Two of Australia's finest jazz artists, saxophonist Jamie Oehlers and pianist Sam Keevers, reunite to perform music from their ARIA nominated album, 'Grace', along with some tunes from the jazz standard repertoire. Jamie and Sam have been performing together for over 15 years in numerous formats, with "Grace" being their unique duo recording of their original compositions. This album has become a Jazzhead records favourite for the Australian jazz community. Recognised as one of Australia_x0019_ s leading jazz musicians, Jamie Oehlers was the winner of the White Foundation World Saxophone Competition at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in 2003, judged by Charles Lloyd, Bruce Lundvall (Blue Note Records) and Jean Toussaint amongst others. He has won numerous awards in Australia, including an Australian Jazz Award for Best Australian Jazz Artist as well as three for Best Contemporary Jazz Album, a Limelight Award for _x001C_ Best Jazz Release_x001D_ , a James Morrison Scholarship, a Western Australian Music Industry Award for International Achievement, has been nominated for a Mo Award for Best Jazz Instrumentalist, Australian Young Achiever of the Year Award, and has twice been a finalist in the Australian Recording Industry Award_x0019_ s for Best Jazz Album. Jamie has toured Australia and Thailand with the Ari Hoenig Quartet, performed in New York and around Australia with George Garzone, performed with Charlie Haden, Eric Harland and Reuben Rogers as part of the Melbourne Jazz Festival, has recorded two new albums of standards with Paul Grabowsky and has maintained his own festival and club appearances with the Jamie Oehlers Quartet, Lost and Found, the Paul Grabowsky Sextet and Blowfish. Sam Keevers has performed and recorded with many Australian Artists including:- Scott Tinkler, Ian Chaplin, Mark Simmonds, Simon Barker, Brett Hirst, Adam Armstrong, Hamish Stuart, Jonathan Zwartz, Bernie McGann, Phil Slater, James Muller, Jamie Oehlers, Kate Ceberano, The Black Sorrows, Stephen Magnusson, Alison Wedding, Paul Williamson_x0019_ s Hammond Combo, The Bamboos, Gary Pinto, Guy Sebastian, Daniel Merriweather, Katie Noonan and many others. He has also performed with international artists such as Chris Potter, Bobby Previte_x0019_ s Bitches Brew Project , Joe Bataan, Ricky Lee Jones, Sinead O_x0019_ connor, John Cale and Meshell Ndegeocello. Sam was a member of the Vince Jones band from 1996 to 1999, recording the album _x001C_ Vince Jones Live_x001D_ at the Basement, Sydney Australia in 1999. In 1996 he formed the 14 piece Latin Jazz group _x001C_ Los Cabrones_x001D_ which continues to perform around Melbourne and has performed at international festivals in China and New Caledonia. In August 2008 Sam recorded _x001C_ Blackbird_x001D_ (an album of his arrangements of Lennon and Mcartney songs) in New York City with Katie Noonan, Joe Lovano, Ron Carter, John Scofield and Lewis Nash. This recording won the ARIA for Jazz Album of the Year in 2009. Sam is also currently a member of the Black Arm Band, a group which show-cases indigenous Australian artists such as Archie Roach, Dan Sultan, Shellie Morris and many others.
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