The Vampires have become an icon on the Australian music scene, having received both critical acclaim and a growing following across the country.
Combining their amazing skills to create the exciting and distinctive sound of The Vampires are alto saxophonist/composer Jeremy Rose (winner of the 2009 Bell Award for Young Australian Jazz Artist) who is joined by Nick Garbett (trumpet/composition), Alex Boneham (bass – 2012 Bell Award for Young Australian Jazz Artist) and Alex Masso (drums).
The Vampires’ lifeblood is a unique, soulful blend of jazz, old-school reggae and afrobeat.
Having performed their music around Sydney, through extensive touring and in festival appearances over the past three years, the group recorded their debut album South Coasting (Jazzgroove Records) in Melbourne in 2008, with guest trombonist Shannon Barnett. They released their second album, Chellowdene, in 2009, and then Garfish in 2012.
The Vampires’ music builds on the rich history of piano-less jazz quartets with a unique twist, adopting reggae and afrobeat rhythms in unexpected ways.
The dual saxophone and trumpet melodic lines have a strong sense of dialogue and emotional range – from exciting to soothing.
The band draws on many influences, but have been compared to the likes of early Ornette Coleman, the Catholics, Bob Marley and John Zorn/Dave Douglas’s Masada.
‘We love playing in the Byron shire,’ says Jeremy. ‘It’s a great way for us to catch up with old friends and grab a wave between shows. We’ve been performing here pretty steadily on our tours over the last few years and it’s always a highlight. Looking forward to it.’
Their exciting and highly anticipated fourth album, TIRO, has just been released.
The Vampires will be touring nationally during October and will play the Bangalow Bowling Club this Sunday, October 20.
Tix: $15/$10 students / $40 family, under-12s free.
Show Starts: 4pm
Find this and many other great gigs in Echonetdaily’s North Coast Gig Guide.
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