Jazz Quintet Flux: Listening to art, seeing sound

Experience five creative musicians’ collective response to the art of painter Euan Macleod – Miroslav Bukovsky on trumpet and flugelhorn, Richard Johnson on bass clarinet and electronics, John Mackey on saxophone, Lachlan Coventry on bass and guitar, and Chris Thwaite on acoustic drums and electronics.

Miroslav Bukovsky traveled to Orange Regional Gallery early this year to see the first iteration of Euan Macleod: Flux, generating inspiration for this one night only performance. In Listening to art, seeing sound textured soundscapes evoke and explore the mysterious qualities of Macleod’s landscapes, including Haupapa Tasman Glacier in New Zealand’s South Island and the ghostly apparitions he situates there. Together the quintet imaginatively taps a deep psyche, stirred by the dramatic alpine landscape and the contrasting fragility of this ecosystem.

Euan Macleod: Flux runs 12 September – 3 November, 2024

An Orange Regional Gallery and ANU Drill Hall Gallery partnership exhibition, curated by Bradley Hammond, Director, Orange Regional Gallery, with Tony Oates and Anne-Marie Jean from ANU Drill Hall Gallery.

Miroslav Bukovsky is a distinguished jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger and educator. He spent 6 years in Conservatorium classical studies in Czechoslovakia and moved to Australia in 1968. Studied at the Sydney Conservatorium Jazz Studies becoming a member of faculty; 1981-82 Australia Council funded study in USA, New York and Indiana University; 1999 Commenced full time teaching position at the Canberra School of Music (later ANU School of Music), teaching trumpet, improvisation, composition, arranging and ensemble performance. 2003-2004 Head of Jazz Department at, ANU School of Music, and has continued limited teaching at ANU School of Music, as a Distinguished Artist in Residence since.

John Mackey is a renowned Australian saxophonist, recording artist, and educator. He began playing professionally at age 14 and is a music lecturer at the ANU School of Music, (2000 – present). Mackey has been an invited soloist on many albums over a period 33 years and has performed with international artists including Nat Adderley, BB King, Ray Charles, Johnny Griffin, Phil Wilson, Dame Kiri Tekanawa, Woody Herman, Toshiko Akyoshi, Lee Tabackin, Richie Cole, Red Rodney, Eddie Henderson, Roy Hargrove, Kenny Werner, Bob Mintzer, Mark Levine, Julian Arguelles, Emil Viklicky, Kendrick Scott and Kurt Elling. National artists include Dale Barlow, Virgil Donati, James Morrison, Bob Sedergreen, Andrea Keller, Mark Isaacs, Don Burrows, Mike Nock, James Muller, Sam Keevers, Matt McMahon, Carl Mackey, Stephen Magnusson, David Jones, Sandy Evans, Jamie Oehlers, Vince Jones, Bernie McGann, John Pochee, Miroslav Bukovsky and many more.

Lachlan Coventry is a working musician and teacher of some 25 years, having performed both as a freelance guitarist and as a member of bands including: The Wedded Bliss (country trio), Fire on the Hill (original experimental rock band) and as a bassist for Julia and the Deep Sea Sirens. As a jazz guitarist he has played with many notable performers including: James Morrison, John Morrison, Bernie McGann, Alan Turnbull, Daryl Pratt, Anita Waddell and opened for Larry Carlton at his Canberra show. He holds an honours degree in jazz guitar performance and is currently studying for a PhD in creative compositional and practice techniques for jazz guitar.

Richard Johnson is a wind multi-instrumentalist + and is the Director, Curator, Producer and Administrator at SoundOut festivals. He performs with the texture of sound on soprano/baritone saxophone and bass clarinet and is experimenting with use of a bass drum with soprano saxophone to create a language of microtonal textural resonance. Johnson makes instruments from conical gourds from PNG, which allow the stripping back of the wind instruments to their most visceral and most sensuous form and allow for the exploration of extended techniques. He has performed at the SoundOut 2010 – 2023 festivals; What is Music Festival, Nownow Festival; the Make it Now performances; also performances with the Brice Glace Ensemble and the 102 Club Orkestra in Grenoble France; “Whip it“ series in Sydney; various Precipice annual Improv workshops hosted by Tony Osbourne as well as hosting local, interstate, and international improvisation nights in Canberra. He was a member and performed with Ngesti Budoyo Gamelan Orchestra of the Indonesian Embassy for 18 years.  As a sound artist he worked with renowned visual artists Savanhdary Vongpoothorn, for the Australia Exhibition at The Casula Power House, and with conceptual-visual artist Denise Higgins on soundscapes. Johnson has a number of field recording releases available from the SoundOut label catalogue bandcamp site.

Chris Thwaite began drumming in the ACT school band program at age 9. Since graduating from the ANU School of Music, Chris has been one of Canberra’s most in-demand jazz and commercial drummers, performing with Bernie Mcgann, Eric Ajaye (USA), John Mackey and Michael Azzopardi among many others. He is also the current drummer in Brass Knuckle Brass Band. In his own words: “Music has constantly been a source of great pleasure to me. The learning, social experiences and friendships it has brought me have been the best parts.”

Image: Euan Macleod, Climber & Large Green Shadow 19.8.20, 2020, acrylic on paper, 38 x 58cm.