: We did all covers! I remember doing Tears of a Clown and Rescue Me and my Sweet Lord! Oh the memories! It was a regular Saturday afternoon at the Empire Ballroom.

Janice: We go back before London to Sydney, Australia where we were both doing gigs with Tony Gaha''s The In People' at Chequer's Nite Club .

Can you expand on that for me? How that gig came about for you?

Julie: My agent got me a gig opening for Oliver at Chequers and also with Sammy Davis Jnr and sharing the opening with you and also with Billy Preston.

I also worked with Barry Crocker on variety shows. Also did the Don Lane Tonight Show as well as Graham Kennedy Show in Melbourne.

Meeting you was the best thing! Still friends after all these years!

Janice: It's incredible to reconnect after all of this time; I'd like you to go back further in time. Who were your early musical influences?

Julie: I was listening to Nancy Wilson in my early years along with The Beatles and the irst album I ever bought was Mario Lanza! I loved his voice! Weird eclectic taste eh?

Janice: My mother loved the movies and she loved Mario Lanza and took us to see The Student Prince probably in town, She would occasionally sing a bar or two from Íf I Loved You' possibly while she was doing housework or such....Mum & I loved this song and his voice! Julie whilst we're talking back in time; what was your first gig in the UK?

Julie: My first gig with a band was in Hartlepool in my teenage years! Every Saturday night at the ballroom with the resident band. We opened for bands up from London. The Yardbirds and I'm sure Clapton was with them but what did I know? Many others!

Janice: Amazing! We 'Bones' 'did a week long residency with Cliff (Richard) there...in the early '70's. It was at a working men's club. Interesting how when you look back you would have come across all of these extraordinary musicians but just taken it in your stride.

Julie: After that I got a permanent gig at the Riviera Nightclub in Hartlepool with Tony Hicks, Reg Powell and Laurie the bass player.

Janice: Just to clarify, for the reader; this is the late, Tony Hicks drummer par excellence of the innovative UK Jazz trio, Backdoor not Tony Hicks lead guitarist of the Hollies.

Julie: After that I went to the Fiesta Nightclub in Stockton and sang with resident band there and worked with Billy Eckstein!

Then the Maori Castaways invited me go to Australia as their lead singer. I said yeeees!.

It certainly took some convincing from my family. My brothers' thought I should stay home but my Mam knew I ad to go and she gave her consent!

Janice:....and how did you meet the Maori Castaways?

Julie; I also met the Castaways at the Riviera Nightclub. What a journey I've had eh!

Janice: You certainly have Julie. Just a few more questions before we end this interview; did you go to New Zealand ?

Julie: Yes I went to New Zealand and worked there for six weeks at Logan Park. One Tree Hill. I fell in love with Auckland nd there were many wonderful musicians there. I remember a band called The Dallas Four! So good! It was hard to leave.

Janice: Another connection for you and I is that I recorded my first single on Phillips with the Maori Hi Fives; who I only just learnt were one and the same band, the Castaways! Julie, there's so much more regarding our connections but for now we'll leave it here and hopefully follow up in the near future.

Thanks for your generous heart my friend.

Julie Lewis & Janice Slater backstage Chequers Nightclub early '70's

The following links may be of interest regarding the music industry connections discussed

in my interview with Julie. We hope you've enjoyed it.

Oliver (US pop vocalist)

https://youtu.be/jKchAsSZt-g?si=bCAs4YH8wIb6CauG

ChequersNightclub, Sydney, NSW, Australia

https://www.phototimetunnel.com/chequers-a-swinging-hotspot-in-sixties-sydney

The Maori Hi Five aka the Maori Castaways

https://youtu.be/_889YYRbSXA?si=LY97sjJTgFzCbrqz

Audio Culture NZ

https://youtu.be/_889YYRbSXA?si=LY97sjJTgFzCbrqz

Mario Lanza:

https://serp.media/movies/all-mario-lanza-movies-in-order/

Backdoor

https://www.discogs.com/release/3481058-Back-Door-Back-Door

True Love’s on Its Way. David k.A. Spencer (Feat: Coco & Haze)

2025-03-31T19:39:00.000-07:00

Indie. Dream pop. Shoegaze.

