Hi everyone – Happy New Year to all!
 
I hope you've managed to slow down over the past week. I have certainly been sleeping more, eating more, and not touching my computer (until now...) – which has felt like a much needed 'healing'.

I'm very grateful for the lessons and fruits 2024 served me – although I'm not where I'd like to be yet, I worked hard on trying to find a better work/life balance and would estimate I made about a 6% improvement on 2023. Although that may sound small, I'm celebrating it, as it could well have gone into deficit without the conscious effort I put in. I'm going for a 12% improvement in 2025 (1% per month) - and I'm backing myself on that! More walks, more weekends/slow mornings, more swimming, more massages, more listening, more reading. Time with my husband and kids, and time on my own, with no agenda. Wish me luck and please send through any tips that have worked for you!

My 2024 Top 10 Professional Highlights/Gratitude list (for those interested...):

The Jazzlab (Jeremy, Michael & Ramona) – for my ongoing Monday night residency, which affords me focus, collaborations, experiments, dreaming, development...

The Transients musicians – for all the inspiring and often mind blowing music, & the vols 3&4 recordings

The Sam Anning Septet – Sam, Jules, Carl, Mat, Theo, Kyrie – for the brilliant and highly memorable tour and for Sam's incredible music on Earthen

SIMA – for believing in & supporting Transients Wilson/Anning/Keller and organising a NSW/ACT/QLD tour for us

The Australian Guild of Music and Speech – for publishing one of my pieces from my piano book Forty-one Pieces for Piano, and inviting me into their community

The Newmarket Collective – for continuing to grow the Across Silence project and commissioning another large work from me for collaboration with silent poet Walter Kadiki, haptic vests & Orchestra Victoria (stay tuned for a performance in 2025)

Yamaha – for loaning me pianos for recordings and concerts where ever & whenever

Hadley, Tom & the MIJF team – for all the incredible work they do in promoting artists and creating opportunities and never giving up! It was wonderful to travel with them in Kanazawa, Japan, performing with Christopher Hale's Ritual Diamonds

Sonja Horbelt & the MWIJF – for all the championing & tireless work to lift up & celebrate women & minority groups in jazz in Australia

All the people who came to a gig, a presentation, bought an album, charts, cards, and wrote me messages of support and gratitude – it means SO MUCH!!!

My 2024 releases:
Forty-one Pieces for Piano
100 Concepts for Cultivating Creativity (card deck of prompts for improvisation & composition)
Transients Volume 3: For Sorrow (album on CD & Digital)
Transients Volume 4: For Joy (album on CD & Digital)

My 2024 Top 10 Personal Highlights/Gratitude list (for those interested...):

Our youngest completed primary school and is SUPER ready for the next big step

Our middle-est KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK singing songs & performing at school events

Our eldest became a certified carpenter while simultaneously WINNING at a uni masters degree

'Bebe' the long-haired miniature dachshund joined our family

I swam more laps in 2024 than in 2023

I maintained a similar number of massages received in 2024 to 2023

I did better at keeping work at work

I recognised moments to  slow down

I grabbed small moments and cherished them

Our home is the main place our family wants to be

Some albums I enjoyed in 2024 (all available on Bandcamp - I purchase digital and then listen via my Bandcamp app - EASY): in no particular order

It's all about trust – Genevieve Kuner

Glimmer – Gian Slater (pre-release)

Planetarium – Ben Monder

The Circular Train – Ava Mendoza

Code Breaker – Morten Duun

Our Songs Not Songs – Kristin Berardi & Sam Anning

Between the Lines of Stillness – Paper Tiger (Oehlers, Magnusson, Vanderwal)

Ghost Frequency II - Resonance – Cameron Undy

The Eye is the First Circle – Vanessa Perica

Written in the Dark – Matthew Sheens

Some things that saddened me in 2024:
The recent news of the passing of John Rodgers (violin) & Bob Bertles (saxophone) - two phenomenal musicians and beautiful souls.
I had the pleasure of playing with them both - John Rodgers on the Andrea Keller Quartet Galumphing Round the Nation tour and album, and Bob Bertles performed with Transients on his visit to Melbourne a few years back.
I knew of John through Scott Tinkler and the Australian Art Orchestra, and Bob through my time growing up in Sydney and going out to hear Ten Part Invention as a teenager.
Both were totally inspirational to me and the experience of playing with them were real 'playing with your heroes' moments.
I'm very grateful to them both and encourage you to check out their music if you're not yet familiar.

Just after Christmas the brilliant Head Gap Studio in Thornbury/Preston burnt down as a result of an arson attack on the burger shop next door.
This is devastating for so many reasons. I have recorded many of mine and others albums there over the years (it is my #1 studio of choice in Melbourne!!)
The amazing Head Gap crew are getting on with things - I have sessions booked with them for Jan & Feb and they are already finding ways to re-house them!
There is an opportunity to donate to help them deal with this terrible loss and continue to function until they can re-build.
Link to help https://gofund.me/b79e89e6

Thanks for reading & supporting. Wishing you all a better time in 2025, whatever that means for you.

What (the first half of) 2025 holds for me:

Record an album with Sandy Evans (duo plus guests Kristin Berardi & Jenny Barnes)

Record an album with Stephen Magnusson, Sam Anning & Dave Beck

A trip to the UK with UoM students to participate in CoLab with the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

Travel interstate for gigs, including a regional tour of NSW Conservatoriums and a UKARIA stint with Sandy Evans

Aus tour with Kristin Berardi (fingers crossed - more soon...)

Continue Andrea Keller curates Monday Nights at the Jazzlab

Continue to Head the Jazz & Improvisation department at the University of Melbourne and build and improve on what's already a fabulous course with a stellar team!

In my efforts to achieve an even further improved work/life balance in 2025, I will release my newsletters every two months - 6 in total for the year. Therefore, January & February gigs and events can be found listed below.

