Doors 6pm
Show 7pm
Garry Lee has been leading bands since the late 1960s, originally playing guitar but then adding vibraphone in the early 1970s. He has studied with George Golla and more recently Paul Bollenback [featured on Troy Roberts’ recent release]. On vibraphone he has studied in the US with Dave Samuels, Stefon Harris, Joe Locke, Charlie Shoemake, David Friedman and Ted Piltzecker. He organised a Gary Burton masterclass in Sydney in 2000.
Arriving in Perth from Sydney in 1983, Garry taught in the Jazz program at WAAPA from its inaugural year – 1984 until 1999.
In WA jazz Garry has many “firsts” – first to receive an International Study Grant [1985]; first to receive a Composer Commission [Bicentenary 1988]; first to release a jazz CD [“I Mean You” – featuring Roger Garrood, 1992]; first to win an Australian Jazz Award [1993]; first to be awarded a Churchill Fellowship [1998] – in addition, Garry presented a weekly drive time jazz radio program from Curtin University for six years and since the late 1980s has been WA’s most prolific jazz writer – Jazz Journal International, Daily News, X Press, West Australian, See Saw. Many of his articles can be found at www.ericmysersjazz.com .
These days Garry is most active in jazz education teaching at Hale School and privately.
Garry’s quintet is a blend of established and emerging jazz musicians.
Mike Collinson [saxes/flute] is one of WA’s most in-demand players. A graduate of WAAPA, Mike has performed with Garry for two decades. Here is Garry Lee Quartet featuring Mike from Perth Jazz Society [2006]:
Ookii Effendi [pno] is also a WAAPA graduate and has worked with Garry for over a decade. In November 2015 Garry’s trio with Ookii played for the 67th birthday of King Charles III – a Royal Command Performance at Cottesloe Civic Centre! Ookii is a fine modern jazz pianist in the style of Monty Alexander.
Rounding out the quintet are the talented young WAAPA students Finn McKibbon [dbl bs] and Callum Thomson [drms].
The style and repertoire of Garry Lee Quintet reflects Garry’s passion for the playing of the two master vibists – Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson – so compositions by them as well as comps by Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson plus originals by Garry. However as a “baby boomer”, Garry has enjoyed the music of Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder and George Benson so also expect some “Baby Boomer Jazz”.
Garry Lee – vibraphone and guitar:
