Reviews and Reviews.
Cole Cox Lovejoy Piano Trio 7 June 2026
What’s the old saying?- “Three’s a crowd.” The only thing crowded about the Cole Cox Lovejoy piano trio performance at the Lismore Jazz Club last Sunday 7 June 2026 was the hefty crowd of fans and Jazz aficionados who turned up on a rainy Lismore afternoon to enjoy the subtleties and nuances of a classic jazz piano trio at its best. Led by the masterful Dr Fred Cole with the very talented Ben Cox on drums and equally exceptional Hans Lovejoy on his newly purchased double bass the crowd were treated to a feast of pieces referencing not only the masters of the genre: Bill Evan’s , Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal’s Poinciana and the like but also reworked pop tunes like the Bowie classic Life on Mars. This is where space and subtlety, shade and light, tone and tempo fill the palette with colours and forms that are both transformative and transcendent.
Back together after a long hiatus, this was a real treat for for the Lismore Jazz Community. The challenge for the trio format is that there is nowhere to hide, everything is out in the open. And this was not only a faultless performance but one which demonstrated intimacy and communication and responsiveness between musicians who know each other so well.
Dr Fred also gave a valuable and entertaining account of the compositions played.
This performance was up there with some of the great Australian trio performers of past years ie. Mike Nock, the Necks, Joe Chindamo trio.
The Cole, Cox and Lovejoy Piano Trio are definitely in good company.
Peter Hunt Collective 3 May 2026.
This was one of those very special performances you’d simply wish would never come to an end. Led by trumpeter and composer Peter Hunt, the audience was presented with 3 hours of beautiful original compositions that blended organically like a magical soundscape into a singular performance of unbridled imagination and creativity. Influences of African music, jazz, funk, and soul were clearly evident and the need to move to the groove was inescapable.
The five-piece ensemble also featured great individual performances from Tommy Sexton on electric bass, Travis Jenkins on electric guitar, and Sam Mitchell on drums, with Lismore based local Nic Campbell, who deserves a special mention, doubling on piano and tenor saxophone. He is a master of both. Sam Mitchell’s contribution on drums demonstrated the quintessential role of a drummer in elevating mood and dynamics.
A perfect Sunday afternoon at the Lismore Jazz Club.
Here is a video link to enjoy courtesy of Jason Chan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI6Gq6pNTR0
Mango Jam Big Band 12 April 2026.
Anybody who was lucky enough to have caught this fantastic gig could not have failed to be impressed by the complexity and dynamics of this quintessential big band performance of 18 superb Queensland based musicians, which celebrated the music of the great Count Basie.
Led by the piano player Alister Harrison this was not only a wonderful performance, but an education, taking the audience through the history of the 50 year Basie era. The second set was the spectacular full live performance of Basie’s seminal 1958 album “The Atomic Mr Basie”, also so known as E=MC2.
Where else in the world could you see such a performance? These were wonderful arrangements, with excellent soloists doing great justice to the artists on the original recording, which had included the likes of Thad Jones, Frank Wess, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Frank Foster, Freddie Green and The Count himself, all arranged by Neal Hefti.
A most memorable gig and a ridiculously grand performance presented by the Lismore Jazz Club. Thanks to Jason Chan who recorded some of the Tunes played at the gig, here are links to a couple of the numbers.
Michael Griffin Quintet – May 27, 2018
– we couldn't have written of our experience any better. A spot-on review.
"... there seem to be two Michael Griffins. There’s Michael Griffin who looks like a teenager, tall and long-limbed, with an air of awkwardness about him, enhanced by his cringe-worthy stage banter, his uncertain posture and a striped suit that looked a couple of sizes too big for him. And there’s another Michael Griffin, who seems to enter this realm the moment the first one touches his saxophone. It’s Michael Griffin, the alien jazz warrior, a superhero of the saxophone, who came to this planet to save us from bad music and fight the good fight of keeping be-bop relevant. When Michael Griffin’s lips touch the mouthpiece, he’s transfomed: the awkward teenager gives his place to a jazz master of superb confidence – and his pinstripe suit becomes a perfect fit. It’s uncanny."
A disappointing but very much not disappointed audience. If you missed it, give yourself a slap.
This was a 'big city' jazz-joint performance which would normally have folks involved in punch-ups at the door just to get inside to grab a good vantage point. Better hope he comes back sometime. MB
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