Jack Pantazis is one of the most respected jazz guitarists on the Australian Jazz scene. Pantazis calls Melbourne his home and he has carved out a career as a performer, educator and composer crossing all styles of music.

Pantazis has a rich musical heritage that extends back to before he can remember. He has been a professional musician for over 35 years and as his website says, "Jack is fundamentally a jazz musician whose mastery skills and artistry also cross over into other styles such as…pop, rock, fusion, latin, classical…"

Pantazis has perfomed with ‘The Daryl McKenzie Jazz Orchestra’ (on going member for the past 17 years), ‘The Tim Davies Big Band’, 'The Toshi Clinch Big Band' as well as many other groups in Melbourne. He has also accompanied international artists like Mike Stern (ex-Miles Davis guitarist), American jazz great trombonist Bill Watrous, James Morrison and Marina Prior.

Pantazis has a strong connection to Greece both through family and music and as you will hear is hoping to travel to Greece very soon to perform.

Enjoy the interview folks.

David Galea

Links: https://www.jackpantazis.com/

Bandcamp: https://jackpantazis1.bandcamp.com/

Michelle Nicolle is one of Australia's most respected and recognised Jazz vocalists.
Over the years she has developed her own unique take on classic jazz standards as well as written and recorded many award winner compositions of her own.

Nicolle has worked with some of the greatest musicians on the planet including the great Wynton Marsalis, Kurt Elling and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Of late she has released her 9th recording entitled ”The Bach Project" and it features her long standing quartet of Ronny Ferella on drums, Tom Lee on Bass and Geoff Hughes on Guitar.

In this Podcast Michelle sits down to talk about how she became a jazz vocalist after initially starting music on the violin. She also discusses the importance of her quartet and the need for her to perform on a regular basis. We also learn how “”The Bach Project” was born.

Enjoy the music folks.

David Galea

Links: https://www.michellenicolle.com/

https://michellenicolle.bandcamp.com/album/the-bach-project

David Dower is a Piano player a composer specialising in original jazz and contemporary music, and has performed widely throughout the UK, Bulgaria, Ireland, France, Malaysia, and Australia. He currently lives in Melbourne and has recently released a new recording that was inspired by his many trips to Bulgaria entitled "Mravka".

David stops by to talk about how he became a Jazz pianist, how he came to have an affinity with the music and the musicians in Bulgaria and also how he was able to compose the latest album and incorporate the language and the instrumentation that is unique to Bulgaria.

We will also hear a track from Melbourne based group "The Senegambian Jazz Band. " This group have been described as “A high-energy musical journey that takes the listener from traditional West African melodies on the kora (which is a 21 string west African instrument) with deep drum rhythms through to modern jazz and funk.”

Then to finish the podcast we will hear from Melbourne singer and composer Michelle Nicolle and a track from her latest recording entitled "The Bach Project" released on Earshift music.

As always folks please show your appreciation for the work of these artists and go and purchase their music either from their web-site or from their Bandcamp page.

Thanks for listening.

warm regards

David Galea

Links:
David Dower:
http://www.daviddowermusic.com/
https://daviddowertrio.bandcamp.com/

The Senegambian Jazz Band: https://thesenegambianjazzband.bandcamp.com/album/the-senegambian-jazz-band

Michelle Nicolle:
https://michellenicolle.bandcamp.com/album/the-bach-project