Join nationally-acclaimed jazz musicians Lloyd Swanton, Gary Daley, Nic Cecire, Tim Bruer & James Greening, alongside local live music main-stays Neil Sagewood, Robert Thompson, David Anderson and Anne Crestani, to celebrate the life and music of former Friends of The Mechanic’s Institute President, Warren Baker. This memorial concert will raise funds for a cause close to Warren’s heart, the preservation and support of the Friends of The Mechanic’s Institute and it’s continuation in supporting the appreciation of live music in the mid-Mountains. The Blue Mountains community is invited to celebrate Warren Baker’s life & music live & in person for what will be a special performance by some of Warren’s closest musical friends.

WARREN BAKER MEMORIAL CONCERT feat. LLOYD SWANTON, GARY DALEY, NIC CECIRE, TIM BRUER, JAMES GREENING & MORE // LIVE @ THE MECHANIC’S INSTITUTE, LAWSON. // Saturday 14 May, 2022 // Doors 6:00pm // Tickets: Adults $25, Concession $20 +bf

Location: The Mechanic’s Institute, Lawson. 284 Great Western Highway, Lawson.

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This fundraising memorial concert honours the life and music of Warren Baker, who sadly passed on 23 October 2021. Warren was a past President and long-term committee member for the Friends of The  Mechanics Institute at Lawson, and was a mainstay in the promotion of the Hall as a performance space. He was dedicated, hands-on and instrumental in the preservation of the Hall and it’s purpose as an intimate live music performance space in the mid-Blue Mountains. He helped book quality new and established Jazz acts for the Hall and is deeply missed. The survival of the Hall as a live music venue was close to Warren’s heart and the proceeds of the night will be donated to The Friends of the Mechanics Institute Lawson Inc to assist in continuing quality live music performances at the Hall for the mutual benefit of audience and musicians.

To honour to the life & music of Warren Baker, the following musicians will be performing on the night:

 

/ LLOYD SWANTON /
Described by Billboard Magazine as “an outstanding and imaginative Australian bassist and composer”, Lloyd Swanton is one of the biggest names in Australian Jazz and three-time winner of Best Bassist in the Australian Jazz and Blues Awards.

Lloyd co-founded internationally renowned improv powerhouse The Necks alongside Chris Abrahams and Tony Buck in 1986, and has since toured the globe, won 4 ARIA awards and was recently recognised as one of the top 50 ‘Greatest Australian Artists of All Time’ by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Lloyd’s long-running group, The Catholics, has also released seven albums, all produced and predominantly composed by him, with three receiving ARIA Award nominations. Their album Simple was nominated for the German Deutsche Schallplattenkritik Award.

International artists with whom he has performed throughout Australia include Dewey Redman, Nat Adderly, Clifford Jordan, Vincent Herring, Sting, Jimmy Witherspoon, Margie Evans, Sheila Jordan, Billy Harper, Barney Kessel, Andrew Hill, George Coleman Jr., John Hicks & Carlos Ward, Darrell Grant, Gary Bartz, Phillip Johnston, Jim Black, Tobias Delius and Marilyn Crispell.

Lloyd appears on over ninety albums, including several ARIA Award winners, and has produced four ARIA Award winners by Bernie McGann. Over eighty of his compositions or co-compositions appear on record.

He has composed film and TV scores, including The Beat Manifesto, winner of an Australian Guild of Screen Composers Award for Best Short Film Soundtrack.
“As double bassist of long-running Australian trio The Necks, Lloyd Swanton is an expert in group improvisation.”
– Andy Hamilton, The Strad.

 

/ GARY DALEY /

Gary Daley is best known as a musician playing in some of the elite bands of Australian jazz; currently James Greening’s band Greening from Ear to Ear and the jazz-world music band The catholics. He leads the quartet Bungarribee which features his own compositions and interpretations from the classical repertoire. Gary plays acoustic and electric piano, organ and also the piano accordion. Another side to Gary is his appearances weekdays on the ABC TV children’s channel in the pre-school show Lah Lah’s Adventures.

In home town Springwood, just west of Sydney, he is the artistic director of the music concert series Live at the Village which has presented leading musicians in a variety of improvised music since late 2009.

Sanctuary is the recording of the latest album which was supported by the Australia Council. Psalm from ‘In the Palm of Your Hand’ is a five part gospel-jazz work was commissioned by the St Paul’s Grammar School, Cranebrook in 2004. Performed by Gary Daley, Steve Clisby (solo voice), Toby Hall, Jess Ciampa, Richard Maegraith, Ben Waples, Ben Daley, Voice Mail (choir of St Paul’s Grammar), Cathy Jarman.

In 2002 Gary’s then band Heavy Weather recorded World View, which was sponsored by ABC Jazz Track. Daley’s playing has been described as “exquisite”, John Shand of The Sydney Morning Herald, and his composition for large ensemble, Sanctuary, drew the following response……

“. . . music such as this can knock the wind out of my diaphragm, by simply reminding me how far the word falls short of the music.”
– John Hardaker, Australianjazz.net.

