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Lucky Oceans – pedal steel & vocalsLachlan Gear – acoustic guitar
Aaron Deacon – acoustic guitar
Adrian Galante – clarinet
Pete Jeavons – double bass
Formed in mid 2015, Sassafras has now established a reputation as one of Perth’s premier gypsy jazz groups. Perhaps best known for their work with the quintet version of the group (“Sassafras” – featuring vocalist Jessie Gordon), the four instrumentalists have also been steadily developing their sound as a tight-knit and energetic instrumental group: Sassafras Quartet.
Joining Sassafras Quartet for this special occasion, is non other than Grammy-award-winning, world renown pedal steel player Lucky Oceans. Lucky’s pedal steel, and voice, brings western swing & country sounds to the party which are the perfect foil for the gypsy jazz of Sassafras Quartet.
Expect repertoire from Django Reinhardt, Hank Williams, George Benson, Jimmy Bryant and many more. Throw in a few original compositions from the band and some South American flavours as well, and you have all the ingredients for a great night of engaging and eclectic music.
REVIEWS
” Acoustic gypsy jazz band Sassafras presented a world-class musical performance to the capacity audience that filled (the) Ellington Jazz Club…”
Steve Baitz, Seesaw Mag, Jan 26th 2019
” What a truly extraordinary group of talented performers… 4 of the most enigmatic musicians you’ll ever see.”
Amanda Lancaster, Fourth Wall Media, Jan 31st 2018
” A clear French theme with familiar swing classics and gypsy jazz radiating with attitude”
Jess Ammon, Fringfeed, Jan 30th 2018
” Sassafras, the gypsy jazz band won a heap of local fans at Juniper Studio… A full house relished performances from consummate musicians…”
Darlington Review, July 2017
” The (Perth) International Jazz Festival is a serious affair… there was, however, a moment of joyous gypsy-style jazz from Sassafras, a local group who took the audience on a pleasure-filled journey, aided by brilliant gypsy guitarists…”
Ron Banks, The West Australian Newspaper, June 2017
” The Sassafras instrumentalists excelled throughout the evening, with virtuosic solos and seamless transitions. The acoustic guitar playing from Lachlan Gear and Aaron Deacon was perfect and lovely. Adrian Galante on clarinet (played) some swinging rhythms taking us back to the 1930’s Paris and Pete Jeavons reliable double bass playing shows his great experience.”
Mariyon Slany, Artshub, Feb 1st 2016
” Lead soloist Galante is routinely given a run for his money by Jeavons’s bass solos, Deacon’s strumming and Gear’s fantastically fast and accurate picking. Altogether, it makes for a first-rate performance.”
Brandon Taylor, The Australia Times, Jan 31st 2016
LUCKY OCEANS
Lucky Oceans was born into a music loving family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA in 1951. He married Australian Christine Haddow in 1979 and settled in Fremantle, Western Australia a few years later. He co-founded and named the group Asleep at the Wheel, playing pedal steel guitar with the group for most of the 70s, and winning two Grammy Awards (1978 and 1993) for Best Country Instrumental with them. He writes music for film and television and has toured and recorded with Paul Kelly, The Black Sorrows. He was an Australia Council Music Board member from 2001–04. He wrote and taught the University of Western Australia’s Music in World Cultures course and presented a TEDx talk on improvisation. Currently Lucky leads his own group and also plays with the Zydecats, a group he co-founded in 1993. He hosts an annual live concert series called Sonic Sessions in which he interviews and plays with musicians at the Fremantle Arts Centre. He is listed in Hugh Gregory’s book, 1000 Great Guitarists and has been called ‘one of the most influential steel guitarists of his generation.’ He has a broad knowledge of music and is a fluent player of jazz, folk, blues and country styles.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The Ellington Jazz Club - Perth, 191 Beaufort Street,Perth,WA,Australia
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