"An outstanding singer".....Laurence Donahue -Green (All about Jazz, New York)
Vocalist, improvisor and songwriter, Julie O'Hara has been active in jazz for almost twenty years, growing up in Melbourne, Australia, performing with Big Bands, gypsy swing, traditional jazz, R&B swing, bebop and vocalese.
Julie has earned a reputation for her prodigious activity in Melbourne's jazz and music clubs, national and international music and jazz festivals as a versatile and committed vocalist and songwriter.
Currently performing in Melbourne with the Julie O'Hara sextet - vocalese project. In the spirit of vocalese, O'Hara has written original lyrics to songs composed by jazz horn masters from the 40's and 50s's including; Cannonball Adderley, Hank Mobley, Blue Mitchell, Dexter Gordon, Dizzie Gillespie, Charlie Parker and more.
The sextet features some of Australia's finest musicians and improvisors, all band leaders and composers of their own projects. Please visit their websites to learn more about them.
Ben Winkelman on piano, Leigh Barker on bass, Edward York on drums, Eamon Mcnelis on trumpet, Carlo Barbaro on tenor.
Recent performance at Wangaratta jazz festival 2008 and regular gigs at Bennett's Lane Jazz Club, Paris Cat jazz club, Transit Lounge and national festivals. Castlemaine Music Festival is the next festival date, March 2009, with the sextet recording over the next couple of months.
Debut CD will be available soon.
The Julie O'Hara quintet features all original compositions, with recent performances at Queenscliffe Music Festival 2008 and at the Spiegeltent for the Melbourne International Music Festival 2008.
The band features Julie O'Hara - vocals, Kelsey James - Vocals, Eamon McNelis - trumpet, Ben Winkelman - piano, Edward York on drums and Leigh Barker - double bass.
Songs explore love,loss, madness and celebrate life, music and the absurd. A jazz inspired, popish, latin infused, ensemble with rich harmonies and uplifting rhythms.
CD "All in the one room" will be available soon.
Also working in R&B swing and jump blues outfit, Bopkick. The band originally formed for dancers at the Bendigo Hotel, Fitzroy. That gig is now long gone, but the band continues, with a mix of original tunes and great songs by the likes of Buddy Johnson, Ella Mae Morse, T Bone Walker and Joe Turner. The band features three vocalists, lots of riffing, often using the voice as another instrument, sublime drumming from jazz and R&B veteren, Lin Wallis (Virus, Tom Baker's Swing Street Orchestra, Yarra Yarras), and high energy sparing between guitarist, Peter Baylor (Stringbusters, Flatfoot Shakers, Road House Romeos) and Tenor saxophonist, Dean Hilson (The Pearly Shells, Swingin' Sidewalks). Bassist, Dale Lindrea (Vanguards, The Future Duo)plays electric bass, which is unusual for this genre, but works perfectly. Vocalist, Julie O'Hara plays piano and occasional nose trumpet.
Bopkick perform regularly at Transit Lounge, Federation Square, City and various jazz and music festivals.
Also performing with:
The B# Big Band (www.bsharpbigband.com)
Blue Drag (www.filmharmonix.com)
The Pearly Shell's Big Band (ww.thepearlyshells.com), Society Syncopators
Gil Askey
The Shuffle Club (www.theshuffleclub.com),
Bob Sedergreen
Virus
George Washingmachine (www.georgewashingmachine.com)
Discography;
Relaxin at the Camarillo (Blue Drag)2000
This New Situation (Pearly Shells)2005
Papermoon 2003 (George Washingmachine) Newmarket music
Midnight Sun 2007(George Washingmachine)Newmarket music Click & Drag 2004 (skaddabox) **
Cities 2006 (The Cat Empire)
The Lost Song(The Cat Empire)
Smoke Rings 2006(Julie O'Hara rifftet)**
MOP 2003 (MOP)
Live at Laundry (Virus)
Synergy 2007(Dave Joy)
Live at Lee's (Hollywood records) 2008
Single "still in love' by Colin Snape and Julie O'Hara, featuring trumpet by Toby Mak **
**digital downloading available
Awards/Nominations:
2007
Bell Awards, 'Midnight Sun' album with George Washingmachine, nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album
2006 World Music Aria award for The Cat Empire's album, 'Cities", featuring several songs with vocals by O'Hara and Nina Ferro.