Warmest,
Andrea

Hello!
 
So, once again, it's December and we're racing/dragging ourselves to the annual finish line!! I hope you and yours are traveling well and there is a time of rest and recuperation on the horizon for you all :)

The new Transients albums have been out in the world for just over a week. My deepest thanks to everyone who has purchased a copy or two, and for your messages of support and enthusiasm. You are all utterly brilliant and I appreciate you!! I feel very fortunate to find myself in a community of courageous music fans/listeners/enthusiasts who are eager and more than willing to delve into the new and embrace the unknown!
As always, you can find the albums on my bandcamp page, in digital and CD formats, and in stores and on other online platforms thanks to MGM distribution.
Transients Volume 3 - For Sorrow
Transients Volume 4 - For Joy

If you're in Melbourne, please join Angela Davis, Kyrie Anderson, Sam Anning and I for the launch at the Jazzlab on Monday December 9 as part of the MWIJF.

Speaking of the Melbourne Women's International Jazz Festival, this wonderful annual event, spearheaded by the incredible Sonja Horbelt, kicks off next Saturday 7th December and runs for 9 days of panel discussions, performances, album launches, student presentations and more. Please check out the full program here and come along!

A new initiative from the Melbourne Women's International Jazz Festival and the University of Melbourne, is the Lumina Composition Award. This is open to female and gender diverse musicians aged 25 and under, and celebrates compositions in the spirit of jazz & improvisation. To find out more and apply, see this link.

December gigs and events can be found below.

Wishing you all a wonderful festive season and thank you for your support of Australian creative music xx

Warmest,
Andrea

Hello!

I hope that many of you were able to catch the amazing music that was happening in Melbourne last month thanks to the Melbourne International Jazz Festival - it was an awe inspiring 10 days!!

The weather is finally warming up in Melbourne and it really feels like we're on the home stretch. I hope you have your sights on a holiday, time off, celebrations with family/friends, whatever brings you relative respite!

I'm excited to let you know that I'm releasing two new albums on November 22:
Transients Volume 3 - For Sorrow
Transients Volume 4 - For Joy

Both albums recorded over two days in January earlier this year, the albums feature my dear friends and incredible musicians: Jenny Barnes – voice, Angela Davis – saxophone, Niran Dasika – trumpet, Theo Carbo – guitar, Stephen Magnusson – guitar, Sam Anning – bass, Ben Vanderwal – drums, Kyrie Anderson – drums, and Joe Talia – drums.

As always, you can find them on my bandcamp page, in digital and CD formats, and they will be in stores and on other online platforms thanks to MGM distribution. If you'd like to see (a selection of) us perform live, the launch will be at the Jazzlab on December 9 as part of the MWIJF.

I hope you enjoy the music!

I'm also thrilled to be a small part of the latest album release from Australian percussionist Claire Edwards. Claire has been a long time supporter and champion of my (and many other peoples') music! I am so grateful for all the incredibly work she does!! Claire's new Hush album with Emily Granger Magic Sky is being released on November 5th and the first single by Elena Kats-Chernin is already streamable on Spotify and all the usual streaming services - you can listen here.

A new initiative from the Melbourne Women's International Jazz Festival and the University of Melbourne, is the Lumina Composition Award.
This is open to female and gender diverse musicians aged 25 and under, and celebrates compositions in the spirit of jazz & improvisation. To find out more and apply, see this link. Entries close December 1st.

Today, I'm excited to begin the 2024 iteration of the Gender Defying Jazz workshop series. It's always a brilliant 6 weeks of Sunday afternoons, hanging and playing jazz and improvised music with eager emerging players and a wonderful group of tutors.

Wishing you a lovely long-ish weekend if you're in Melbourne.
November gigs can be found below...

Warmest,
Andrea

Hello!

Just a quick update to share some gigs that are going on in Melbourne in October (see my homepage).

October is jam packed with end of semester/year University activities AND the Melbourne International Jazz Festival - a stellar program of music over 10 days! I'm really looking forward to seeing Nicole Zuraitis, Antonio Sanchez (Birdman Live), Paper Tiger, Satoko Fuji, Esparanza Spalding, and more (if I can fit it in...)

I'm working to put together two albums, Transients Volume 3 For Sorrow & Transients Volume 4 For Joy. The music was recorded over two days in January this year at Head Gap Studio, Preston. I had so much fun making music with an incredible pool of creative Melbourne musicians: Jenny Barnes – voice, Angela Davis – saxophone, Niran Dasika – trumpet, Theo Carbo – guitar, Stephen Magnusson – guitar, Andrea Keller – piano, Sam Anning – bass, Ben Vanderwal – drums, Kyrie Anderson – drums, and Joe Talia – drums.
The release date for both albums is November 22, and the launch will be at the Jazzlab on December 9 as part of the MWIJF. More info to come...

A reminder that the Gender Defying Jazz workshop series begins at the start of November, and we are still taking registrations.

Warmest,
Andrea

Hello!
 
I hope you are traveling well and that life is not dealing you too many tough ones.

Here I was thinking that I was a week late sending out my September newsletter, when in fact, logging on I discovered I didn't send out a newsletter at all in August!

Time is flying, but some of the highlights of the past two months have been playing in a new trio with Sam Anning and Dave Beck, giving my debut presentation at a conference, making music with dear friends Jenny Barnes and trumpeter Paul Williamson (not on the same gig), Celebrating Voice with Elly Hoyt and Hannah Cameron, watching one of my kids shine on stage in their first ever school musical, and a new quartet with Stephen Magnusson, Sam Anning & Leigh Fisher!

This month you will find me at the Jazzlab on most Mondays, except for the week when I'll be in Japan performing at the Kanazawa Jazz Street Festival with Christopher Hale's Ritual Diamonds, and I'll also be playing with the new Sam & Dave trio at Uptown this month. See my homepage for the month's gig details.

