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"new compositions in jazz and improvised music is alive and in very good health in this country and Mace is leading the charge into the future. I fret less knowing that the future is in the very best of hands" - Graeme Lyall AM (M.Mus.)
MFO was formed late in 2004 by band-leader and composer Mace Francis to experiment with composition, in the style of the great modern big bands lead by Bob Brookmeyer, Thad Jones, Bill Holman and Maria Schneider. The result has been the coming together of 14 of Perth’s finest emerging young musician’s and composers to create exciting new music for big band.
In a very short time MFO has developed an individual and original sound through regular performances and special projects and the commissioning of over 30 new works from Australian and International composers. These projects have included The Unpopular Songbook, commissioned by the Perth Jazz Society, a collaboration with aboriginal singers Jesse Lloyd and Della Rae Morrison from Djiva commissioned by Artrage for the Northbridge Festival and Chinese Whispers which in 2005, involved eight West Australian composers collaborating to create a new body of music.
“an inspiring performance…show-casing the extremely diverse creative approaches of each of the composers to this challenging compositional task, and it made for an absorbing, exciting and very entertaining evening.”
Alan Corbet - JazzWA.
Chinese Whispers has now completed its third edition, involving 8 national and international composers, and was recorded live at The Bakery on November 1st 2007 for the ABC Classic FM program Jazztrack.
In 2006 MFO released their first studio CD, titled Introducing the Mace Francis Orchestra launched at the Perth Jazz Society.
"Mace Francis deserves recognition as a big band leader with his own vision and his own sound."
Bill Donaldson - Cadence Magazine - www.cadencebuilding.com
“Lyrical, beautifully-textured, unrushed… a little-big-band that sounds bigger than its twelve-member-strength.”
Doug Spencer – ABC Radio National
“his themes are melodically pleasing and rhythmically strong. Francis has definite goals in mind, and has assembled a first-class ensemble to help him reach them.”
Jack Bowers – allaboutjazz.com
In November 2006 MFO toured Victoria, performing at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz, Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Lebowski’s, Section 8, The Potato Shed and QDOS. This tour resulted in a new limited edition CD - MFO LIVE.
2007 was a successful year with a regular weekly gig at the Swan Basement for 6 months, performed with American Jazz Legend Jim Pugh, nominated for WAMi Best Jazz Act and the Perth Jazz Society’s Best Jazz Group as well as 2 compositions nominated for the WAMi Jazz Song of the Year.
MFO toured the eastern states of Australia in 2008, performing in Brisbane, Lismore, Byron Bay, Canberra, Albury/Wodonga, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. A live recording was made in Sydney which will be released in April 2009. MFO also performed the major work PLONK!, commissioned by JazzWA to trace the history of wine. This work included an extended woodwind section of Flute, Oboe, Clarinet and Bass Clarinet plus French Horn and Tuned Percussion.
2009 sees MFO join with the Luxe Bar to present a once a month concert series at their bamBOO amphtheatre plus be invited to be the 2009 WAAPA Ensemble in Residence.
Composer/Conductor
Mace Francis
Saxophones
Ben Collins
Dan Thorne
Sean Little
Mark Sprogowski
Trumpets
Ricki Malet
Callum G'Froerer
Elliott Hughes
Trombones
Alex Benn
Robin Murray
Tilman Robinson
Guitar
Tim Jago
Bass
Wayne Slater
Drums
Greg Brenton
For more info visit www.myspace.com/macefrancis
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