Vocals. Cyna Slater.
Music composition & artwork. D. k. A. Spencer.
From the original music, on.soundcloud.com/MsTESiuipe3vNzMT9 CRUEL LOVE, (Harry & Cyna Slater. Lyrics: Russell L Slater, Janice Slater

True Love’s on Its Way. (Feat: Coco & Haze

https://on.soundcloud.com/b8ii1p6Ek9ZSBSGR6

Part 2: Developing Craft: An interview with Australian/NZ Jazz pianist Judy Bailey ( 1979)

2025-03-24T22:30:00.000-07:00

Jan: What about development of craft?

Judy: Do you mean that whole business of combining awareness of technique, awareness of phrasing, awareness of...the musical ways to move throughout a progression, rather than the clever ways, the overall architecture of the piece. To me that's a very important ingredient.

I think it's vital to be aware of and have your students become aware of the importance of looking at the overall structure rather than going along beat by beat, bar by bar, till you get to the end.

To try and develop a way of looking at a piece in its entirety, so that when you're improvising for instance, you can retain what you've already played, it's as 'though you've recorded it. You've got you've got your little tape recorder in the back of your head and you can retain a memory of what you've played, what you're playing now and where you're going to so that you're building from what you've started with and you bring it to hopefully a satisfactory conclusion, because you've used the principles of successful building techniques and those I think are pretty universal.

Jan: Do you think that comes from having had a Classical background?

Judy: I wonder if having been exposed to classical music earlier you instinctively learn something about structure, about the architecture of music or perhaps on the other hand it can be an instinctive thing that allows one to be able to stand in front of a painting, and one may have never studied painting, art, but you can stand in front of a certain painting and immediately have a feeling of the rightness of it.

I don't quite know what other words to use, and that's an instinctive thing or if you're looking at, I don't know, floral arrangements, sometimes you can see one that go 'Wow look at that' and why does it look good, because architecturally it's laid out in such a way that it's, (inverted commas) 'right' and yet that's a pretty funny thing to say because a lot of people will say, 'Come on, if that were so, people would end up liking the one thing and not liking another thing'.

Everyone's tastes are different, and then there's an emotional content in there too, something might appeal to a person purely on an emotional basis. I think it's possible to be able, to evaluate the architecture objectively and yet to be quite subjective when it comes to the emotional content.

Jan: I think that for me that is simply one of the most lacking elements and I think for younger musicians, whatever age, it's instinctive from an appreciation point of view, but that is an area where someone like yourself, could really share with other people that don't have that an as inherent thing.

We might have the appreciation but don't have the insight into it.

Judy: I think that perhaps with some people it's... something, I know it's happening more and more with me, the older I get, and hopefully the more mature, then my appreciation of and my, hopefully, ability to, to indicate that awareness and architecture in the music is growing.

So maybe it's just something that becomes honed and maybe in that sense being part of, working on a craft aspect of what one does, then maybe this too, is just part of a growing thing that tends to become more refined, more honed, more polished.

Jan: I know for myself, it wasn't until I attended the Jazz Clinics that I started to get a sense of the history of jazz. I was fortunate, I grew up in a house with brother who was 20 years older than me who was a very good jazz singer and had a great record collection but I missed out on Charlie Parker, Bebop and it's only now that I'm beginning to understand the architecture of that.

I missed out also on the 'Rag thing, I heard New Orleans jazz and Swing but I didn't hear many other things. A person like yourself has a great deal to offer us.

Judy. I agree entirely.

Jan: There's all this history out there and it's so dense and it's so magnificent!

Judy: All of those forms contain their own inherent architecture, (spoken softly)

don't they?

(To be continued!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Bailey_(pianist)

Judy Bailey Trio (Be Our Guest 1966). With John Sangster and Ed Gaston

Judy Bailey Trio (Be Our Guest 1966) with John Sangster & Ed Gaston.

https://youtu.be/PYfJy0dBLLg?si=p5JGd7BrVKUMTctK

Ivanhoe Wines present An intimate afternoon with Judy Bailey. Judy and her trio - Craig Scott- Bass and Tim Firth- Drums. Playing a goregeous rendition of My Romance for us last Sunday....ahhhh. ...just divine

https://youtu.be/qNU2YHTKEx8?si=jbs9PxPfDvdU-iB9

Judy Bailey & Chuck Yates: Soup Plus 1989.