With thanks & warm wishes,
Andrea

Hello creative music supporters!
 
Thank you to everyone who came out to support the Sam Anning Septet on their national tour. We had such a brilliant time giving workshops and performing to/& meeting incredible people in WA, SA, TAS, ACT, QLD, VIC and NSW. As Sam would say, in the words of Uncle Archie Roach, the music is medicine, and the songs on Earthen are intended for healing. Many tears were shed, laughs were had, and friendships deepened. (Elevator photo of the septet in Hobart, and me with my hero Mike Nock in Sydney, below).

In July I'm embarking on another National tour, with the exquisite vocalist/improviser/song writer Kristin Berardi, and her Australian Quartet including Julien Wilson, Sam Anning and me. I can't wait to rehearse, record and perform Kristin's new tunes in Trafalger, Brisbane, Stradbroke Island, UKARIA and the Jazzlab (see below for gig details).
 
I hope to see you at the Jazzlab in Brunswick on a Monday night, or a Thursday night as part of the Sam Anning Septet July Residency, or at one of the KB gigs around.

With thanks & warm wishes,
Andrea

Hello dear music friends,

Things are ramping up for the 6th month, with Monday nights at the Jazzlab including special guests Jamie Oehlers (Perth), Cheryl Durongpisitkul's Prospectors, and Gian Slater's Uncover, AND the Sam Anning Septet National tour to celebrate Sam's new amazing album: Earthen.

The septet of – Mat Jodrell (trumpet), Carl Mackey (alto saxophone), Julien Wilson (tenor saxophone), Theo Carbo (guitar), Andrea Keller (piano), Sam Anning (double bass) & Kyrie Anderson (drums) will be playing and giving workshops in Perth, York, Adelaide, Hobart, Launceston, Brisbane, Wilson's Downfall, Canberra, and Sydney. See below for details.

Sam Anning Septet – Earthen

You can find the album + reviews at the following links:

On Bandcamp

Released through Earshift

Album reviews:

https://rhythmofstudy.com/2024/04/12/anning-earthen/

https://musictrust.com.au/loudmouth/earthen-sam-anning/

https://www.jazzwise.com/review/sam-anning-earthen

https://bigtakeover.com/recordings/sam-anning-earthen-earshift-music

Please see my homepage for June's full gig listing (I will be spending A LOT of time with Sam Anning & Kyrie Anderson - can't wait!!!)

Hope to see you in WA, SA, TAS, QLD, NSW, ACT or VIC 😊

With thanks & warm wishes,

Andrea

Hello dear music friends,

In celebration of International Jazz Day today, Sam Anning launches Earthen with his long-running septet at a free concert at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music

Tuesday April 30th, 7:30pm – Sam Anning Septet featuring Allara Briggs-Pattison

Mat Jodrell (trumpet), Scott McConnachie (alto saxophone), Julien Wilson (tenor saxophone), Theo Carbo (guitar), Andrea Keller (piano), Sam Anning (double bass) & Kyrie Anderson (drums)

Hanson Dyer Hall, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music

Ian Potter Southbank Centre, 43 Sturt Street Southbank, VIC

(Although the concert is ‘sold out’ if you are keen to turn up at the door, it’s likely that there might be a few spare seats…).

You can find the album Earthen online here.

And you can read a review of the album here.

The launch of my piano book Forty-one Pieces for Piano (a collection of arrangements of my music for two and four hands) AND the 100 Concepts for Cultivating Creativity card deck (prompts for improvisation and composition) was extremely fun – thanks to all who came along to Tempo Rubato on April 12, and to everyone who has purchased the digital book and card deck and sent lovely feedback!

Both resources are available from my website store

I’m looking forward to continuing my Monday nights at the Jazzlab in May with Peggy Lee, Niran Dasika, Dylan van der Schyff, the Sam Anning Septet, Ben Vanderwal, Ben Hanlon, and Angela Davis.

But this May is even more so a month of engaging with incredible young & emerging talents!

I will be at Generations in Jazz this coming weekend in Mt Gambier, South Australia judging the scholarhip awards.

Then on Sunday May 19, the Jazz & improvisation department are hosting the J&I Mega Day at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.

Two Melbourne Conservatorium student big bands will be performing at the Jazzlab on Monday 27 May.

AND registrations are now open for the Gender Defying Jazz Workshops which will be held in November / December this year. (Please pass this on to any female identifying / gender diverse musicians who are keen to explore jazz & improvisation.)

If you know of any budding musicians, please let them know about the above events!

With thanks & warm wishes,

Andrea

Hello dear music friends,

I hope you've had an opportunity to slow down and rest and play over the Easter long weekend. I've been having a lovely time with family, including my brother who is visiting from Denmark, cooking and eating and having adventures outside of our regular routines!

In the background, I'm working on the 2nd edition of my piano book Forty-one Pieces for Piano (a collection of arrangements of my music for two and four hands) AND a card deck of prompts for improvisation and composition – 100 Concepts for Cultivating Creativity. The latter is something I've used in my own improvisation and teaching practices for years, and I've now formalised this into something to share with others!

The digital piano book (1st edition) is currently available for an introductory price of $40 (this includes reference recordings of all tracks and play along tracks created by Georgina Lewis and me). The cards will be on sale shortly.

Both resources will be available from my website store and will be on sale (for a reduced price) at the launch event at Tempo Rubato on Friday April 12 (see below for more details).

My brilliant friend Sam Anning is releasing a new album Earthen, which features his long-running septet. The album will be launched on International Jazz Day at a free concert at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music on Tuesday April 30th, 7:30pm (see below for more details).

You can find Earthen online here.

