HOMECOMING - Nick Hempton and Dave Blenkhorn

Tuesday January 5 is going to be a very special night at Foundry 616 - as we will be presenting two of Australia's finest musicians who are now making a name for themselves overseas: saxophonist Nick Hempton and guitarist Dave Blenkhorn.

Nick Hempton has been based in New York for many years now and is making a big name for himself there, especially with his "Catch and Release" project. 

Nick Hempton is an alto and tenor saxophonist, composer and bandleader producing new music in the modern/mainstream tradition. Calling New York home since 2004, he headlines clubs throughout the city, as well as concert halls and festivals around the world. Influenced by the greats of the instrument like Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Cannonball Adderley, etc, and informed by a youth misspent playing R&B and ska in his native Australia, Hemptonfs jazz is original, approachable, and always swinging.

In demand as a sideman as well as a leader, Nick has performed with some of the top names in Jazz and popular music and has been featured on dozens of albums encompassing the full range of popular music styles. He has made numerous television and radio appearances, and has also developed an excellent reputation as a music educator, holding private lessons and masterclasses for school and mature-age students.

The Nick Hempton Band was formed in 2005. As a group, they have played most of the major New York venues, and toured both regionally and internationally. Many years of collaboration have made the group a sharp, cohesive unit, and 2015 sees the release of their fourth studio album, Catch And Release.

Dave Blenkhorn has been based in Europe since 2005 and has become one of the most sought after guitarists there. He has performed with John Faddis, Lee Konitz, Scott Hamilton and Cecile McLorin Salvant. His love of blues and swinging is apparent in every performance and reveal his influences of Charlie Christian, Joe Pass, Django Reinhardt and Wes Montgomery.

His trio CD La Section Rythmique was featured by Lucky Oceans on Radio National and has received high praise in jazz magazines in France. As the solo guitarist in the group Django a la Creole he received high critical acclaim (all three albums was voted in the top 10 jazz cd’s of the year in the London Times) .

http://davidblenkhorn.com/

Drummer/bandleader Andrew Dickeson has brought these two gentlemen together for an evening of hot swinging Jazz. http://www.andrewdickeson.com

With the always swinging Brendan Clarke on the bass.

http://www.brendanclarkemusic.com/