From Here (CD)

From rising star vocalist Alex Siegers, an album of truly Australian jazz standards, featuring classic tracks from across six decades, several recorded here for the first time.

Introduced to Australian and New Zealand jazz by her teacher, the late Kerrie Biddell, Siegers was excited when Tim Nikolsky released the first iteration of the Australian Jazz Real Book – but also frustrated that so many of the classic tunes in it were so difficult to access in recorded form. This album, says Siegers, is a first step towards remedying that lack, and building the core of the Australian jazz canon.

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‘From Here is my postcard to the world about my beautiful home, Australia. From Cockerawombeeba Creek near Wauchope, NSW to Tangambalanga, VIC, just past Yackandandah and Baranduda; our tiny native bees and our towering tallowwoods; our egalitarian spirit and lovable larrikinism; our art, literature and design, the kitsch and the classic. I love it all. We have a deep and complex history, and so many incredible stories to share.’

The album opens with a classic tune from Australian jazz matriarch Judy Bailey: "Colours of My Dream". Bailey recorded it in 1976 with Denise Keene on vocals; this is the first recording since then. Another key woman in Australian jazz is Sharny Russell: she’s represented here with Siegers’ yearning 7/4 rendition of "Somebody’s Daughter".

TRACK LIST

1.    Colours of My Dream (Judy Bailey / John Parker)
2.    Eliza Aria (Elena Kats-Chernin)
3.    Diggers Rest (Brian Brown / Alex Siegers)
4.    Somebody’s Daughter (Sharny Russell)
5.    Love Me Sweet (Carl Vine)
6.    Spirit Song (Bernie McGann / Catherine O’Brien)
7.    Why Should There Be Stars (Bryce Rohde / Kaye Lawrence Dunham)
8.    Three for All (Col Loughnan / Kerrie Biddell)
9.    Intersection (Bob Sedergreen / Judy Jacques)