Here are some words about Earthen & the launch event:

Celebrating International Jazz Day, the Sam Anning Septet (featuring Jazz & Improvisation sessional and continuing staff) launch ‘Earthen’. This performance will feature special guest Allara Briggs-Pattison. Melbourne bassist-composer Sam Anning’s third septet album Earthen, is dedicated to the indomitable spirit of Indigenous Australian music icon, Uncle Archie Roach. Featuring an ensemble of long-time collaborators, Andrea Keller, Kyrie Anderson, Mat Jodrell, Carl Mackey, Julien Wilson, and Theo Carbo, the album draws on the deep well of Roach’s wisdom, connection to the moment, resilience of spirit, and the medicinal power of music. Anning’s experience as bassist for three years with Roach before his passing in 2022 was a profound and musically enriching journey. Roach was an award-winning singer-songwriter, musician and respected elder, known for his songs that often told powerful, poignant stories about Indigenous Australian experiences, particularly the pain and trauma of the Stolen Generations. The experience offered Anning a unique opportunity to contribute to a powerful legacy of social activism and healing through music, providing a profound connection with his music and his audiences, reflecting on the themes of loss, resilience and hope.

Please see below for April gig details with brilliant friends and collaborators.

With thanks & warm wishes,

Andrea

Hello dear music friends,

a quick (and slightly late) note to let you know that my piano book project Forty-one Pieces for Piano (a collection of arrangements of my music for two and four hands) is now available for purchase through my website. This first edition is a digital book with audio reference tracks recorded by Georgina Lewis and me. I'm very proud of it, and hope that some of you might find it useful and enjoyable in your own exploration of music, and to share with your students.

The last few weeks have been busy with the start of the university semester, as well as the Transients mini tour with Sam Anning and Julien Wilson (BIG thanks to JMI Brisbane, Street Theatre Canberra, Felicity & Rob Austinmer NSW, and Churhc Street Studios Sydney), AND the Clarence Jazz Festival in Hobart with Shannon Barnett trio and Elly Hoyt's Composers' Voice Volume 2!

Please see below for March gig details with brilliant friends and collaborators. (Special mention of Brunswick Music Festival 9th March at the Jazzlab)

With thanks & warm wishes,

Andrea

Please check out my Bandcamp page for CD's, digital, LP's, T-shirts, and Pdf Scores.

Latest album Flicker & Polar Bird, featuring John Mackey (saxophone), Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet), Rachael Thoms & Liam Budge vocals, Véronique Serret (violin) and a host of fabulous string players from Sydney and Canberra.

Hello dear music friends,

The low gear cruise of January has come to an end... Although there was a lot of work bubbling away in the background, including a fabulous two days in the studio with the Transients family (Angela Davis, Sam Anning, Ben Vanderwal, Joe Talia, Niran Dasika, Jenny Barnes, Kyrie Anderson, Stephen Magnusson, and Theo Carbo) AND near completion of Forty-one Pieces for Piano a collection of arrangements of my music for two and four hands. Both will be released in 2024 and I will keep you posted on their developments.

In my January newsletter I neglected to let you know about a new release... Monash University released Circuit Breaker a lengthy piece I was commissioned to write for the Monash Art Ensemble during COVID lockdowns. It was a complete thrill to play this piece with them under the baton of Paul Grabowsky. Performances included the Melbourne International Jazz Festival 2022 and the Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival 2023, plus recording the work at Monash Uni.

You can check out the recording here

And you can listen to me talking about the piece here

The speed of things picks up in February with Monday nights at the Jazzlab, and The Transients mini tour [Wilson/Anning/Keller] (made possible by SIMA’s Regional Touring Program, with support from the Australia Council for the Arts and Create NSW – thank you SIMA!!), + more.

With performances in Melbourne, Trafalgar, Brisbane, Sydney, Wollongong and Canberra, I hope to see you at a gig!

Please see below for Feb gig details with brilliant friends and collaborators. (Special mention of a new quartet led by incredible Canadian cellist Peggy Lee on Monday 5th Feb at the Jazzlab)

With thanks & warm wishes,

Andrea

Please check out my Bandcamp page for CD's, digital, LP's, T-shirts, and Pdf Scores.

Latest album Flicker & Polar Bird, featuring John Mackey (saxophone), Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet), Rachael Thoms & Liam Budge vocals, Véronique Serret (violin) and a host of fabulous string players from Sydney and Canberra.

Hello dear music friends,

Amidst all the global unrest and anguish, I extend my warmest wishes to you and your dearest as we enter the new year. If only 2024 could deliver us a stronger resolve for peace, greater compassion, wisdom and foresight in leadership, and a cessation to atrocities committed on the innocent.

In the hope that music will continue to provide solace, please see below for gigs with brilliant friends and collaborators.

With thanks & warm wishes,
Andrea

Please check out my Bandcamp page for CD's, digital, LP's, T-shirts, and Pdf Scores.

My latest album Flicker & Polar Bird, featuring John Mackey (saxophone), Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet), Rachael Thoms & Liam Budge vocals, Véronique Serret (violin) and a host of fabulous string players from Sydney and Canberra is out now!

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all well as we enter the final stretch of the year!

In all the busyness I completely bypassed the November newsletter, only realising in time for the December post...

November held a few special highlights nonetheless:

I was privileged to attend the Last Hoorah of the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz & Blues as a judge for the National Jazz Awards (Bass).

The Gender Defying Jazz (GDJ) Workshop Series got off to a great start with tutors Flora Carbo, Gian Slater, Kyrie Anderson, Zoe Frater and Sonja Horbelt joining me and a group of wonderful young musicians. I spent a couple of days in the studio with Georgina Lewis recording 41 of my tunes arranged for 2 & 4-hands at the piano - enormous thanks to Yamaha for providing a sublime instrument for the occasion (more on that in 2024).

I had the pleasure of playing music with beautiful friends at the Jazzlab and Uptown Jazz Cafe, and was even shouted to a couple of days in Torquay thanks to a research retreat provided by the University of Melbourne!