Photo: Jane March

LYRICAL SMIRK: A Diamond Tiara lasts 4ever - feat Janice Slater & Kirk Kadish

2025-03-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

A few years back an enigma from the Nederland's of the name of LYRICAL SMIRK did a retake on my collaboration with Kirk Kadish: STRANGE DAY...

Whenever I return to it ...it makes me smile and so I have to keep on sharing it.

Cheers Lyrical Smirk.

https://on.soundcloud.com/iud8ZkeDqccGnZHc8

From LS's original post via Soundcloud

The lovely Lady Janice was so kind to send me loads of samples to mess around with. Here's my first take, just messing about! Hope you like ...

This is also a lil Tribute to the wonderful Norma Jeane Mortenson aka Marilyn Monroe!

Vocals ( Remixed ) Janice Carter Slater
@arterial-flow

Also a special thanks to Kirk Kadish for making such wonderful music
@kirkkadish

Used bits and pieces from these tracks:

April Boucher - Strange Day

Arterial Flow - Strange Day

Bobbi Marchini - Critical Day

Janice Carter Slater - Full of Thrills

Also used bits from the movie Gentlemen prefer Blondes with Marilyn Monroe

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R_obqibKLo

Movie info:
www.imdb.com/title/tt0045810/

Remixed by Lyrical Smirk.

A Diamond Tiara lasts 4ever - feat Janice Slater & Kirk Kadish By Lyrical Smirk is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Show less

An interview with Gwen Byng on the (late) Australian Record Producer/guitarist: Mark Moffatt. (22nd Nov, 1949 - 6th September 2024)

2025-03-05T20:38:00.000-08:00

Janice: Gwen, although we've yet to meet in person we've built a solid friendship over the last number of years. One of the galvanizing aspects was a connection with the late, Mark Moffatt. Yours being a far more engaged music industry and personal connection; going back to the 1970's I believe? Whilst mine was briefly working with Mark in Festival studios in Glebe recording the vocals of Jo Kennedy who was starring in Gillian Armstrong's film Starstruck.

If you could share with us your first recollections of meeting Mark?

Gwen: My first meeting with Mark was in 1967 at a venue called The Open Door.

It was a disco/youth hangout/drug clinic run by 4BC Talk Back host Hayden Sargent who had for many years been a Minister of Religion.

Mark and his band IRON WEB came to a Saturday morning session where we allowed all the up and coming bands to grab stage time and play to an audience.

His band was a blues band and had some chops.

One of the guys was chatting to me saying they were close to returning to Maryborough/Bundaberg as they were disillusioned.

After talking for a while I made the promise I would try and get them some work.

That morphed into me managing them.

In the political climate in Brisbane at the time, Mark with his flowing long hair and hotted up car was a great target for Queensland Police, so every Saturday they would pull him up and search his car from top to bottom and ticket him to head to Main Roads for a car check on the Tuesday. Imagine that happening every week.

Mark was quiet, gentle and was always teaching the other guys at the Open Door any guitar techniques they wanted to know. He was generous with his time.

While a lot of the Open Door guys idolized Mark, Mark idolized Mick Hadley, who introduced so much music to the Brisbane musos from his home country Britain.

Mark concentrated on his craft from the beginning. Always striving to be as close to perfect as he can be.

I left Brisbane for Sydney in 1969.

Iron Web played all the Blues venues; they weren't really interested in the "pop" discos.

When IRON WEB split they pretty much morphed into the band SPIKE.

Mark was a fixture in the 4BC Big Band which came together on occasion.

CAROLY LOYD BAND was the last Brisbane band Mark was in. He and Carol started the band but after time everyone seemed to be heading in different directions and Mark took that break up to go to England. In England he soaked up all the experiences that music had to offer. He rubbed shoulders with some great musicians and when he returned to Oz brought everything he had learnt and put it into practice.

