Upcoming events

Diana Clark Trio - featuring Doug de Vries

Diana Clark Trio - vocals, guitar, piano-accordion

Diana Clark's rich and mellifluous alto voice & songs reflect the cosmopolitan scene of music making in Melbourne and her background growing up in the Northern Territory, while embracing the powerful rhythms of Brazil, the intensity and subtle beauty of Rio. Diana's collaborations with master guitarist Doug de Vries have established her as a persuasive interpreter of Brazilian Popular Song - and the pair have immersed themselves in the traditions of the bossa, samba, and choro revealing an emotive power and sophistication that is given full flight in the company of her sublime accompanists - Doug de Vries, and all round musical virtuoso, accordionist Stephen Grant.

www.dianaclark.com.au - www.dougdevries.com

YouTube Videos

YouTube: Corcovado

YouTube: Cry No More (Canto de Ossanha)

YouTube: 3 shadows of Blue

"Singing in alternating English & Portuguese, Diana's light, melifluous voice perfectly compliments de Vries' virtuosity on the 7 string guitar. Marrying old and new sounds, they manage to remain faithful to the 'musica brasileira' genre while retaining a strong Australian sensibility." - Lily Bragg, The Age [Melbourne]

“De Vries and Clark feel the music of Brazil down to their bones. His guitar is full of romance and her voice is so intimate it could make you blush. Australia may be halfway around the world from Brazil but you’d never know it from listening to their CDs.” - Cadence Magazine [USA]

“Diana’s voice…seductive & engaging…with de Vries improvising, using an impressive finger-style technique on 7 string guitar…also complementing Di’s voice by singing counterpoint melodies while Grant uplifted the music further still with his transcendental accompanying…truly a night of splendour from three of this country’s finest musicians.” - President Albury-Wodonga Jazz Society

“…Buoyed by gently vibrant Afro-Brazilian rhythms, Clark’s warm vocals can soften the melancholy of a yearning lyric, or coax the vibrant rhythms around her into a dance of celebration.” - The Age

Current Biography

Doug de Vries

Doug de Vries guitar

Doug de Vries - ranks high at the forefront of international guitarists and is a musician of world class. He is Australia's foremost experienced and versatile jazz guitarist and composer, excelling in many musical genres from jazz and swing to choro, samba and bossa nova, and is a leading exponent of South American music, particularly in the Brazilian guitar repertoire. In November 2010 - Doug featured at the Adelaide International Guitar Festival in collaboration with his Brazilian colleague, guitar master Jamandu Costa. In 2012 Doug will perform in Rio de Janeiro in a concert series featuring composers of contemporary choro -The Salon concert will be the Melbourne launch of Doug's new CD 'DdV Solo ' album. Over the years Doug has featured on a number of CDs under his own name, but this is his first solo project CD.

www.dougdevries.com

‘Melbourne guitarist Doug de Vries has long been revered for his magical playing and willingness to explore new sounds and styles…His artistry is eloquent, joyous and exuberant …” - Herald Sun [Melbourne]

“…De Vries' playing always offers musicality and emotion ahead of technique…with originality, vitality and finesse in equal measure…” - Shane Nichols, Financial Review

"We are indeed fortunate that Doug de Vries likes living in Melbourne..." - Mike Daly, The AGE [Melbourne]

MICHELLE NICOLLE Quartet - (Australia)

Winner: 2001, 2003 and 2004 - Australian Jazz Vocalist of the Year Mo Award - Melbourne based, arranger, band leader and jazz vocalist Michelle Nicolle is Australia's first lady of jazz. With a full ranging and marvellous voice, her profile has been rapidly rising and Michelle has become known as Australia's finest jazz singer. Michelle has released 5 beautiful albums, all of which were received with high acclaim, and her 6th CD 'The Loviest Night' will be out on ABC Records at the end of March 2009. In 1998 at the Wangaratta International Jazz Festival (Melbourne), Michelle won the prestigious National Jazz Award and the judges included the legendary bebop singer Sheila Jordon (USA), and the current Blue Note vocal star Kurt Elling (USA). - "Australian jazz singing doesn't come any better than this" - (The Weekend Australian).

In 2003 and 2006 Michelle Nicolle toured around Australia and in 2004 she toured Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand. In 2005 the Michelle Nicolle Quartet featured at the Java Jazz Festival in Indonesia and performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, as well as at Singapore's Ozmosis Festival. In 2007 tourings included New Zealand, Turkey, Estonia, Finland and Singapore, and in November 2008 the JakJazz festival in Jakarta was included in Michelle's international touring destinations.

"..an exceptional singer... who deserves attention as an original and inspiring Jazz artist." - Cadence Magazine (USA), June 2003

"Michelle Nicolle stands above any other jazz singer in the country."- Weekend Australian, Dec. 2003

"...Michelle impressed from the start with her talents, not only as a vocalist with a very wide octave range but also as an excellent improviser." - Bangkok Post, October 2004

"..an album that confirms Nicolle's place as Australia's best jazz singer." - Sunday Herald Sun, June 2001 (After the Rain review)

"..I can think of no one else who finds, in the modern jazz repertoire, such a sense of pure song." Gilbert Haisman, Evening Post, NZ, Oct'01.

".formidable technique and a staggering range......more interesting than most other jazz vocalists in the country."Rolling Stone

Line-up:
Michelle Nicolle - vocals
Geoff Hughes - guitar
Tom Lee - bass
Ronny Ferella - drums

www.michellenicolle.com