Jeremy Borthwick is a Sydney based trombone player, composer and educator. He has performed and toured with many great international jazz artists including Cleo Laine, Jim McNeely, Bert Joris, Florian Ross, Charles Tolliver, Spoon, Philip Johnson and Alan Youngblood. He works regularly with many leading Australian musicians including Dan Barnett, James and John Morrison, Mike Knock, Phil Slater, James Muller, the catholics, Steve Hunter, Dave Theak, Andrew Dickeson, Anthony Howe, George Washingmachine, Jon Stevens, Monica Trapaga and the Unity Hall Jazz Band. His current projects include his quartet "Exposed Bone", the "Mothership Orchestra", the "Bogalusa Strutters", "The Unity Hall Jazz Band" , "Dan Barnett Big Band", "Mucho Mambo"and several "working bands." He has performed at most major festivals in Australia and several in Europe including Montreaux and Ascona. He has released two albums featuring his original music and has appeared on over twenty recordings as a sideman. Jeremy holds a Masters degree from the University of Sydney and has studied with Hal Crook, Josh Roseman, Conrad Herwig, Dave Panichi and James Greening. He was a national jazz awards finalist in 2003, and held the jazz trombone chair at the Brisbane Conservatorium for 5 years. He was also a guest clinician at the Kathmandu Jazz School and teaches at many jazz camps and clinics including the IAJE jazz camps.
EXPOSED BONE VOL II, "PLUGGED"
John Clare. Spectrum, Sydney Morning Herald 22/09/07
Exposed Bone's first disc, "Smokin da bone", set the band creditably alongside Sydney jazz-world music - rock outfits such as the catholics and Wanderlust. With the band's latest release, i missed some of the first volume's tropical feeling. This is harder, punchier and needs to be played much louder. as soon as that penny dropped it was a different story.
Turn up the volume of the Afro drum clatter on the opening track and you are on the right wavelength. Then turn up the volume on the third track, where a jaunty bounce somewhere between trad jazz and the Monkees is interrupted by a powerful trombone outburst from the leader Jeremy Borthwick and swamped in an orchestral rush of boiling rock guitar.
Guitarist Ben Hauptmann is a fine jazz player and a brilliant exponent of all guitar idioms. Borthwick weaves agile lines around lazy trombone yawns and raking blasts. Turn it up! A superb cast of players on a satisfying disc.
EXPOSED BONE VOL II, "PLUGGED"
Jan Limelight ABC
By Peter Wockner
Laced with weighty potent passages of unashamed rock and funk, this trombone and guitar-led recording exposes the groove and grunge sound of the younger Sydney jazz set. The wailing and growling trombone of Jeremy Borthwick also shows piston-like agility especially on the Indian and African flavoured pieces along with ferocious guitar work from Ben Hauptmann. Most compositions use sections of jamming and overdubbed trombone harmonies hanging above repetitive guitar motifs, but pendulum swings and momentum shifts surprise when roles reverse and melody takes over. There's also the rare taste of Brendan Clarke on electric base utilising synthesised effects.
EXPOSED BONE VOL1 : "SMOKIN' DA BONE"
January Limelight 2005 (ABC)
by John Shand ;
Does the trombone attract people who are exuberant by nature, or does it make normal people want to play exuberantly? Whatever the case, ex-Queenslander Jeremy Borthwick joins the rowdy ranks of good time bone players as a star member. He also proves himself to be a pretty good composer on this debut album, made in collaboration with guitarist Ben Hauptmann, bassist Zoe Hauptmann and drummer James Hauptmann - all siblings, and, like Borthwick, some of the young hot-shots on a Sydney scene that has never been more brimming with hotshots.
The musical territory they carve out is akin to that of the catholics : world beat grooves that are loose enough to allow the rhythm section to converse with the very jazzy soloing going on over the top. Borthwick's tone is plump and the lines engaging, and the band feels like the recording sessions were an ongoing party. Especially likeable is the bouncy, mixed-meter adventure of Boing, brought further to life by the excellent drum sound.
EXPOSED BONE VOL 1 : "SMOKIN' DA BONE"
December Spectrum (SMH)
by John Clare
Here's an amazing geographical phenomenon : trombonist / composer Jeremy Borthwick is from far North Queensland while his band - Ben, Zoe and James Hauptmann (guitar, bass, drums) - are from the NSW south coast. Maybe not so amazing to you but my most profound experiances have been in these waters.
