"An outstanding singer".....Laurence Donahue-Green (All about Jazz Magazine, New York)
"O'Hara's vocals are imbued with a strong jazz feel with eloquent phrasing, melodic variations and rhythmic expression " John McBeath (The Australian)
"With her perfect pitch, skillful improvising and ego-free style, O'Hara has carved out a reputation on the Australian and international music scene for high-quality performances that are accessible to everyone".Ken Turnball (Castlemaine State Festival review - vocalese project)
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 with the Julie O'Hara sextet, heptet and quartets, Peter Baylor's jazz manouche group, 'Ultrafox', B#Big Band, The Pearly Shells Big Band, Society Syncopators and The Shuffle Club. Recently reunited in harmony with Felix Reibel (The Cat Empire) for his solo debut CD launch at the Toff in town.
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 Bennet's Lane Jazz Club and Pais Cat Jazz Club (2011),Wangaratta jazz festival, Castlemaine Music Festival, Melbourne International Jazz festival.
Their new release CD 'Use the Force', is now available for purchase and/or download at http://www.julieohara.com/au
Go direct or follow the prompts on the welcome page of this site.The CD has been reviewed by various jazz magazines and newspapers, please go to news to read on.
The Concadanauts are a stellar Melbourne line up of improvising musicians, performing 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.
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.Julie O'Hara plays piano and sings.
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- the Anthem' (techno)Jessyln vocal re mix 2007 lyrics by J.O'Hara (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 **2009
**'Use the Force' Julie O'Hara Sextet 2009
**purchase of and/or digital downloading available at http://www.julieohara.com.au
"Bounce!" 2010 B # Big Band (if you mention O'Hara when purchasing the CD online you will get a discount)
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:
2011 Felix Reibel's CD launch at Toff in Town
2011 Devonport Jazz Festival and Clarence Jazz Festival (Hobart) with Tom Vincent trio
2011 Paris Cat ultrafox
2011 Bentleigh Club tribute to iconic jazz vocalists
2011 Paris Cat Julie O'Hara Sextet, quintet
2011 Melbourne Fringe Festival Big Arse Sunday Julie O'Hara Heptet
2011 Bennet's Lane monthly residency with Julie O'Hara Sextet
Paris Cat Julie O'hara quintet and with Tom Vincent trio, 2010
Eltham music festival 2010 Bopkick & Julie O'Hara sextet
Australia Day Concert swingin' on the yarra with the B#Big Band 2010
New Years Eve Burlesque extravaganza @ Royal Melbourne Hotel, featuring Julie O'Hara rifftet 2010
Castlemaine State Music Festival 2009 Julie O'Hara sextet- vocalese project
Victorian Jazz Club 2009 Julie O'Hara sextet (VP project)
Bennett's Lane jazz club 2009 Julie O'Hara sextet (VP)
Paris Cat Jazz Club 2009 Julie O'Hara sextet (VP)
Transit Lounge 2009 Bopkick
Copacabana 2009 with B#Big Band
Spiegeltent 2008 Julie O'Hara quintet
Wangarratta Jazz Festival 2008 Julie O'Hara Sextet (VP)
Queenscliffe Music Festival 2008 The Concadanauts - originals project
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
What's been:
Eltham Music Festival 2009, 2010
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 National Tour, 2004
Charlie Hunter Trio @ the Continental, 2000
Radio:
ABCFM, 3LO, 3PBSFM, Magic 693, SynFM and JoyFM,Danish radio, Spanish radio, Cocktail Nation, featured songs from Click and Drag, Papermoon, Midnight Sun, Smoke Rings, This New Situation, Relaxing at The Camarillo and also from the newly released 'Use the Force by the Julie O'Hara sextet.
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
AllAboutJazz New York (www.allaboutjazz.com)
The Age
The Herald Sun
Beat Magazine
Local press
Click to read
Film & Television
Vocals :
Cloudstreet 2010
Book of Revelation, 2007
Tulip , Rachel Griffiths Director, 2000
Various commercials: Queensland Tourism, Toyota, high rotation on SBS TV & Radio (six billion stories and counting), Danish TV.