2005
Australian Songwriter's Association Awards:
1st Place in Techno/dance/hip hop R&B with Still in Love (Rosy) (co-written with Colin Snape)
1st Place for 'Back to Me', contemporary Ballad (co-written with Gary Deleo)
6th place for 'Magic Hands' and 'Scatterbox', jersey remix (Ivan Katchoyan)
nominated for songwriter of the year award 2005
Credits for All in the One Room and Here we go, 2007
Recent Performances:
Spiegeltent 2008
Wangarratta Jazz Festival 2008
Queenscliffe Music Festival 2008
Bennet's Lane - Julie O'Hara Sextet - vocalese project, 2008
The Paris Cat Jazz Club with pianist, Tom Vincent and Bob Sedergreen for triple treat concert series 2008
Sandringham Yacht Club, with Ben Winkelman and Ed York, 2008
Transit Lounge, Federation Square with Bopkick, 2008
Cremorne Orpheum Theatre, Sydney with George Washingmachine band, 2008
Danish Club with The Pearly shells Big Band, 2008
Copacabana with the B# Big Band, 2008
Bentleigh Jazz Club with the Society Syncopators, 2008
St.Michael's Church with B#Big Band, 2007
Burlesque Red Door Events with 1920's quartet, 2007
Victorian Jazz Club with George Washingmachine, 2007
Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony with The Cat Empire
Festivals:
Peninsula Jazz Festival quartet 2009
Castlemaine Music Festival - vocalese project 2009
Wangaratta Jazz Festival 2008 Julie O'Hara sextet and also guest vocalist with jazz manouche band, Blue Drag.
Queenscliffe Music Festival 2008
Melbourne International Music Festival 2008
Thredbo Jazz Festival , Julie O'Hara and Peter Baylor quintet, 2008
Coolah Jazz in the Tops festival, 2008
Food and Wine Festival, Brighton , B# Little big band, 2007
Macedon Ranges Jazz Festival (Anita O'Day tribute show), 2007
International Jazz Festival, Melbourne, with Julie O'Hara quintet (vocalese), 2007
Mordiallic Food and Wine Festival, Julie O'Hara quintet (vocalese), 2007
Wangarrata Jazz Festival, with Bopkick and George Washingmachine 2005, 2006
Queenscliffe Music Festival, with George Washingmachine, 2006
Noosa Jazz Festival, with George Washingmachine band and quartet, 2006
Coolart Jazz Festival, The Pearly Shells, George Washingmachine and Main Stem Jazz band, 2007, 2006, 2004
East Coast Jazz and Blues Festival, Bangalow , with skaddabox, 2006
Yarraville Music Festival, with Stephen Magnusson 2006
Copenhagen Jazz Festival with Hoodangers, MOP and rifftet, 2003, 2006
Silkeborg Jazz Festival 2001, 2003, 2006
Tuno Jazz Festival, Denmark 2006
Femu Jazz Festival, Denmark 2003
Malmo Jazz Festival, Sweden 2003
Hargussan Jazz Festival, Norway, 2003
Jazz Contracts:
Bangkok, Thailand 1994/5
Germany, 1995
France, 1998
Hong Kong 2001
Dresden, Germany 2003
Phuket, Thailand, 2007
Tours:
Hobart Music Festival 2008
Devonport Jazz Festival, 2008
Northeastern tour with George Washingmachine and Peter Baylor, 2008
Support to The Cat Empire's Regional Tour 2004 with skaddabox
Regional Arts Victoria Tour with jazz manouche band, Blue Drag, 2005
Scandinavian Tours 2001, 2003, 2006, 2009
Supports:
James Brown as guest with The Cat Empire, 2005
The Cat Empire, 2004
Charlie Hunter Trio @ the Continental, 2000
Radio:
ABCFM, 3LO, 3PBSFM, Magic 693, SynFM and JoyFM,Danish radio, Spainish radio, featured Songs from Click and Drag, Papermoon, Midnight Sun, Smoke Rings, This New Situation and Relaxing at The Camarillo.
Various Corporate events:
Casino
Park Hyatt
Hyatt on Collins
Eureka Towers
Docklands
Langham Hotel
Melbourne Town Hall,
BMW edge
Circa
Sofitel
Atlantic Sth Warf
Ripponlea
Monstalvat
Reviews:
Cadence magazine
All About Jazz New York
The Age
The Herald Sun
Beat Magazine
Local press
Click to read
Film & Television
Vocals :
Book of Revelation, 2007
Tulip , Rachel Griffiths Director, 2000
Various commercials: Queensland Tourism, Toyota, SBS (six million voices), Danish TV.