Janice: Thanks Gwen for that introduction to Mark's beginnings in the music industry in Brisbane. I look forward to continuing this dialogue and you sharing more of his remarkable life.

markmoffatt.com

https://www.facebook.com/OPEN-DOOR-1816343935261322

An Interview with NZ Jazz great; pianist/composer: Judy Bailey (late 1979)

2025-02-23T20:55:00.000-08:00

Introduction: I interviewed Judy; in perhaps late 1979. There is a Part One of this interview but I've yet to locate it. I was studying Jazz theory with visiting USA Jazz musicians; via the courtesy of Jeanette & Greg Quigley who had organized Jamie Aebersold to teach in Australia.

I've the feeling that it was around this time that I managed to sit down and have a chat with Judy with my trusted tape recorder. As this interview will show; Judy displays a brilliant; quirky, humorous and insightful take on her idiom along with the generalities of life in the Antipodes.

I've decided to try to stick to the original transcription with as few edits as possible. Along with that as it's a very long interview which I'm having to retype I'm going to break it up into segments. I know for those who are familiar with Judy's work you'll enjoy hearing her responses to my questions and for those new to her that you'll check out her gorgeous music. Cheers! Janice

African Queen club in Double Bay 1979.

Photo: Jane March.

Jan: I'd like to quote the author Anais Nin; from Novel of the Future. She says here 'The Japanese speak of achieving balance between serenity and intensity, it is very essential in their life'. That again brought me to thinking not only about your playing but all the myriad things that you do.

Judy: That's interesting too, because you know, Japan too is over a volcanic belt (like New Zealand) and that need to achieve a balance between serenity and intensity I'm sure it must have something to do with the actual physical surroundings and that awareness of what's going on.

Jan: It brings me to the question of the difficulty of combining performing, teaching and being on the Music Board of the Australia Council for the Arts. Also that you're the first active jazz musician on the music board.

Judy: As far as I know, yes.

Jan: The balancing between all those activities, in terms of hours, days. You're able to switch from one thing to the other or do you see it as a continuation? Do you feel that they're all feeding in to the one thing?

Judy: Yes, I can't separate them really into little slots and wear different hats. I have to do it that way, otherwise I don't think I could do any of it. It's really only something I've become aware of, of the process that was going on and allowed it to happen.

Jan: I remember seeing you at the Tai Chi Master, Al Huang's concert and you were playing for him. An interesting thing for me was that I hadn't made those connections with you and Tai Chi. It was pretty exciting for me because I'd been doing Tai Chi for a few years then.

I wonder what you felt about those sort of artforms, the fact that he'd been able to merge Tai Chi with the artform of dance and entertainment. He is an improvisor. How did you feel working with him?

Judy: I felt marvellous. It was great! You've just made me realize something about him being an improvisor. In a sense aren't we all? Improvisors?

Jan: How many of us give ourselves permission?

Judy: Our whole life is an improvisation really when you think about it and I've never quite thought about it 'till this very moment, thank you for putting the thought in my head.

Jan: What was also exciting on that night, was the combination of yourself and there was someone else with you.

Judy: It was Ron Philpott.

Jan: You actually got the audience participating, there was that feeling that the musicians, the audience and Al Huang weren't separate and that's a rare situation.

Judy: That's a magic feeling. It doesn't happen often and it's magic when it does and in fact, because they were willing that's why that thing happened. There was such a marvellous feeling of goodwill because everyone was improvising!

Jan: I know you work with children and you work in all sorts of other fields and it seems to me that you're also trying to break down those barriers, those preconceptions.

Judy: Yes, that's why I get such a buzz taking the ensemble at the Conservatorium because that's what's going on. The preconceptions are gradually dissipating and all sorts of exciting things are starting to happen.

Jan: Is that a Jazz Ensemble or various ensembles?

Judy: There are various, but I only take one, a Jazz Ensemble. That way I can keep my energy high and my enthusiasm high and I also, since last year have been taking the Final Year Bachelor of Music Education students and that's really a challenge because here are students who pretty well all of them have had strict classical training and for the first time in their lives they're starting to know something about jazz and boy when you start to get through, you know when the doors start being opened...wow!