My new double album Flicker & Polar Bird, which captures the music I created and recorded during my time as the HC Coombs Fellow at the ANU Canberra in 2022 and features John Mackey (saxophone), Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet), Rachael Thoms & Liam Budge vocals, Véronique Serret (violin) and a host of fabulous string players from Sydney and Melbourne, is circulating out in the world. Thanks to everyone who has made space to engage with the music. Digital and CD formats are available for purchase from my Bandcamp page.

December isn't showing signs of slowing down yet with the Melbourne Women's International Jazz Festival launching TODAY!

Monday nights at the Jazzlab will finish the year with The Composers Circle and Wilson/Anning/Keller, while a final gig at Uptown Jazz Cafe for the year will feature a Christmas Quartet with brilliant musicians & friends Julien Wilson, Stephen Magnusson and Sam Anning.

See my homepage for details on performances.

Thanks for your support of Australian creative music!

Warmest wishes,

Andrea

Hello everyone,

I am writing to you from gorgeous San Remo in Victoria at the end of a small family holiday, snuck in before the madness of the end of the year truly descends upon us.

This week sees the launch of a new double album Flicker & Polar Bird, which captures the music I created and recorded during my time as the HC Coombs Fellow at the ANU Canberra in 2022. The music features John Mackey (saxophone), Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet), Rachael Thoms & Liam Budge vocals, Véronique Serret (violin) and a host of fabulous string players from Sydney and Melbourne. The official release date is Friday October 6 and you can purchase a digital or CD copy from my Bandcamp page.

Monday nights at the Jazzlab continue this month with Transients, Celebrating Voice featuring Emma Gilnmartin and Ed Fairlie, and Two & Two featuring Ikigai and Mortlake.

October in Melbourne features the Melbourne International Jazz Festival - 10 days of incredible music, musicians, new collaborations, launches and more. I'm thrilled to be performing with Canadian trumpeter Ingrid Jensen over a couple of nights at the Jazzlab, as well as performances with the Vanessa Perica Orchestra, The Louisa Rankin Septet (opening for the SFJAZZ Collective), and my brilliant tertiary ensemble Conjuress who will open for the MIJF 2023 Take Note Commission by Cheryl Durongpisitkul.

See my homepage for details on performances.

Thanks for your support of Australian creative music!

Warmest wishes,

Andrea

Please check out my Bandcamp page for CD's, digital, LP's, T-shirts, and Pdf Scores.

PS - The Gender Defying Jazz Workshops are back - if you know any aspiring female/gender diverse jazz/improvising musicians, please direct them here.

Spring has sprung, and with it comes the emergence of new projects, fresh dreams, and the release of things that have been brewing beneath the surface.

I am getting ready to launch a new double album Flicker & Polar Bird, which captures the music I created and recorded during my time as the HC Coombs Fellow at the ANU Canberra in 2022. The music features John Mackey (saxophone), Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet), Rachael Thoms & Liam Budge vocals, Véronique Serret (violin) and a host of fabulous string players from Sydney and Melbourne. I can't wait to share it with you when it is released on October 6.

For September, you will mainly find me at the Jazzlab on Monday nights, plus my bimonthly visit to Uptown Jazz Cafe. There is also a really special performance of Journey Home, music for solo piano and film, that Hayley Miro Browne and I created in 2019. We will be presenting this at Beleura House in Mornington (where the album was partially recorded on the wonderful Stuart & Sons pianos).

Here are some words on Journey Home:

Inspired by the words of Allan Browne, who reported that ‘every great story is usually about the journey home’, Journey Home is a collaboration between pianist/composer Andrea Keller and filmmaker Hayley Miro. They create an experience that combines music and film in mutual accompaniment, not in competition, but rather in full compliment of one another, bringing together images of Australia and the Czech Republic in the 1970’s & 80’s (captured through the lens of Keller’s late father Erik Keller) with today. With a theme centred on universal sentiments of childhood, family and home, Journey Home seems particularly pertinent, given the extraordinary displacement of so many people around the world.

Music composed and performed by Andrea Keller (piano)

Photographs by Erik Keller & Hayley Miro Browne

Film by Hayley Miro Browne

”Journey Home is a deeply moving work, an impassioned elegy for the past, and a reclamation of things otherwise lost to us.”
Review of Journey Home in Rhythms, January 2021, by Des Cowley

”Keller creates some of the most beautiful piano music I’ve heard…”
Review of Journey Home December 10, 2021, The Beauty of Andrea Keller by Ian Muldoon

Thanks for your support of Australian creative music!

Warmest wishes,

Andrea

PS - The Gender Defying Jazz Workshops are back - if you know any aspiring female/gender diverse jazz/improvising musicians, please direct them here.

I'm back from my mini European tour with Nick Haywood and Niko Schäuble. We had an awesome time performing in Prague (Czech Republic) and Esslingen and Ulm (Germany) - premiering Niko's composition for jazz trio and orchestra 'Clear Waters' in the latter. Loads of fun was had walking summer European streets, rehearsing with orchestra in a school camp facility in Babenhausen (Bavaria), and traveling on the autobahn with Nick & Niko!

Upon my return, I happily jumped into the recording of album #2 for the Vanessa Perica Orchestra. The music is stunning and the playing is phenomenal - this will be out later in the year!! Another treat since my return has been hanging and playing music with the great Kristin Berardi (on a visit from Switzerland).

For August, I'm settling back into the swing of Melbourne life, with the uni semester back underway, and performances with a plethora of Australian musical incredibles on Monday's at the Jazzlab, the MJC, the Count's, Uptown Jazz Cafe, and the Melbourne Conservatorium Hanson Dyer Hall series. See the homepage for details.

Warmest wishes,

Andrea

Please check out my Bandcamp page for CD's, digital, LP's, T-shirts, and Pdf Scores.

