Bellingen Jazz Festival

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jazz & blues festival

The catholics

The catholics are the 1991 brainchild of leader / composer and master bass player Lloyd Swanton, who is accurately described in 3D World as ‘one of Australia’s greatest musical assets’. Lloyd leads and inspires a band which draws on African, Caribbean, Latin and Eastern influences.

Sandy Evans (reeds) is a virtuoso and one of Australia’s most distinctive saxophone voices. A player of great range and depth, the power and beauty of her ensemble playing and solos are absolutely suited to this group.

One of Australia’s leading jazz trombonists, James Greening developed his distinctive sound and style while working with a broad range of jazz ensembles, Latin and R&B bands and orchestras.. One of three founding members of The catholics, in recent years James has brought the pocket trumpet to the band’s instrumental palette.

Hamish Stuart (drums) is the #1 drummer of choice for too many top-name pop and rock acts to mention, but he also has extensive credentials in jazz and roots music. A catholics member since 1997, Hamish had a long working relationship with the late legendary Jackie Orszaczky, playing in most of his many ensembles over the last two decades.

A member of The catholics since 1994, Fabian Hevia (percussion) was born in Chile, migrated to Australia in 1975 and studied at Wollongong University and NSW Conservatorium of Music. Fabian combines considerable authority on the major Latin American percussion instruments with solid institutional study.

Jon Pease (guitar) was born in Swaziland, and came to Australia in 1991, via the UK and NZ, soaking up many influences on the way. He studied jazz at the NSW Conservatorium of Music and has been a member of The catholics since 2000.

Cameron Deyell, whose amazing dub effects were such an ear-bender at the 2007 Bello performances on guitar filling for Bruce Reid, again joins The catholics. New Zealand born, Cameron is a reformed jazz tragic now making all kinds of progressive music.

The catholics’ second-most recent album, the highly-acclaimed Gondola saw them investigating a more atmospheric, ECM-like aesthetic which showed they most definitely had more than one trick in their book. In October, The catholics will be releasing their first live album Inter Vivos – a double disc recorded over two nights last year at the Sound Lounge in Sydney.

Lloyd Swanton describes performances by The catholics as follows: ‘The bottom line for me is that people who come to see us can enjoy us intellectually or emotionally, or they can just get up and dance.’

Having delighted audiences at so many of our earlier Festivals (including our 10th Festival in 1999), it is great to have them back for this our 20th Anniversary Festival in 2009.

The catholics is performing on these dates:

Time	Location

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