8.30pm Wednesday 15 November and Thursday 16 November, Foundry 616

“…the music “dances”. It is quite physical, an emanation of happiness, and definitely a joy to listen to.” – The Free Jazz Collective

“emotionally and technically superb” – Freejazz Stef

Free jazz saxophonist, clarinettist and composer Silke Eberhard has been making her mark on the international jazz world for some time. Based in Berlin, she was named Rising Star - Alto Saxophone in the Annual DownBeat International Critics Poll both in 2015 and 2017.

In addition to leading her own bands, Silke’s notable repertory projects include leading wind quartet Potsa Lotsa, an unconventional two-reed two-brass ensemble that interprets the complete compositional works of Eric Dolphy, and her septet Potsa Lotsa Plus.

Silke won the German Record Critics Award for their album Potsa Lotsa Plus Plays Love Suite by Eric Dolphy.

Silke has performed and/or recorded with many notable international jazz musicians such as Aki Takase, David Liebman, Wayne Horvitz, Dave Burrell, Gerry Hemingway, Michael Zerang, Hannes Zerbe a.m.o, and has recorded music on labels including Jazzwerkstatt, Not Two, Leo, INTAKT and Intuition.

Some of her albums fall on the free jazz/improvised end of the spectrum, while other records such as her trio album Mingus Mingus Mingus focus on the more traditional jazz canon.

In 2017, Silke has been Artist in Residence at Elastic Arts in Chicago, USA. Her most recent trio album The Being Inn was released in June, of which has been said, “Eberhard’s agility and facility in voicing a line is formidable, but it’s the clarion plangency of her tone that sticks most tenaciously in the memory.”

On Wednesday and Thursday, Silke performs with the Sydney Women’s Jazz Collective, joining them in the second set of each evening to perform Silke’s own compositions at scale with the tenpiece band.

On Friday, Silke performs in a more intimate setting with some of Australia’s greatest improvising musicians including Sandy Evans and Andrea Keller.

SILKE EBERHARD alto saxophone, composition

LISTEN: SOLO LISBON

SYDNEY WOMEN’S JAZZ COLLECTIVE

The Sydney Women’s Jazz Collective is a 10-piece powerhouse formed in 2016. These talented musicians represent some of Australia’s up-and-coming jazz stars, including several past winners of the prestigious Jann Rutherford Memorial Award.

Led by bassist Hannah James and trumpeter Ellen Kirkwood (2017 Freedman Fellowship Finalist), the Sydney Women’s Jazz Collective plays primarily Australian works including specially commissioned works by Andrea Keller, Jenna Cave, Glenn Doig and Ellen Kirkwood.

In 2016, the band engaged in a very special international collaboration with Canadian jazz stars Ingrid and Christine Jensen, and were invited to perform at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s 2017 International Jazz Festival.

In the first set of each Festival performance, the Sydney Women’s Jazz Collective will showcase their own triumphant interpretations, including new works commissioned especially by the Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival, 2017 and 2016.

In the second set of both Wednesday and Thursday, they are joined by very special guest Silke Eberhard (DEU) to play Silke’s compositions on a grand 10-piece scale.

HANNAH JAMES bass, co-bandleader ELLEN KIRKWOOD trumpet, co-bandleader LORETTA PALMEIRO alto and soprano saxophone LAURA CORNEY tenor saxophone KALI GILLEN baritone saxophone LOUISE HORWOOD trumpet ALEX SILVER trombone FREYJA GARBETT piano SORCHA ALBUQUERQUE guitar JAMIE CAMERON drums