Ethno Jazz.
- Fusion of Indian Konnakol and Western elements.
- Lisa Young’s new CD “The Eternal Pulse” was nominated for “Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album 2012”.
- Her CD “Grace” won the “Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album 2007” award.
The award winning Lisa Young Quartet (‘Bell Awards’ Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album), is well known to Jazz and World Music listeners as an ensemble of creative improvisers incorporating Indian and African elements in their work. Renown as an exceptionally creative vocal stylist and improviser, Lisa is a long time student of mridangam maestro Karaikudi Mani in Chennai, and specialises in ‘konnakol’ – South Indian vocal percussion.
The quartet features the intuitive musicality of Ben Robertson (Double Bass), Steve Magnusson (Guitar) and Dave Beck (Drums). They bring to the Borneo Jazz Fest their most recent work ‘The Eternal Pulse’, a song cycle which layers Indian elements, rhythmic textures and ensemble dialogue using varieties of meter and subdivision.
They premiered The Eternal Pulse to a standing ovation at the 2011 Melbourne International Jazz Festival, and it has received wide media acclaim for it unique craft and musicianship.
“Other‐worldly…totally engaging… Her art is an awesome rhythmic control. Not to be missed, this is one out of the box.” Leon Gettler
“An intelligent, loving, and unforced marriage of two great musical traditions” ‐ Doug Spencer ABC radio
The ensemble
Stephen Magnusson (guitar) is an accomplished, versatile and distinctive musician. His incredible technique and astoundingly beautiful tone on his instrument have made him an indispensable part of many bands and film scores. Magnusson has performed and recorded with a host of National and International artists.
Ben Robertson (double bass) has extensive experience in a wide variety of musical settings, with recording studio credits of over 60 jazz and commercial CD releases. He is regularly featured in Australian film scores, along with television appearances and touring commitments with local and international artists. He is a harmonic and listening musician; a great asset to any ensemble both as an improvising soloist and arranger.
Dave Beck (drums) carries a wealth of experience across many musical styles and is in constant demand as a freelance musician. He studied music in Australia and abroad in the U.S.A (in New York at the Dummers Collective and Los Angeles at P.I.T) and has since gone on to perform in a variety of musical situations both in Australia and overseas.
Lisa Young has studied music across a wide spectrum, from Jazz and Contemporary Improvised music to the aural traditions of India, Africa and Bulgaria. The highlight of much of her recent work is her exploration and creation of vocal works using a diverse vocal language that speaks from a personal ‘sound bank’ aesthetic built over many years as an improvising singer. She also tours extensively with vocal and percussion group ‘Coco’s Lunch’, and her vocal works have been sung by choirs throughout Europe, Canada and the U.S.
In 2010, Lisa was awarded the Monash‐Pratt Post Graduate Award to commence at PhD in Music Performance at Monash University. She previously completed a Master of Music Performance (Voice) at the Victorian College of the Arts in 1998, which included a thesis in konnakol – South Indian vocal percussion.
Lisa’s new song cycle The Eternal Pulse, is the major work she has created for her Music Performance PhD and is performed with the Lisa Young Quartet. Essentially a Jazz/World music ensemble, this group is a collaboration with the intuitive musicality of Ben Robertson (Double Bass), Steve Magnusson (Guitar) and Dave Beck (Drums).
The new album The Eternal Pulse received a nomination in the ‘BELL AWARDS’ finals, for ‘Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album 2012′.
In 2003 her composition ‘Thulele Mama Ya’ (with Coco’s Lunch) won Best Folk/World Song in the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards in the USA, and in 2007 her quartet’s album ‘Grace’ won ‘Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album 2007 at the ‘Bell’ Jazz Awards. With Coco’s Lunch she received 2 ARIA Award nominations in 2007.
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