PS - The Gender Defying Jazz Workshops are back - if you know any aspiring female/gender diverse jazz/improvising musicians, please direct them here.

I'm excited to be heading off to Europe on Monday for a mini tour with the great Nick Haywood and Niko Schäuble! Not only am I hoping for warmer weather, but also looking forward to connecting with family and friends and performing in Prague (Czech Republic) and Esslingen and Ulm (Germany). The Ulm gig will feature the world premiere of Niko's composition for jazz trio and orchestra 'Clear Waters'. (See homepage for full details of the gigs).

While I'm away, the brilliant Kate Kelsey Sugg, Ash Ballat/Stephen Magnusson duo, and 'Meatshell' will be keeping the fires burning on Mondays at the Jazzlab.

Upon my return, I'll be straight back into it with the recording of Vanessa Perica's second album for the Vanessa Perica Orchestra, alongside gigs with the Mat Jodrell sextet, Transients, Five Below, and Kristin Berardi (on a visit from Switzerland).

Gig details here.

Warmest wishes,

Andrea

Hello everyone,

I only recently realised that I neglected to send out my monthly newsletter in May (not even my mother noticed...). Regardless, the month still ran, music was made, and new experiences were had.

Some highlights from May included:

Attending GIJ - Generations in Jazz (as an adjudicator, performer and workshop presenter). This was held in Mount Gambier, South Australia and was a fabulous weekend of mud, rain, cold, thousands of enthusiastic young people, and incredible energy surrounding jazz and music making!

Co-chairing and hosting AJIRN6 - the Australasian Jazz and Improvisation Research Network Conference with one of my colleagues at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne. This was a superb weekend of musical minds sharing their research on creative music and our jazz & improvisation community. With close to forty presentations (virtual and in person) from Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Singapore, Chile, Austria and Belgium, it was a really inspiring few days of connection and learning.

One of our brilliant Jazz & Improv ensembles from UniMelb - Masters & Apprentices, directed by Gian Slater and featuring her music for seven vocalists, saxophone, piano, bass and drums, performed at the Jazzlab as part of my Monday night series. The concert was a double bill with the resurrection of Still Night: Music in Poetry my 2016 song cycle performed by vocalists Gian Slater, Josh Kyle, with Stephen Magnusson (guitar), Julien Wilson (saxophone & bass clarinet) and me (piano). This concert was streamed by Oh! Jazz and you can watch it by subscribing to their platform using this 50% discount code: LNeWVbQx

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The MJC - Melbourne Jazz Co operative celebrated their 40th Anniversary through a sold out concert at the Melbourne Recital Centre in the Elizabeth Murdoch Hall. Enormous gratitude and thanks to Martin Jackson who has been at the helm of the MJC for 40 years, generously building and lifting the scene and all its players, emerging and established. I had the great pleasure of performing in duo with Sandy Evans and some nice words were written about the event, which you can read here (scroll down a bit).

June will see winter in Melbourne truly take hold. Alongside my regular Monday nights at Jazzlab (featuring Piano Club, Transients, Dasika/Svoboda/Keller and Wave Riders), I will have my bi-monthly appearance at Uptown Jazz Cafe, a performance at the Castlemaine Jazz Festival, AND a VERY special concert devised by my dearest friend Kylie Davies - Across Silence.

Across Silence: The Art of Music, Auslan Haptics is a collaboration the first of its kind in Australia, presented by the Newmarket Collective. Delivered in Auslan and sung by Gian Slater, Deaf artists Walter Kadiki and Marnie Kerridge perform a series of poems set to music by me.

Walter and Marnie wear vibro-tactile haptic vests created by Music: No Impossible. Consisting of a body pack, wrist and ankle bands they allow the performers to receive vibrations across 24 touch points on the body by programmed software, to feel the instruments and music live on stage (Photos below of me and Natasha Fearnside trying the haptic vests). This has been a truly remarkable but also extremely challenging experience for me, to improvise, arrange, and compose music with specific awareness of its interpretation through vibration, as experienced by deaf and hard of hearing people. The concert is on at Tempo Rubato this Sunday (two shows, 4pm & 8pm). If you're in Melbourne, please come!

All gig details are listed on my homepage. Hope to see you at one or more if you're in town!

Wishing you a lovely month ahead.

Warmest,
Andrea

Hello everyone,

I am writing to you from Canberra once again. This time at the close of my HC Coombs Fellowship. I have had the most brilliant time over the last 12 months travelling here to work with staff and students – performing, recording, composing, teaching and enjoying the ANU pool/spa! I will miss these visits enormously. A massive thanks to everyone at the ANU School of Music who welcomed me and offered me their generosity - what a fantastic team! Particular thanks go to John Mackey and Miroslav Bukovsky for sharing their incredible music with me over the year. I am looking forward to releasing a selection of the music we made soon-ish...

My brilliant friend Hayley Miro Browne created a spectacular photography collection in 2022 Echoes; Grief and Love. I am incredibly humbled that she included a photo of me in the exhibition. I highly encourage you to view the digital exhibition here.

I'll be in Melbourne for the month of April playing Mondays at the Jazzlab and a couple of visits to Uptown Jazz Cafe with a host of sensational musicians.

Please see the full list of gigs on my homepage. Hope to see you at one or more if you're in town!

Wishing you a lovely month ahead.

Warmest,
Andrea

Please check out my Bandcamp page for CD's, digital, LP's, T-shirts, and Pdf Scores.

Hello everyone,

I hope the year is treating you well!

A brief newsletter this month - please see gigs on my homepage.

You will find me in Brunswick a fair bit, at the Jazzlab and at Cross Street Music Hall, performing with some of my favourite people - Nick Haywood, Sam Bates, Sam Anning, Kyrie Anderson, Stephen Magnusson, Joe Talia, Jenny Barnes, Mick Meagher, and Niko Schauble.

