THE STRANGE MUSIC OF REALITY Jeremy Alsop - bass Michael Azzopardi - piano/keyboards Mark Charters - drums Rohan Wallis - trumpet/technics/icing on the cake
STRAIGHT UP! Eric C. Ajaye - basses Michael Azzopardi - piano/keyboards Chris Thwaite - drums/percussion
MICHAEL AZZOPARDI TRIO Michael Azzopardi - piano Brendan Clarke - bass James Hauptmann - drums
Other Band Members Anna Thompson - violin Niels Rosendahl - saxophone Luke Apps - trumpet/flugelhorn
Etkilendikleri
Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Jaco Pastorius, Joe Zawinul, Weather Report, Brecker Brothers, Tower Of Power, Earth Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, Keith Jarrett, Steps Ahead, Steve Gadd, Michel Camillo I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)
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REVIEWS
"Azzopardi shows once again that he is a young man going places in jazz." John Sharpe - Canberra Times (review of Straight Up! album "Another Year")
"Michael Azzopardi is the master of frantic, dissonant soloing, and challenging, similarly altered and substituted accompaniment." www.canberrajazz.net
BOB MINTZER with ANU BIG BAND"The outstanding performance of the night was undoubtedly pianist Michael Azzopardi. His enthusiasm was intoxicating and when given the nod by Mintzer he took off, drawing in the entire rhythm section and bringing the energy in the room to the highest it had been all night.
Mintzer, who said little throughout the performance, came up to the microphone clearly impressed and said "Wow! That was good".
The musical talent and enthusiasm coming out of Australia is both exciting and encouraging. To have such a prominent musician visit the ANU and share his knowledge with the students and the public was a rare experience and one that I know we all enjoyed and learnt from". Lauren Black - www.nowUC.com.au
JOHN MACKEY QUINTET"Michael Azzopardi is everywhere these days, but hes a great player and well worth the frequent listens. He played wonderfully as always, providing excellent backing with ever-changing rhythms and harmonies. He led a rich and changing rhythm section, often breaking into cross rhythms, or whole-note triplets, or similarly challenging the underlying rhythm". Eric Pozza - www.canberrajazz.net
"The Flow" album cover
"Another Year" album cover
STRAIGHT UP! TRIO REVIEWS “’The Flow’ is an album of original music that is so inventive as to make you sit up and take notice, without being confronting. And Eric, Michael and Chris not only are at one with their instruments, they’re also at one with each other. This is consummate jazz that is as accessible sitting in your favourite chair at home as it is enthralling on the concert platform.” Clinton White-Artsound 92.7 FM presenter
“..demonstrating their joint skills, including undertaking testing explorations of harmony, melody and progression..” Cd review by Michael Foster-Canberra Times
..”they form a powerful and interactive trio in the modern vein…” “An intense, infectious and satisfying concert at the highest level. See this band!” Concert review..Canberrjazz.net
Michael Azzopardi comes from a large and very musical family. His father Joe helped pioneer the sound of funk/soul in Australia in the 60's and 70's with Azzopardi family band "Afrika" featuring Mary, Rita, Tony, and Mario Azzopardi, who are all still active in the music industry. The strong presence of music in his family inspired Michael and older brother Luke (who is an amazingly talented and versitile vocalist) from an early age.
Born in Sydney in 1984, he started classical piano lessons at age 5, moving through AMEB grades and competing in eisteddfods, winning the Australian Music School's competition and overall performance award at age 12. He then attended Newtown High School of the Performing Arts. By his early teens, Michael turned his attention to Jazz piano, studying at the Sydney Conservatorium, performing with many of Sydney's top Jazz and session musicians by age 16.
In 2003, Michael was accepted into the Australian National University School of Music to complete a Bachelor of Music (Jazz). Whilst studying, Michael was awarded the 2005 Michael Foster Scholarship, for outstanding achievment in Jazz.
While at ANU, Michael was approached by USA bassist and ANU lecturer Eric C. Ajaye (Freddie Hubbard, Bennie Maupin, Nancy Wilson, Pointer Sisters, Taj Mahal) to form the Canberra based trio "Straight Up!", along with drummer Chris Thwaite (Katook). They released 2 albums; "The Flow" in 2006 and "Another Year" in 2007. Both albums received critical acclaim and are played regularly on National radio. Their performances throughout Australia received rave reviews.
Since graduating from ANU in 2006, Michael has earned a reputation as an exciting and versatile musician, and has had the opportunity to perform/record with Australian and international artists spanning many different genres including Marcia Hines, Bob Mintzer, Don Burrows, Lucky Oceans, Joan Rivers, Jeff Duff, Doug Parkinson, Eric Ajaye, Emma Pask, Kristen Berardi, Brendan Clarke, Miroslav Bukovsky, John Mackey, Nathan Foley (Hi-5), and Mi Tierra.
Michael is also in demand for work in Musical Theatre productions. His theatre credits include: "Saturday Night Fever" (2004/2005 - Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia)
"Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert" (2007/2008 - Australia, New Zealand as Deputy Conductor)
"Avenue Q" (2009/2010 - Australia, New Zealand as Assistant Musical Director)
"Burn The Floor - Floorplay" (Recorded piano parts for world tour)
In 2009/2010, Michael will be touring Australia and New Zealand as the Assistant Musical Director of the Australian production of the hit Broadway musical Avenue Q, as well as writing material for his first solo album and other projects.
My uncle Tony Azzopardi is one of Australia's premier percussionists. WATCH OUT FOR HIM ON AUSTRALIAN IDOL!
Hey man,things are good. I'll actually be in Sydney w/ Casual Projects on Friday playing at the Factory in Marrickville. Be great to see you if you can make it but I'm sure you've got gigs of your own. Otherwise keep in touch and I'll see you soon.
Hey man! I'm real good thanks. Graduated so I'm stoked haha I think we were already Facebook friends...they're all the same haha Anyway hope your well man, seem busy as hell which is awesome! Would be good to catch up at some point! Ev
Hey man not too much new here, been teaching and doing a few gigs, and a lot of practice recently which is good. Melbournes ok, weathers fucked! its gone really hot all of a sudden! Hows your show going? you still md?
hey man umm i got 18 out of 20, but lots of people got 19, LJ didnt like the songchoice all that much but thats cuz hes LJ . if we had like one more rehearsal and tightened up the dynamics or at least put some in i rkn they wouldve given me 19. i dont realy mind, it was heaps fun anyway aye! oh and kennys thing, man me, abe and tim have to play for like 3 people that day and one of them is outside school, and we have 2 exams on the same day. were so screwed man. i swear
MICHAEL!!!!! MAN!!! ur playin with rex! props mate!, hes a monster!. Has kenny called you yet? he said he was gunna try and get you for this thing coming up at school. me tim and abe are doing it too, well i should be depending if kenny thinks it needs guitar after he hears u play it. anyway, hope we can all jam again! catch ya!
hey michael, how u doing hope u have the info about the gig from abe. I was wondering if ud be free on tuesday 26th and friday 29th of this month cuz i need a piano player for my performance assesment. the rehearsal on tuesday is at 1 pm (hour tops) and the performance is on in preiods 5 and 6 on friday so 11: 30 i guess. let me know if ur available and how much u charge and wat not on thursday. i was gunna ask u then but i thaught itd be best to give u as much notice as possible. cya thurs take care mate!
"Another Year" album cover
