The Ueber Gang — led by guitarist Liv Uebergang — will perform original tunes at the Canb Jazz Fest. Photo: Meg Houghton.
Smith’s Alternative — under the stewardship of Nigel McRae and Beth Tully — has long been the epicentre of Canberra’s alternative music scene, creating performance opportunities for up-and-coming performers, alongside established and touring acts.
In April, the venue will host the inaugural Canb Jazz Festival with some big names in Australian jazz (and a few locals you should really get to know).
Smith’s is also a place where Canberra’s jazz scene has found respite from the cuts and dismantling of the Canberra School of Music. This once-great institution has historically fostered the development of excellent jazz musicians, but as Nigel told Region, many young jazz musicians are looking to other music schools for their education.
“Recent, or more correctly ongoing, ructions at the School of Music have thrown a spanner in the works and a large cohort have sought refuge in Melbourne and elsewhere. But all is not lost,” he said.
“Canberra cannot rely on one institution, currently held captive to the bean counters at ANU, to be the sole lifeblood of jazz in the city. Smith’s is doing all we can to keep the flame a-burning.”
Nigel McRae, McGregor Hall. Nigel would love to see the festival attract younger audiences. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
One performer keeping that flame alive at the festival is Australian jazz legend Vince Jones – a singer, trumpet player and composer who has been on the scene since the 1970s. ARIA Award winner Jones previously taught at the ANU School of Music’s jazz department. He’ll be performing a range of original pieces and contemporary arrangements of jazz standards on Saturday, 18 April.
Another big drawcard name is The Vampires, an Australian contemporary jazz quartet who will be ‘’dual-headlining’’ the festival with performances on Sunday, 19 April. Their album Nightjar (featuring highly regarded pianist Chris Abrahams) won the ARIA for Best Jazz Album in 2023.
Local guitarist Liv Uebergang will be performing with her (appropriately named) trio The Ueber Gang. They’ll feature a range of originals and interesting arrangements of standards.
“We’re planning on putting out an album this year, so we’re throwing some new stuff at the wall to see what sticks,” Liv said.
”We’re branching out into stuff that is a bit exciting and scary.
“As a jazz musician, you’re used to playing in bars with people talking over you — which is fine — and every gig is important, but to have a gig like this, where you have eyes on you, is really gratifying and exciting.”
The festival will feature a range of jazz styles, encompassing trad jazz, stride piano, contemporary originals, Gypsy jazz, blues, standards and free jazz.
Nigel said the festival aimed to showcase the diversity of Canberra’s occasionally secretive jazz scene to those who were already jazz fans and those ready to be converted.
He (rightly) notes that many of Canberra’s jazz fans are “getting long in the tooth” and would love to see the festival bring in some younger audiences.
While this is the Inaugural Smith’s Canb Jazz Festival, there have been various iterations of local jazz festivals in Canberra over the years, but it’s well past time for a reboot!
“Canberra needs a jazz festival and Smith’s is going to give it a red-hot go,” Nigel said.
The Canb Jazz Fest will feature a range of interstate and local musicians across a range of the genre’s styles at Smith’s Alternative. Image: Smith’s Alternative.
Liv is hopeful that events such as this can help lift the local jazz scene.
“If you talk to any jazz musician in Canberra, it’s been a year of upheaval with the cuts at the School of Music,” she said.
”But this festival is really positive: just reminding people that there is jazz in Canberra, and also reminding musicians here that there’s lots of new people playing and it’s really exciting.”
Smith’s keeps the jazz flame burning year-round with its popular weekly Jazz Jam on Tuesday evenings and Geoff Page’s well-attended monthly program of concerts.
The Canb Jazz Fest will be held on 18 and 19 April at Smith’s Alternative, 76 Alinga Street, Canberra City. The full program will soon be finalised. Vince Jones will play two shows on 18 April, and The Vampires will play two shows on 19 April. Tickets can be purchased for Saturday or Sunday, or the whole weekend. Book your tickets and find out more about the festival at Smiths Alternative.
Original Article published by Lucy Ridge on Region Canberra.
