Bent Notes

Ilaria Crociani and Mirko Guerrini visited the Bent Notes studio to chat about their HYPERBAROQ project, created with Guitarist Stephen Magnusson.

Ilaria, Mirko and Stephen approach the music sourced from the Baroque period from a modern perspective, using the chords and melodies of the orignial music to develop their own modern takes.

Hear Ilaria chat also about the importance of seeking a quiet and meditative time to pursue her muses; and Mirko note the importance of Sight Reading in today’s music world.

Their Project HYPERBAROQ are launching their debut album – TRIPUDIIS SONIS VARIIS, on Sunday October 18, 2026 at the Jazzlab as part of this year’s Melbourne International Jazz Festival.

Ilaria Crociani and Mirko Guerrini were guests of Bent Notes on Sunday Octboer 4, 2026

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Vocalist Alice Zawadzki, Bass player Misha Mullov-Abbado and pianist Fred Thomas are Za Gorami –  a trio, based in England, playing music collected from their travels – music that are folk tales speaking to the moon, the mountains, the rain, the madness of humans and the prophecies of birds’.  The trio’s name – Za Gorami – is Polish for “Behind The Mountain”

Hear Alice and Misha chat about their musical lives, the folk tunes that they have found across the globe – many from countries that reflect their ancestries, and many given to them by their friends from many countries.

Alice talks about being inspired by a Jazz Vocalist Lillian Boutte when Alice was young which led Alice to her career in music.

Za Gorami perform at the David Li Sound Gallery at Monash University in Clayton on Thuersday October 8, 2026, as well as touching down in Sydney (Oct 4), Tuggeranong (Oct 6), Adelaide Hills (Oct 10) and Perth (Oct 12) during their Australian Tour.

Alice Zawadski and Misha Mullov-Abbado were guests of Bent Notes on Sunday September 27, 2026

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Andrea Keller spoke to Bent Notes about Poetry by and for the deaf and hearing impaired, accompanied by music, and using Haptics to enable the rhythms of the music to be experienced; undertaking a tour of a number of Musical Conservatoriums in NSW; and the potential for Life-Changing experiences for the Jazz and Improvisation students at Melbourne University when they participate in the Masters and Apprentices project at this year’s Melbourne International Jazz festival.

The students workshop and rehearse this year with Pianist Kris Davis (DownBeat Pianist of the Year: 2020, 2022, 2025 and 2026), before taking the stage with Kris at the festival.

See and hear Masters and Apprentices at Chapel off Chapel on Wednesday October 21, 2026 – all the details on the website of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival.

Kris Davis will also perform with her Trio at The Jazzlab on Monday and Tuesday October 19 and 20.

Andrea Keller was guest of Bent Notes on Sunday September 20, 2026

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Trumpeter, composer, band leader and educator Eugene Ball spoke with Bent Notes about his research into a better way of practising trumpet, and how a musician is influenced by the musc of other musicians.

Eugene also spoke about a commission he has been awarded to compose a suite being a personal reflection of the enduring influence of Jazztrack – Australia’s longest running national jazz radio program.  Eugene’s work – Continuum:Jazztrack at 50 – will be premiered at The Jazzlab as part of this years Melbourne International Jazz Festival on Sunday October 18 at The Jazzlab.

Checkout Eugene on his website www.eugeneball.com, and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival on their website www.melbournejazz.com.

Eugene Ball was guest of Bent Notes on Sunday September 13, 2026

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Trumpeter and composer John Montesante visited the Bent Notes studio to chat about his music, and the exhilaration of the sound of a horn section when placed over the top of a Jazz Quintet.   John was joined in-studio by his Associate Paula.

John also spoke of his signature cap from his collection of caps and great-coats related to his interest in the American Civil War; and his being brought to Jazz after watching Miles Davis at the Newport Jazz Festvial.

We learnt that John ‘s first trumpet leaked a lot and that he pushed soap into the gaps to seal them – which meant that occiaionally bubbles also found their way out of the trumpet in addition to the notes!

Since that time John has spent much time in the industry, and runs his own quintet – the JMQ – and the exciting brassy sound of the expanded JMQ Dectet.

John performs with his JMQ regularly at the Golden Gate Hotel in South Melbourne, and brings the Dectet out a couple of times a year.  Keep an eye on John’s Gig Guide for future events.

