Bands
The Jazz & Popular music area at the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music has been delighting audiences from Sydney to Cairns for the past twenty years. Currently boasting a group of over forty musicians, there are currently has ten bands that are capable of performing at almost any event. These ensembles include a big band, soul band, swing/jive band, Latin band, blues band, and a variety of small popular bands and jazz combos.
Jazz Ensembles
The jazz ensembles are flexible in size, line-up and style and are able to provide the perfect musical complement in the most discerning situations. They regularly play at weddings, functions, festivals, concerts and corporate events.
Solo Performers / Dynamic Duo's
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The Jazz Department at the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music has a number of solo artists and duo's. These performers play a variety of repertoire and are perfect for creating atmosphere in small venues. The vocal with guitar is a particularly popular combination.
Small Jazz Ensembles
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The Jazz Department at the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music has a variety of small jazz ensembles that play music that is appropriate entertainment for almost any function. These ensembles range in size from four to six performers and include combinations of vocals, trumpet, saxophone, guitar, piano, bass and drums.
Contemporary Bands
The Jazz Department at the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music has a number of contemporary bands that cover most styles of dance music. These groups are excellent for lively functions and will bring people to the dance floor in large numbers.
Blue Moods
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Blue Moods is the ultimate Blues band. From dreamy shuffles to screaming rock blues this ensemble authentically recreates the full range of blues styles. The group’s repertoire includes artists from the roots of blues such as Muddy Waters through to Stevie Ray-Vaughan, the Allman Brothers and Albert Collins. This ensemble is a dynamic performance unit.
El Loco
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El Loco specialises in Latin American music, performing commercial Latin-Rock selections by Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and Santana as well as the more authentic sounds of Latin America. This group features three percussionists and a large horn section.
Rubber Biscuit
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Mixing the sounds of rock, funk and soul, Rubber Biscuit is a ten-piece band including a horn section, and backing singers. This band performs repertoire by Joe Cocker, The Corrs, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, The Blues Brothers and many others.
UJump
Is it the birth of Rock and Roll or the pinnacle of Jive and Swing? Hard to say but however you label it, this band is guaranteed to make every foot tap it's way on to the dance floor! It's irrepressible humour and the "good time" feel of the music itself also make it an ideal band for that special performance feature. From Ray Charles to Bill Halley and the Comets be prepared to jump!
The CQCM Jazz Orchestra
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The CQCM Jazz Orchestra is the premier performance ensemble of the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music. The CQCM Jazz Orchestra, which is made up of Conservatorium staff and students and local musicians, has an extensive performance history. The highlights include an appearance at the Darling Harbour Jazz Festival with James Morrison, Don Burrows and Don Rader to an audience in excess of 15, 000 people; two Queensland tours, the first featuring Don Burrows, Kevin Hunt and Don Rader, and the second with Grace Knight; playing at Rockhampton’s Big River Jazz Festival with James Morrison; and playing at the 4MK Mackay City Carols with Karen Knowles.
The CQCM Jazz Orchestra has also performed with a number of other national and international jazz artists including Grace Knight, Vince Jones, Graham Jesse, Michael Davison, Rick Holland, Emma Pask, Blaine Whitaker, James Muller, Viv Middleton and Irene Bartlet. The band has featured in four live broadcasts on ABC Radio, two state-wide and the others to the South East Queensland region. The CQCM jazz orchestra has also and featured in a documentary on ‘Stateline’, ABC television.
Note: As band members change each year the people shown in the above pictures may not be the current members.
For hire costs contact:
Cathy Head on 61 (07) 4940 7869 or c.head@cqu.edu.au
For more information on any of the bands contact:
Derrin Kerr on 61 (07) 4940 7811 - d.kerr@cqu.edu.au
Glen Hodges on 61 (07) 4940 7812 - g.hodges@cqu.edu.au.