I'm looking forward to playing with incredible emerging musicians Tessie Overmyer and Harley Coleman (both from Sydney), and to feature the Callum Mintzis Quartet as part of the Mondays Nights at Jazzlab residency.

The wonderful Solstice Trio are including one of my pieces, 'Flicker #1' in their concert program at FortyFiveDownstairs on Wednesday 8th March, 7:30pm. They are performing as part of the fortyfivedownstairs chamber music festival and you can find more details about that here.

At the end of the month I'll be returning to Canberra for my final week as HC Coombs Fellow, and I'm looking forward to playing in trio with Miroslav Bukovsky and John Mackey at the ANU (check ANU School of Music events closer to the date for more details if you're interested).

Wishing you a lovely month ahead.

Warmest,
Andrea

Dear cherished supporters of creative music,

Another month is upon us, and with it brings more experiences and opportunities for connection and betterment.

I'm feeling very privileged to have been in Sydney last week, working on a new album that's grown out of my time as HC Coombs Fellow at ANU in Canberra. My recent Sydney stint was all about recording with Miroslav Bukovsky and John Mackey with a BRILLIANT string section led by Véronique Serret. We recorded at Trackdown Studios (they have a gorgeous Yamaha!!) with Richie Belkner at the helm, and I'm totally thrilled with the results. It will take a bit to work through all the music created and recorded in Canberra and Sydney over the last year, but I plan to have something out later in 2023.

I'm feeling ridiculously fortunate at the moment as I'm in Mornington VIC at the Peninsula Hot Springs on a week-long residency to slow down, focus on wellness, and see what new music might come as a result. Enormous thanks to the facilitators of this program, and to my husband Mick for holding the fort at home and encouraging me to make the most of this divine opportunity!!

Details of all my February gigs are on my homepage, including a solo concert at the Hot Springs this Saturday, where the audience bathe while taking in the sounds - a truly unique experience!

Thanks for your support.

Warmest,
Andrea

Please check out my Bandcamp page for CD's, digital, LP's, T-shirts, and Pdf Scores.

Dear cherished supporters of creative music,

Here we are on the first day of a new calendar year. I hope you all made it through 2022 in one piece, and I extend my love, care and warmest thoughts to those grieving loss and trauma from the year that has been.

Searching for words from the wise to carry me forward into 2023, these from Jean-Paul Sartre strike loudest for me this morning:

There may be more beautiful times, but this one is ours.

Details of all my January gigs are listed on my homepage. Including a solo concert in Flinders VIC for the Peninsula Summer Music Festival, and the resumption of Mondays at the Jazzlab.

Sending everyone positive wishes for the new year as we continue to navigate life's mountainous path.

Warmest,
Andrea

Hello!

I am writing to you from beautiful Canberra once again - my final trip for the year as part of the HC Coombs Fellowship. This week I was privileged to get in the studio at the School of Music and record with a brilliant group of ANU jazz students, as well as a session with strings, trio and voices featuring Miroslav Bukovsky, John Mackey, Liam Budge and Rachael Thoms!

I am looking forward to more travel in 2023, perhaps even going over the seas...

I can't believe we've hit the final month, although my body and spirit feel it, and the general sense of exhaustion I see in everyone around me is telling of a massive year of activity. Time for reflection will come in the new year, but for now, there is one final stretch of exciting things to experience!

This week in Melbourne (December 4-11), the brilliant and vital Melbourne International Women's Jazz Festival will be filling our lives with music. You can check out all the wonderful events here.

I'm thrilled to be involved in performances with Lucy Clifford (Jann Rutherford Memorial Award winner), Louisa Rankin Septet, Morgana 30th Anniversary tour, and Sandy Evans & Andrea Keller duo. As well as the Gender Defying Jazz workshop finale and the inaugural Composers Symposium (details below).

To close the year, the final Mondays @ Jazzlab will include Five Below and Transients with Wilson/Anning/Keller, and a gig at Uptown Jazz Cafe with a slightly different Transients with Magnusson/Anning/Keller.

Details of all December gigs can be found on my homepage.

Thanks for supporting creative Australian music!

Warmest,
Andrea

Hello!

What a month October was!!

The Melbourne International Jazz Festival was phenomenal!!

Massive congrats to the MIJF team and everyone who made the festival such an inspiring and memorable event (this includes musicians and audiences )

I’m super proud of our UniMelb Jazz & Improv students for their performances in Conjuress and Masters & Apprentices (with Melissa Aldana!!!!).

Having Melissa Aldana as a guest artist with us in the Jazz & Improv department was a highlight - what an incredible musician and person she is. Her generosity, ideas and work ethic are truly inspirational - we hope she can come back really soon!!

It was equally wonderful to have pianist Dan Tepfer with us. He completely blew us all away with his ideas and brilliance!

I spent a lot of time at Chapel Off Chapel over the festival, performing with Conjuress, Morgana’s 30 year anniversary, Emma Donovan’s kids show ‘Follow The Sun’, Chris Hale’s Ritual Diamonds, and Transients with Julien Wilson and Sam Anning.

It was a thrill to finally rehearse, premier and record a commission I’d received from the Monash Art Ensemble back in 2020 - Circuit Breaker. My piece was realised by a brilliant ensemble of Monash university students and staff conducted by Paul Grabowsky.

Another world premier was Brenda Gifford’s new work for the Australian Art Orchestra ‘Moriyawa’, which we performed at the MRC Salon to a sold out room.

It was a really special thing to have the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz & Blues back on in real life. I took the family and had a lovely couple of days in a country motel taste testing as many café breakfast/brunches as we could! Sadly Flora Carbo was unwell and unable to travel for the PATSy performance, but the brilliant Angela Davis stepped in and did a stellar job. It was beautiful to play with Ange, Callum and Steve in the church, and then in the theatre with the wonderful Jess Hitchcock and band. Big congrats and thanks to the Wang team (particularly Eugene Ball!) for all they did to get the festival back up and running. Here’s to many more!!