Hear John chat in this Podcast from JOY 94.9

Follow John and his Quartet and Dectet on John’s socials.

John Montsante and Paula were guests of Bent Notes on Sunday July 5, 2026

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Drummer and composer Laurence Pike spoke about his latest solo album entitled Possible Utopia’s for Jazz Quintet – a title that is a red herring – because it is an album of Solo improvisation from Laurence.

We learnt that Laurence is a fan of Star Trek, and as much as he has spent lots of time creating and exploring music electronically, he is also a fan of people creating music by hand – and in this case creating a solo recording that might suggest to the listener music being created in the future, or perhaps even in another galaxy!

Laurence also spoke about the BELIEVE ensemble, a more traditional Jazz Quartet – and their new album called NATURE’S GOD.  BELIEVE draw their influence from a lot of free jazz from the 60’s and 70’s and European Chamber Music and Minimalism.

Nature’s God is being launched in Sydney at 21 Shepherd in Marrickville on Friday July 10 and in Melbourne at The Jazzlab on Sunday July 12 – presented by the Melbourne Jazz Co-Operative.

Laurence Pike was guest of Bent Notes on Sunday July 5, 2026

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Tamara Kuldin chatted about her love of the romance and sophistication of the songs from the Golden Era of song when she was guest on Bent Notes, and how those songs told great stories.  Tamara referred to the ability as a performer to really tell great stories by inahbiting a great song, and the impact that has on an Audience who can see and feel the emotion from the performer.

Tamara pointed out the need for a performer to be real when interacting with their audience, in order to create an atmosphere where both Performer and Audience feel relaxed and comfortable and ready to hear a great story through the song and the performer’s emotional interpretation of that song.

Hear Tamara in this podcast from JOY 94.9 when she also chats about her TAM SAM TAM SAM Quartet (Double bass player Tamara Murphy, Pianist Sam Keevers, Tamara Kuldin, and guitarist Sam Lemann) performing together at the Kew Courthouse on Friday June 26, 2026.  More details from the City of Boroondara website.

Tamara Kuldin was guest of Bent Notes on Sunday June 21, 2026

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Pianist Tim Stevens visited the Bent Notes studio to chat about two new album releases that he has curated from recordings he made of the Browne-Haywood-Stevens trio in 1999/2000 when they were coming to the close of a long-standing residency on the stage at The Bennett’s Lane Jazz Club.   Tim used his DAT recorder and a single microphone on stage to record 25 gigs and has recently listened to each of them and selected a number of the pieces to feature on these two new digital albums – Enchanted Ground vol. 1: Standards, and Enchanted Ground vol. 2: Originals. The albums also feature some of Allan Browne’s unique “talks” to the audience.

Tim recalls some of his early piano learnings and teachers, his move from Classical to Jazz piano, and the way the trio worked so well together as a single entity to produce their music.

Tim found the name for the albums in a poem from Emily Dickinson, a favourist of Allan Browne – and read the poem in memory of Allan.

Exhilaration is the Breeze

Returns us not, but after time

Checkout the details of the two new albums on Tim’s Bandcamp page.

Tim Stevens was guest of Bent Notes on Sunday May 3, 2026

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The post Enchanted Ground – Historical Recordings of the Browne-Haywood-Stevens Trio appeared first on Bent Notes.

Trombone player and leader of the Mosaic Jazz Ensemble Lee Orszaczky spoke about the stories and experiences that encouraged his taking up Jazz and a sense of being ‘thrown’ into the school Jazz Orchestra in Year 7.  The school Jazz Orchestra was led by Pianist David Allen (now touring with Tones and I) for which Lee can appreciate the enormous amount of practical experience this band gave him. Lee says that the biggest learning experience he has recieved is to trust in your elders and listen to every word they say.

Lee recalls enjoying a gig where he met Herbie Hancock, and the many moments of pure joy putting together this 2nd album from Mosaic – Rinse and Repeat

Mosaic are touring to launch the album:

May 28, 2026 – Album Launch Tour commencement – Lazybones Lounge – Marrickville NSW

May 23, 2026 – Smiths Alternative – Canberra ACT

May 25, 2026 – The Jazzlab – Brunswick VIC

July 3, 2026 – Launch Tour Finale – Church Street Studios Camperdown NSW

Lee Orszaczky was guest of Bent Notes on Sunday May 17, 2026

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