It would be impossible not to have happiness in your music with this bluewater background. Also a certain Polynesian poignacy : the knowledge that one will not live forever. Borthwick has filled in for James Greening in Lloyd Swanton's popular band The Catholics but differences outnumber similarities.
Basically, the similarities are that electric sounds are like neon threaded through the acoustic ensembles and rhythms are snatched from many regions (perhaps less self-consciously here than in earlier outfits).
The first track, for instance, combines elements of New Orleans R'n'B and New Orleans jazz. Borthwicks trombone blusters winningly. He can punch notes right through the instrument and he can take some fast and interesting angles. On two tunes he plays conch shell with amazing control and poignancy.
This is dancing, bright, biting, sweetly poignant and very creative new jazz.
EXPOSED BONE VOLUME ONE : "SMOKIN DA BONE"
with Jasmine Crittendon. Drum Media 20/10/04
This is one seriously happening album. It is clear from the outset that this is some of the grooviest Australian jazz to have been released in the last little while. As soon as you hear it, you know that you are just going to have to add it to your collection. Trombonist Jeremy Borthwick begins by leading the band into a crazy, New Orleans vibe up beat swing. Young drummer James Hauptmann lays down the rules with his unique, busy sound - he is the kind of player that seems to be capable of doing everything at once - always clean and tight on the rhythm, but then all over the drum kit at the same time. It is an energy that positively demands your attention. It gets full expression on "Boing" - an experimental track that involves a mixing of meters, and leads to a most infectious, urgent groove.
The mood changes with the more pensive "Bennys wah wah", which sister, bassist Zoe Hauptmann, underpins with some particularly soulfull feel. Borthwick's solo is haunting and driven - his perceptiveness as a player is one of his most outstanding qualities - he is so much with the group when he plays. The same kind of sensitivity shapes his conch shell playing on "Tune 4 Carls" and "Tugboat Luv Affair". The introduction of the shell adds a lovely airiness, a contemplative moment to this high energy, vigorous album. It is accompanied beautifully by the warm harmonies of guitarist Ben Hauptmann.
With this CD, Jeremy Borthwick reveals himself, not only as a great trombonist, but also as a stunning composer. He has an exceptionally fine sense of what makes good music. Borthwick takes the jazz tradition and experiments with it, pushes it in new directions, drawing from African rhythms, folk melodies and funk grooves, and his work has plenty of heart, plenty of the essence of musicality in it. Like the Necks' bassist Llyod Swanton writes on the liner notes, this is exactly where "jazz should be going."
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JEZZA!!! THE LOST COSMONAUTS ARE BACK AT THE HOTEL HOLLYWOOD FOR ANOTHER YEAR!!!
STARTING MONDAY FEBRUARY 2ND EVERY MONDAY NIGHT! James Hauptmann: Drums Kevin Hailey: Double Bass James Ryan: Saxophone Hugh Barrett: Rhodes Electric Piano Special Guest: Jane Irving: Vocals To be found at: Hotel Hollywood, 2 Foster St Surry Hills 830pm to 1130pm $5 cover charge
'They are all brilliant and flexible musicians, often heard in other contexts, but it is very good to hear how well they play the mainstream – with so much spirit and freshness.' John Clare
Hi... Come and check out Aaron Flower, Carl Dewhurst, Ben Hauptmann, Jess Green, Tim Rollinson, Julian Curwin, Sam Rollings, Dave De Vries, Michael Coggins, David Reaston and Craig Naughton (drums) playing together in the 10 Guitar Project this Wednesday night.
Hey Jez...how you doin? Just gonna miss seeing you in Cairns....we're up there the week after for a few days for the cairns festival. I'm coming to Sydney in September sometime for a few gigs... give you a call before I get there. Hope you're well mate. shane.
Hey Jez!
How are you? If you're not busy tomorrow night (Tuesday 29th May) Im playing an originals gig at the basement at 8pm. Would love to see you.
Hope all is well in your world.
xx
jez, thats great. make sure you contact tal when your there she might be in nyc or maybe la. also nick hempton is coming for a london hang soon but he should still be in usa when your there... have fun dude.
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