"Exquisite" - Sydney Morning Herald

The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra (JMO) were the first ensemble to perform at Foundry616 back in September 2013 - after all, why not launch with one of Australia’s leading jazz orchestras with some world class soloists on board? The returned again for the first anniversary with featured composer Scott Tinkler and are back again as Foundry616 celebrates it's second birthday, to present a fantastic celebration of Australian Music

One of Australia’s most celebrated musicians, Dave Panichi teams up with Australia’s leading jazz orchestra for an exciting new project. Further affirming it’s artistic mission, the Sydney-based ‘Mothership’ is delivering a new Australian program that promotes new Australian music played by cutting edge Australian musicians in collaboration with one of Australia’s leading arrangers and composers.

JAZZGROOVE MOTHERSHIP ORCHESTRA

“Featured Australian composer night" with guest trombonist and composer Dave Panichi

Since its inception in 2003, the ARIA nominated and 2012 Australian Jazz Award winning Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra (JMO) has gained a reputation as one of the world’s most exciting and innovative independent jazz orchestras. Comprising 17 members playing 5 saxophones, 5 trumpets, 4 trombones, guitar, piano, bass and drums, ‘The Mothership’ represents many of Australia’s finest young improvisers and beams out a supernova of energy and sound. 

The JMO is on a mission to blur the boundaries between jazz, rock, classical delivered through the dynamic, rhythmic and textural context of a jazz orchestra. Playing original music from Australia’s most accomplished and creative large ensemble composers, the JMO also pulls big name collaborators into its orbit – in the last three years alone the JMO have worked with Miguel Zenon Quartet (NY), Maria Schneider (NY), Jef Enve (Belgium), Darcy James Argue (NY), Chris Potter (NY), Jim McNeely (NY), Bob Sheppard, Alex Sipiagin, Bert Joris (Belgium), Jazz Legend Charles Tolliver (USA) and John Hollenbeck/Theo Bleckmann (USA) plus Brisbane based singer Kristin Berardi.


“The featured Australian composer night has become an annual event on the Mothership’s calendar, and its with great pleasure we present one of the living legends of the Australian scene, trombonist and composer Dave Panichi” says David Theak, JMO co-founder and Artistic Director. “The past 12 years have delivered an incredibly diverse range of musical experiences as we've developed the Mothership from a 'public bar dream' into Australia's most internationally recognised jazz orchestra. Personally, being able to collaborate with jazz legends such as Chris Potter, Maria Schneider, Jim McNeely and cutting edge artists Bert Joris, Florian Ross, Miguel Zenon and Darcy James Argue, has been a dream come true for myself and the orchestra but one of the key missions of the orchestra is to commission and present original Australian music."

David Theak has been a tireless advocate for large ensemble jazz in Australia through his work with JMO, as a teacher at the Sydney Conservatorium and as guest artist with the West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra. Theak created the ‘Mothership’ as a young member of Sydney’s Jazzgroove scene and is now mentor to scores of emerging musicians nationally and internationally.

Always exciting, dynamic and highly original, the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra continues to push the boundaries of new Australian music through collaborations and performances with international musicians such as Maria Schneider, Miguel Zenon, Chris Potter, Darcy James Argue, and Maria Schneider. Their celebratory 10th anniversary in 2013 was a tour-de-force and their recent sell-out concert at the Sydney Festival was received enthusiastically by the public and critics alike.

Dave Panichi
Born in Sydney, Dave Panichi began his career as a professional musician as a fresh-faced 16-year-old, touring Australia and New Zealand in the Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Immersing himself in the local jazz scene, he quickly made a name for himself as a skilled jazz and session musician, earning his place in every major television orchestra in Australia, as well as seats in both the Daly-Wilson Big Band and Bob Bertle’s Moontrane.

He has performed with a diversity of jazz luminaries and contemporary artists, most notably Buddy Rich, Blood Sweat & Tears, Sarah Vaughan, Toshiko Akiyoshi, George Benson, Frankie Valli, The O’Jays, Peabo Bryson, Mel Tormé, Slide Hampton, Bob Mintzer, Dave Liebman, Mulgrew Miller, Marc Copland, Joe Williams, Maria Schneider, Aretha Franklin and Frank Sinatra, as well as major local artists, including James Morrison, Mike Nock, The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra, The Sydney Jazz Orchestra, Daniel Johns, Ed Kuepper, Midnight Oil and many others.

In addition, his original compositions and arrangements have been performed and/ or recorded by the Buddy Rich Big Band, Blood Sweat & Tears, James Morrison, Ralph Pyl’s Sydney All¬ Star Big Band, Ten Part Invention and the world-renowned Danish Radio Big Band.

As part of its ongoing mission to promote original jazz orchestra writing in Australia, The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra (JMO) is proud to present an evening of the finest contemporary jazz, including a set of Dave’s exciting, original and playful original music, written specially for a heavy-hitting, top-level, seriously swinging big band.

THE JAZZGROOVE MOTHERSHIP ORCHESTRA ARE

David Theak, Murray Jackson, Evan Harris, Matt Keegan, Nick Bowd – saxes
Darryl Carthew, Dane Laboyrie, Andy Fiddes, Cam McCallister – trumpets
Dave Panichi, Ellie Shearer, Ben Gurton, Justin Kearin – trombones
Carl Morgan – guitar | Hugh Barrett – piano | Dave Groves – contrabass | Jamie Cameron – drums

"Bristled with energy" - The Age