Jazz Trio and a flute virtuoso

December’s emerging artists concert showcased Wollongong’s diverse music culture, writes Felicity Woodhill, founder of the Music and Tea series

Music and Tea at the Gallery’s final concert for 2022 opened with a stunning performance by local flautist Annabel Wouters, 14, accompanied by David Vance. This was followed by Jazz Trio, Alec Watts (saxophone), Michael Dominis (piano) and Jack Quinn (drums). With Alec and Michael coming from Wollongong, the program celebrated the city’s rich and diverse music culture and resonated with the current exhibition at the Wollongong Art Gallery.

Thinking Through Pink, curated by Sally Gray, opens “A world of colourful questioning...” (John Monteleone, program director at the gallery), inviting us to “connect with objects in new ways” (Powerhouse CEO Lisa Havilah).

Reflecting and questioning lead to social change and are synonymous with jazz. Miles Davis wrote, “Jazz is the big brother of Revolution. Revolution follows it around.” The Jazz revolution had historical antecedents, but continues because it is always a conversation in the moment.

The Trio’s improvisational skill highlighted this characteristic of jazz performance.

Annabel’s performance of Ian Clarke’s The Great Train Race: The Flute as You Don’t Usually Hear It! also offered an inspiring invitation to connect with flute sounds in new ways. Annabel is a student of Suzanne Cowan at the Wollongong Flute Studio.

New original compositions

Alec recently toured north-western NSW with the Barayagal Choir, run by YARN Australia, the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council and the Open Academy Sydney Conservatorium of Music and directed by Yuwaalaraay songwriter Nardi Simpson. The experience informed his work: “Utilising the broad palette of sound the woodwind instruments can produce, I aim to further understand the rich indigenous people’s cultures of this land through composing music that draws on their culture.”

There were moments when many thought the sounds of a didgeridoo rather than a saxophone resonated through the gallery.

A city alive with jazz

The Trio captivated the audience, and many a toe was tapping. It was a performance testament to Wollongong becoming a major jazz city, an achievement led by Eric Dunan, head of jazz at the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music.

Alec said, “He is just amazing; he got everything started 20 years ago and has been working hard to expand the jazz program ever since.”

In 2022 the Conservatorium presented 27 jazz concerts; national and international jazz artists now regularly include Wollongong in their touring itineraries. As a result, the city produces outstanding young musicians like Alec and Michael, who distinguish themselves by enrolment in tertiary jazz programs, winning national awards and leading bands. Alec, Michael and Jack study at Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

The next Music and Tea at the Gallery will be on Thursday, February 2.