 

/ NIC CECIRE /

Nic Cecire is an in-demand drummer based in Sydney. He has a resume of stage, recording and screen credits to match any professional musician working in Australia today.  Nic’s work in pop and rock includes playing with headlining artists such as Wendy Mathews, The Whitlams, Jenny Morris, Boy George/Culture Club, Glenn Shorrock, Grace Knight, Rhonda Burchmore and Christine Anu. He has also worked with jazz vocalists (Tina Harrod, Lily Dior, Trish Delaney Brown, and more) as well as jazz bands including the Catholics, Mike Nock, Greg Coffin Trio, Darren Heinrich Trio, Jeremy Sawkins, Adam Miller, and many others.

Nic has performed on a number of movie and TV soundtracks including David Wenham’s Ellipsis (music by Megan Washington), Chocolate Oyster and The Great Mint Swindle (score by Jim Mogine of Midnight Oil).

 

/ TIM BRUER /

Tim Bruer is a Sydney based pianist and composer. He performs regularly around the Sydney area and also teaches piano and a number of other subjects at The Australian Institute of Music. Over a career spanning more than 40 years, Tim has performed with many of Australia’s finest musicians including James Morrison, Bernie McGann, Jonathan Zwartz, Dale Barlow, Jackie Orzarsky, Steve Hunter and Elana Stone. He holds both a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music degree in jazz performance and has studied extensively with Mike Nock. In 2007 he released his first and well-received CD, “The Tim Bruer Quartet” and he is currently completing a solo piano album. He has also been featured on recordings by bands such as The Acca Daiquiris and Hammerhead as well as artists such as Guy LeClaire and Max Sharam.

 

/ JAMES GREENING /

Search JAMES GREENING – TROMBONE and a plethora of projects past and present will hit the screen. James Greening has been a leading voice in the music scene in Sydney and Australia for more than thirty years. Trombones, pocket trumpet, slide trumpet, tuba, sousaphone and diddly bow bass add to James’ diversity as a performer. His roots are in any music that grooves, expressed more often in jazz as a founding member of seminal Australian jazz bands such as Ten Part Invention, Wanderlust, The Catholics, The Umbrellas and The Australian Art Orchestra.

The World According to James, formed in 1992, saw James step forward as a bandleader and composer, presenting music with all the qualities of wit, creativity and exuberance that have long been associated with his work as a soloist. Three critically acclaimed CDs of original compositions include No Job Too Small, Wayback (ARIA nominated) and their third CD, Lingua Franca, winning the AIR (Australian Independent Records Labels) award for Jazz album of the year for 2010. In 2012, James Greening launched a new 7-piece project, Greening from Ear to Ear and composed a new suite of original music, Tam O’Shanter Tales. This album has received rave reviews.

A significant part of his playing has been in funk, and one of James Greening‘s major musical influences was friend and mentor, the late Jackie Orszaczky. Greening’s performing and recording credits put him in the company of some Australia’s all-time greatest contemporary musicians.

“Greening’s trombone has the delicious plumpness of a ripe mango. The Sad bits and the funny bits become jumbled, and there can be no higher praise.”
– John Shand, The Sydney Morning Herald.

 

/ NEIL SAGEWOOD & ROB THOMPSON /

Neil Sagewood, pianist and composer, is a founding member of Babalu Salsa band. Neil was a regular player in various jazz combos with Warren Baker, like the local favourite, Axiom Jazz Trio (also with Jon West). Neil released his album, Octagon in 2017 and supported Elena Kats-Chernin (composer/pianist) & Tamara-Anna Cislowska at the Mechanics Institute in 2020. For this performance, Neil will showcase some original compositions as well as perform duets of Irish songs with the fabulous Rob Thompson on harmonica.

 

/ DAVID ANDERSON /
Dave Anderson of Woodford has played rock and jazz for his 60-year musical career. He is a renowned and respected singer in both genres and played in many combos with Warren Baker.

 

/ ANNE CRESTANI /

Anne Crestani is a well-known local jazz, latin, funk and soul singer and has performed in venues across the Blue Mountains and beyond for over 20 years. She has performed as a singer with a number of Blue Mountains bands including, Babalu salsa band, The Groove Co-op, Xmas Swamp Band (funk and soul), Antelope, Axiom Trio and AK & the Senators (jazz), with Warren Baker and Neil Sagewood.

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/ MEALS & BAR /

The Friends of the Mechanic’s Institute will offer a bar by donation on the night, and Red Pepper Catering will be on-site offering meals. The kitchen will open from 6:00 pm.

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/ THE SCHEDULE /
Date: Saturday, 14 May 2022.
Venue: The Mechanic’s Institute, Lawson. 284 Great Western Highway, Lawson.

Doors & Kitchen Open: 6:00 pm

Music starts: 7:00 pm

Show end: 11:00 pm

Tickets: Aduts $25 & Concession $20 + bf