Nichaud Fitzgibbon @ Gilmore St Sessions

Nichaud Fitzgibbon

Nichaud Fitzgibbon is recognised as Australia's premier jazz stylist her natural charisma and feisty elegance brings sophistication to performances offering a repertoire of popular jazz standards from the Great American Songbook. Her sound is sultry and warm and she always leaves you wanting more from her selection of swing and grooves to bossa and blues. She performs regularly with her band at various Melbourne venues and festivals around the country and is in demand for corporate events and major concerts she works with some of Melbourne's finest musicians in a variety of line-ups from duo to bigband.

Nichaud's latest career highlights include a stellar performance with her Tribute to Miss Peggy Lee for The Melbourne International Jazz Festival 2015 ,closing of the Stonnington Jazz Festival 2013 with her Tribute to Peggy Lee. She was also chosen to sing for the 70th Commemorative Gala Ball in Darwin in 2012. She delighted the audience of 1000 attendees and performed for Her excellency The Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce, The Prime Minister The Honorable Ms Julia Gillard and many other honored guests. She was also invited to appear for the closing of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival June 2011 - A Tribute to Australian Swing with James Morrison which received rave reviews.
Nichaud also performed another Tribute to The American Songbook with The Syncopaters for Morning Melodies 2010 at The State Theatre.

The story so far -
Nichaud (pronounced Nee-show) was born in the small country town of Wycheproof in North Western Victoria. Known for its "King of the Mountain" potato sack race, Nichaud is now its most famous export. Her mother, Faye Hommelhoff, grew up there and is of Danish and French descent. Nichaud is a fourth generation performer and it goes without saying that as a member of the renowned jazz and showbiz Fitzgibbon family, music is in her feisty Irish blood.

At an early age Nichaud was surrounded by music of the 20s and 30s that played nightly at the club run by her father Smacka Fitzgibbon. The beloved Australian jazz musician and entertainer who started his career playing banjo with Frank Johnson, Len and Bob Barnard and Graeme Bell. Smacka's Place was to become Melbourne's most famous jazz club in the 1970's. Grandmother Minnie was a soubrette - a child performer in vaudeville in the early 1900s. She was also a wonderful stride pianist who encouraged Nichaud and her three brothers to play music. Nichaud's aunt, Maggie Fitzgibbon, started her career as a soprano in the Tivoli theatre and then moved to London to star on television and in West End musicals. Nichaud's brother Mark is one of Australia's finest jazz pianists he is her collaborator and musical director.

Nichaud's musical destiny can not only be put down to a natural family inheritance but also to the fact she was lucky enough to sit on Louis Armstrong 's knee at the age of three! Smacka and his band were there to greet Pops at the airport when he first came to Australia. Nichaud's earliest memory of music was hearing her mother playing a Billie Holiday record and the song she loved most was 'What A Little Moonlight'. Her father's record collection was a big influence. She listened to the sounds of The Boswell sisters, Louis Armstrong, Al Bowly and The Chocolate Dandies and later developed her style whilst listening to Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Anita O'Day, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra.

About the venue

This is an outdoor COVID safe house concert only open to those who are fully vaccinated. Maximum audience numbers are 40 people.

Admission is by prepaid ticket only. There are no tickets for sale on the night of the show.

The stage is on the front lawn to the right of the pathway leading to the house with seating available on the lawn on the left of the pathway. Seating is also available on the verandah overlooking the lawn. There are outdoor toilet facilities.

What to bring

Please bring your seating with you - deck chair, beach chair or blanket. Please bring whatever it is you wish to drink or eat. There is no food or alcohol for sale at the venue.

Parking

There's very limited parking in Gilmore Street. Patrons are advised to park in Smiths's Beach Road and walk to Gilmore St. - approx 250 metres.