Jan: Really exciting!

Judy: It's great!

Jan: I wanted to ask you...

Judy: Excuse me...Can you imagine thirty-two classically trained students all articulating and singing beautifully in tune 'Anthropology'?

Jan: Great! So you include a lot of singing?

Judy: Oh yes, even with my instrumental students in the Jazz Ensemble. I figure if they can articulate the phrase they're gonna be able to play it so much better on their instrument, they're gonna feel comfortable with it.

Chuck Yates & Judy Bailey: Soup Plus 1989. Photo: Jane March

https://www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/judy-bailey-an-improvised-career

https://australianjazzrealbook.com/artists/judy-bailey/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Bailey_(pianist)

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/jazz/retro-artist/judy-bailey/10381796

NEW ARTWORK ON REDBUBBLE ....

2025-01-09T21:59:00.000-08:00

I hope you like my new artwork on Redbubble. Meanwhile he is a nice peaceful image taken in the

Megalong Valley some years a back. Wishing all beings to be free from harm.

https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/167740224?asc=u

SOUNDSCAPES ON BANDCAMP

2025-01-06T20:41:00.000-08:00

I finally managed to put a few of my errant soundscapes on Bandcamp! I'm now waiting to see if I can share them. The site is still under construction, as am I!

https://janiceslater.bandcamp.com/

JAZZ DAZE 1980: OUTSIDE THE CHANGES

2024-11-30T16:02:00.007-08:00

Em wanted to be able to play outside the changes, but the music was becoming a mathematical jigsaw, and so the pieces she kept gave her a clue to some of the meanings she was looking for.

She was full of limitations. She witnessed several musicians who seemed to be free of the chains she wore. They were not only steeped in history but were creating it.

Their purpose was clear. They were into making music and were also big on communication and making themselves available for you to get involved at whatever level they required.

Em gravitated towards those who had a sense of humour, who made theory fun to do.

There was no wasting breath or time. The changes became a shorthand of Roman numerals, like 2, 5, 1. So you could begin to hear clearly the root movements and then get through the scales.

Playing the scales or arpeggios, jazz was a busy place to be and Em did her daily workouts diligently.

With it came loneliness.

The incisive mark Jeanne Lee had left was the opposite. It said inclusion.

She kept saying it's the way you live it but when she got with musician friends there was a language that was necessary to converse in to make it ok.

Singers worked with words and images, melodies and harmonies but – isn't that enough? She'd both heard and said.

Her voice was breathy and based on stylists like Nancy Wilson, Nina Simone and Sarah Vaughan, but sounded forlorn, more like Astrud Gilberto.

A languishing in the delivery, a story of unrequited love, at her core.

Em was a simple girl who'd grown complexes and suffered the slightest tease as humiliation.

NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.

NO AI TRAINING

2024-11-18T22:53:00.004-08:00

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION The Last Goodbye?’ from the EP ‘Who Is Who’ has been entered into the 67th GRAMMY Awards ®

2024-08-26T16:00:00.000-07:00

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Jim Kelly & Barry Leef’s track ‘(Is This) The Last Goodbye?’ from the EP ‘Who Is Who’ has been entered into the 67th GRAMMY Awards ®

If you are a Recording Academy Voting Member, we would truly appreciate your consideration of our music when you vote in the

Best Global Music Performance

Listen on your favourite streaming platform:

https://open.spotify.com/track/1yIAyLWuobxN9nBgMasfYl

WRITERS:

Barry Leef, Janice Slater, Russell Slater, Jim Kelly

FEATURED MUSICIANS: Barry Leef (vocals) Jim Kelly (guitars) Brendan St. Ledger (keyboards) Victor Rounds (bass) Scott Hills (drums/percussion) Jo Elms (backing vocals)

#GRAMMYS #FYC #ForYourConsideration

#whoiswho #bestglobalmusicperformance #originalmusic #adultcontemporaryjazz #smoothrock #easylistening