Bent Notes

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...

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...

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...

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...

Huich Goh and Paul Whitword from Sahul Sakti , spoke about their ensemble’s music which integrates Martial Arts with Music, and Merinda Dias-Jayasinha spoke about her multi-disciplined career to date, when they were guests of Bent Notes.  Huich and Paul are artists performing, in their ensemble Sahul Sakti, in the Half Bent Music Festival occurring over the last weekend in May, 2026 in Merri...

Chris McNulty visited the Bent Notes studio and chatted about the skill of singing with excellent diction, discussed whether lived experience is the only path to imparting the emotion and meaning of a song to the audience, and described some of the Journey of her latest project – Soul Journey .  As an independant artist Chris has composed and arranged music, written lyrics, recorded with mus...

What does a Publicist and International Music Consultant do? Find out in this Podcast from JOY 94.9 where Jenny Sparks visited the Bent Notes studio to chat about her life as a Publicist and International Music Consultant in the music and entertainment industry. Jenny was a vocalist, growing up in regional Victoria in a musical family, before her career steered her to managing and mentoring commer...

Jazz singer, cabaret artiste & gender transcendent diva Mama Alto , visited the Bent Notes studio and spoke about using Strength in Softness and Power in Vulnerability in her songs and other presentations; and her love of the music of Billie Holiday – one of Mama’s Idols of song who had a great ability to use Strength in Softness and Power in Vulnerabilty.  Mama notes that the powe...

Alma Zygier was a Music Video Star before she was born – and continues to make fabulous music. Hear Alma chat about that the pre-birth creativity; her music and getting into a song and singing with feeling so that the audience feels the emotion of the story. Alma is performing with her band on the Bandwagon at the Monash University Big Jazz Day Out on Saturday March 21, 2026. Alma Zygier was...

Freya Schack-Arnott spoke about her music playing the cello and the Nyckelharpa, and the music of The Cloudmaker ensemble.  Their music celebrates goddesses from each of the five band members cultures, sharing thier folkloric stories and interweaving their story strands in their new music. The groups genesis occurred when Te Kahureremoa Taumata, Sunny Kim and Aviva Endean met on a residency at The...

Monique DiMattina spoke about the learnings that take place on the bandstand and the joy of watching younger musicians grow in their skills and confidence on the bandstand as they perfom. Monique also chatted about performing at this year’s Big Jazz Day Out at Monash University on Saturday March 21, 2026, where she will be performing with guitarist and vocalist Matt Kirsch in the Alexander T...

Chelsea Wilson , Senior Producer, Contemporary Music at Monash University Performing Arts , spoke with David Moyle on Bent Notes about Gender Inclusivity in Jazz and Australian Music; and producing this year’s Big Jazz Day Out at the Clayton campus of Monash University. Hear Chelsea’s perspective on progress being made with Inclusivity in the music industry in this Podcast from JOY 94....

Jennifer Salisbury visited the Bent Notes studio to chat about reimagining a composition of hers from some years ago called Oh Muse.  Jennifer brought in the talents of Mark Morand to rearrange the accompaniment for guitar – the result being a a brighter and more engaging piece of music. Jennifer chatted about her enjoyment of singing and music in general, and spoke of the busy lifestyle nee...

Brisbane based pianist, composer, band leader and educator Callum Pask visited the Bent Notes studio to chat about his music and introduce us to a new album his trio has collaborated on from Brisbane based multi-disciplinary artist SOLCHLD . The album – Scarred and Sacred –  is a collaboration merging Callum’s Jazz Trio with the Spoken Word in the form of poetry with a message, w...

Melbourne based composer, arranger and Piano Accordian player Jo Abbott visited the Bent Notes Studio to chat about her musical development from Classical to Jazz inspired music.  Early in her musical education Jo discovered the beautiful French music from classical artists such as Debussy. This music has served as a basis for Jo’s more recent works blending French and Jazz music to develop...

International Jazz Vocalist Hetty Kate spoke with Bent Notes about her brand new album – the first in a series of four, being released on November 7, 2025 at The Jazzlab in Brunswick.  The series is called JAZZ IN FOUR SEASONS , with Volume 1 being the SPRING edition, recorded in the Spring in Prague, and being released in Spring in Australia. In her chat with Bent Notes presenter David Moyl...

Composer, percussionist, painter, educator and proud Kamilaroi man  Adam Manning spoke with Bent Notes about his growing up with music and rhythm and their becoming then a key feature of his life.   He said that his decision to work with these skills was essentially an evolution rather than a specific decision. Adam discussed how our society seems to have forgotten how to feel and know the rhythm...

Emerging Melbourne based Cello player, composer and educator Darcy Gilkerson spoke with Bent Notes about his Debut album – Acteon , and his music which works to build a bridge between contemporary classical composition and the jazz improvisatory tradition.  His first memory of music is of playing some very basic piano at around 4 years of age – likely to be a sliding up and down the ke...

Guitarist Robbie Melville , Cello player Zoe Knighton and Actor Richard Piper performed excerpts from Robbie’s latest creation – The Village Square – LIVE from Studio A at JOY 94.9. Robbie talked about his writing a short story in response to a request from Zoe, but that it became somewhat bigger and more complex than he had originally thought; and the joy that he, Zoe and Richar...

Saxophonist Jason Bruer spoke with Bent Notes about his being taken with the music of John Coltrane and Weather Report in London for the first time when he was 16 years of age.  Jason’s only previous musical experience had been when he learnt the Recorder at school! Within a few short years Jason was practising hours every day and well on the way to establishing his identity in the music sce...

Serge Carnovale , Artistic Director of the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues , visited the Bent Notes studio to chat about this year’s festival, providing his guidance for your Wang Hang!  This is the 2nd festival that Serge has artistically directed, working with the new board establilshed to resurrect the festival and put it back on the map. Serge spoke about the achievements made last...

Hamed Sadeghi asked his mother for a TAR when he was 14 years of age, after hearing it played on the radio and falling in love with the sound of the instrument.  He decided that Music was to be his career when 18 years of age then started his university studies into Persian Classical music. Hear Hamed talk about his classical musical education in Iran before moving to Australia where he commenced...

When Paul Grabowsky and Michelle Nicolle visted the Bent Notes studio they spoke about the feelings, emotions and memories they recall after gigs and projects, and their consideration of the history of songs and music in their projects. Paul spoke especially about his memories and experiences working with first nations people for many years and the learnings he has made about their music and histo...

Quinn Knight visited the Bent Notes studio to chat about his musical upbringing, developing musical career, and the debut album of his father’s TL;DR project.  The album is called Too Long;Didn’t Read – an album described by Quinn as music for the listener to interpret as they wish. The 4-piece project was founded by Trumpeter Peter Knight , and includes Peter (Trumpet, Electroni...

Mina Yu spoke on Bent Notes of starting her classical piano education at a really young age and of taking up the Jazz mantle when the concept of Jazz was introduced to her.  Mina has not become a Jazz musician, but rather a musician who plays in the Classical and Jazz spheres. Three years in the making, this new album from Mina – A Day and Life – results from her cross- genre musical s...