Mondays at Jazzlab featured a superb Piano Club on Halloween with John McAll, Jex Saarelaht and Bob Sedergreen. Enormous thanks to John, Jex and Bob for the incredible music and chat, and to everyone who came down to support and create a beautiful vibe!

November Mondays at Jazzlab will feature extraordinary emerging bassist/composer Blakely McLean Davies, presenting his music with a group of stellar young musicians, PATSy (you can read a review of our album here), a new quartet with trumpeter Paul Williamson and the Stephen Magnusson trio.

I am off to Sydney this morning, for an extra special gig premiering new works for trio with Miroslav Bukovsky, John Mackey and strings at the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s exquisite new venue Pier 2/3 in Sydney (presented by SIMA for the Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival). The gig is tomorrow/Thursday night.

And then from Sydney to Perth for performances with the Sam Anning Septet, Mat Jodrell Sextet and Transients [Wilson/Anning/Keller] at the Perth International Jazz Festival over the weekend.

Looking forward to the music, the people, and the better weather!!!

This month also features a special concert at Beleura House, Mornington with the Dasika/Keller/Svoboda trio performing works from Kiri: a suite of music composed by Niran Dasika inspired by the ‘nihonga’ style paintings of Kaii Higashiyama which capture the beauty, drama and pathos of Japan’s natural landscapes and seasonal change. The performance will be accompanied by projected images and I will be in piano heaven playing the Stuart & Sons piano(s)

Details of all November gigs are on my homepage.

Thanks for supporting creative Australian music!

Warmest,
Andrea

Hi everyone,

I hope life is treating you well!

I’m writing to you from Canberra once again, feeling very privileged to have these regular trips to compose, rehearse, record, and make new things courtesy of the HC Coombs Fellowship at the ANU.

These last few months of the year are FULL of exciting events and travels. Festivals are BACK and there is lots on in October/early November!!

Regular Monday nights @ the Jazzlab featuring PATSY, Five Below, Dasika/Svoboda/Keller, and an extra special Piano Club with three legendary musicians – Bob Sedergreen, Jex Saarelaht and John McAll!!!

Melbourne Jazz Festival performances with:
Morgana

Many moons ago, when I was studying first year jazz & improvisation at the VCA (now MCM), my brilliant teacher Sue Johnson rang me, unwell, to ask me to sub for her that night with Morgana at Bennetts Lane Jazz Club. There were many firsts for me that night! I’m sure I did quite an ordinary job with the music (considering how green I was), but the band were incredibly gracious towards me, and I’ve always admired and appreciated them for it.

I can’t wait to get a second crack at it for this gig, their 30-year anniversary, where I will, once again, be subbing for the ever-inspiring Sue Johnson. Hoping to do a better job this time around!

The opening set will be played by Conjuress a wonderful group of female-identifying musicians studying jazz & improvisation at the MCM

Emma Donovan’s Kids Show

This is going to be a beautiful show! Any interaction with Emma Donovan will fill your heart – she is GOLD!!

Christopher Hale’s ‘Ritual Diamonds’ release of his wonderful music after MANY years in the making!

Transients [Wilson/Anning/Keller] my old but trusty favourite xx

Monash Art Ensemble premier of ‘Circuit Breaker’

Thrilled to be working with Paul Grabowsky and the Monash Art Ensemble, and to finally hear my work Circuit Breaker! MAE commissioned this back in 2020, but the pandemic quashed all previous attempts to realise the project. Also, on the program are works by the brilliant Cheryl Durongpisitkul and PG himself.

Brenda Gifford and the Australian Art Orchestra a new work by Brenda for the AAO

Wangaratta Jazz Festival

I’m SO excited to be travelling back to Wangaratta for the Jazz Festival this year after the hiatus of the last few years – BIG thanks to everyone who has had a hand in making this legendary festival happen again!!

I have two gigs on the Saturday – one with my pals in PATSy and the other, a new collaboration with Jess Hitchcock!

Coming up in November: Gigs in Sydney & Perth!!

Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival

An extra special gig premiering new works for trio with Miroslav Bukovsky, John Mackey and strings at the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s exquisite new venue Pier 2/3 in Sydney

Perth International Jazz Festival

Performances with the Sam Anning Septet, Mat Jodrell Sextet and Transients [Wilson/Anning/Keller]

I hope you can enjoy this wonderful festival season!

With warmest wishes,

Andrea

Please check out my Bandcamp page for CD's, digital, LP's, T-shirts, and Pdf Scores.

Hello everyone,

I hope your worlds are treating you well!

I'm writing to you from Canberra, spending another wonderful week working at the ANU as part of my year as HC Coombs Fellow. We had a wonderful debut gig with the trio (Miroslav Bukovsky, John Mackey and me) at the Drill Hall Gallery on Sunday, which included stunning solo piano sets from three wonderful emerging musicians - Eliot Kozary, Caleb Campbell, and Ronan Apcar. Thank you to everyone who attended for making it such a special night, to the Drill Hall Gallery for hosting the event, and to Art Sound FM 92.7 for recording the gig (you'll be able to listen in to the broadcast before too long). Photo of the trio below, taken at Drill Hall in front of an Idris Murphy painting (photo taken by Eric Pozza).

I am completely chuffed to have been awarded the Luminary Award for sustained contribution to Victorian music last night at the APRA AMCOS Art Music Awards. Big congrats to all the very deserving winners in all categories, and finalists too, and enormous gratitude to APRA AMCOS for all that they do for our music community!

Details of all my September performances can be found on my homepage. A few gigs in Melbourne and then back to Canberra at the end of the month, before the plethora of festivals hit the country in October/November!

With warmest wishes,

Andrea

Please check out my Bandcamp page for CD's, digital, LP's, T-shirts, and Pdf Scores.