Further Reading
9th February 2024
This week we have more Brazilian guitar vibrations, celebratory big band jazz from Doncaster as well as spunky Australian grooves. Some brilliant reworkings of classic jazz repertoire arrive from Sweden, and a repatriated vocalist shines as she takes to the stage once again.
ABC Jazz is proud to announce the debut album from Tourismo, a distinctive modern jazz outfit co-led by recent National Jazz Award winners, pianist Matthew Thomson and drummer Alex Hirlian, and featuring Michael Avgenicos on tenor sax, guitarist Josh Meader and Nick Henderson on bass. All five members of Tourismo hail from Sydney’s prestigious Sydney Conservatorium of Music and are accomplished musicians in their own right. Taking inspiration from artists such as Ben Wendel, Gerald Clayton, Robert Glasper and Kendrick Scott, Tourismo’s cutting-edge compositions are rhythmically and harmonically driven, incorporating profound and memorable melodies, fused within complex time signatures.
Torque is the force that makes moving objects turn, and the opening track highlights the diverse musical scope of Thomson and Hirlian, as both artists and composers. The electric vibe of this track, especially the unapologetic use of synthesisers, harks back to the pair’s involvement in the ensembles Arcing Wires, Brekky Boy and the Josh Meader Trio, but the track quickly departs into something inherently their own.
Michael Avgenicos (tenor saxophone)
Josh Meader guitar
Matt Thomson (piano, synths (tk 1))
Nick Henderson (double bass)
Alex Hirlian (drums)
