NOMINATION: Work of the Year - Jazz
For an original Jazz work of any instrumentation, including improvisatory composition.
A work is defined as a single complete musical composition, or expression. This includes music with movements or sub-works (i.e. song cycles), installations, and real-time compositions (improvised music).
If you believe your work to be nominated in the wrong category or the details of your nomination to be incorrect, please contact the AMC via email at awards@australianmusiccentre.com.au before proceeding with the nomination.
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Nominee
Mace Francis
Title of the work
Sleepy Duke
Performer
Mace Francis Orchestra
Performance Date
12/4/2024
Venue
No Postcode
Nominator Statement
This nomination is for the composition Sleepy Duke, composed by Mace Francis for the Mace Francis Orchestra (MFO) and recorded on the bands latest release, No Post Code. Running for almost two decades, MFO continue to be a leading Australian large ensemble in the field of jazz and improvised music. All ten MFO albums have been released independently, showcasing original compositions and arrangements by Francis. No Post Code sees Francis and MFO return to the extended form style of composition, a craft Francis has been honing his skills in since the beginning of his compositional career. Of all the outstanding original compositions by Francis on No Post Code, the piece Sleepy Duke perfectly demonstrates the maturity, skill level and musical depth that only a long-term composer with a dedicated working band can achieve, accomplished through many years of live performance and recording experiences.
In Sleepy Duke, Mace demonstrates his ability to masterfully manage the momentum of a ballad style composition across extended form, while balancing improvisation within a compositional framework. Sleepy Duke sees Mace continuing to explore the boundaries of his orchestration techniques. He balances cross sectional orchestration with sectional writing, contrapuntal lines with full ensemble chorus, and tastefully exploits unconventional instrument registers. Maces use of harmony in Sleepy Duke interweaves perfectly his trademark dissonance with moments of beauty across the extended composition. These variations on his harmonic approach maintain the listeners engagement and are emphasised by Francis lush, warm voicings during moments of beauty, contrasting with the moments of exposed dissonance. Sleepy Duke climaxes with a contemporary version of the classic big band shout chorus, stylistically nurtured by Maces orchestration to suit the ballad treatment. The composition Sleepy Duke is a superb vehicle for trumpet soloist Ricki Malet, who interweaves his exceptional improvised ideas throughout the well-balanced composed sections of instrumental backings, used to guide and influence Malets trumpet improvisations.
Nominee
Mace Francis
Title of the work
Sleepy Duke
Performer
Mace Francis Orchestra
Performance Date
12/4/2024
Venue
No Postcode
In Sleepy Duke, Mace demonstrates his ability to masterfully manage the momentum of a ballad style composition across extended form, while balancing improvisation within a compositional framework. Sleepy Duke sees Mace continuing to explore the boundaries of his orchestration techniques. He balances cross sectional orchestration with sectional writing, contrapuntal lines with full ensemble chorus, and tastefully exploits unconventional instrument registers. Maces use of harmony in Sleepy Duke interweaves perfectly his trademark dissonance with moments of beauty across the extended composition. These variations on his harmonic approach maintain the listeners engagement and are emphasised by Francis lush, warm voicings during moments of beauty, contrasting with the moments of exposed dissonance. Sleepy Duke climaxes with a contemporary version of the classic big band shout chorus, stylistically nurtured by Maces orchestration to suit the ballad treatment. The composition Sleepy Duke is a superb vehicle for trumpet soloist Ricki Malet, who interweaves his exceptional improvised ideas throughout the well-balanced composed sections of instrumental backings, used to guide and influence Malets trumpet improvisations.