Regular Gigs
Grand View Hotel
Grand View Hotel, Cleveland.
Clare Hansson Trio appears regularly monthly on the second Sunday of each month of 2010 from 12..00 noon to 4.00 pm. Ph: 3286 1002 Personnel: Clare Hansson (Piano), Wayne Harper (Bass guitar/vocals) Geoff Ovenden (drums). Clare and Geoff have performed at this hotel since 1993, which is something of a record.
Our dates for 2010 are: January 10, February 14, March 14, April 11, May 9, June 13, July 11, August 8, September 12, October 10, November 14, December 12.
The 2010 Grand View (Bayside) Jazz Festival will be held during the month of May. The Clare Hansson Trio performs in the Cleveland Courtyard Restaurant for brunch from 9 - 11 am, and again in the same room from 12 - 3 pm for an afternoon session of smooth jazz towards the end of the month (date TBA)
Gigs
Healy Room
Clare Hansson's dates in the Healy Room, Tattersalls Club, are February 5, February 26, March 12, March 20, April 23, April 30, May 7 and May 15.
Haiti Fundraiser
An event HELP for HAITI took place at the Ian Hanger Recital Hall at the Conservatorium on Friday February 19 coordinated by Dorothy Stringer with MC Patrick Pickett. Clare Hansson opened the program with
selections ranging from Scott Joplin's 'Solace' to Oscar Peterson's 'Hymn To Freedom'. Other artists contributed to raise $10,000 to be donated to the victims of this devastating earthquake.
BCC Concert
Due to restoration of Brisbane City Hall, their popular lunchtime concerts are moving into city churches. On April 6, a free concert billed as Jazz Ladies will take place in the City Baptist Tabernacle, Wickham Terrace, will be presented from 12 noon to 1 pm. It will feature vocalist Lyn Gillett, a longtime collaborator with Clare Hansson in the jazz entertainment scene. Lyn, now based in Melbourne, will present evergreen songs made famous by well-known singers, and Clare will perform her tribute piece to Oscar Peterson 'Hymn To Oscar'. Peter Freeman (double bass) and Geoff Ovenden (drums) complete the quartet.
South Tweed Jazz
At South Tweed Sports Club on Saturday afternoons, Lesley Rose produces an afternoon of jazz that has been running for over 10 years. On Saturday April 10, Clare Hansson and Lyn Gillett will star as guest artists.
Dinner Concert Grand View
The Grand View Hotel returns to its Dinner Concert format that proved so successful with the Peggy Lee tribute a few years back. Clare Hansson and Lyn Gillett present their Jazz Ladies concept from 7 - 10 pm. In elegant surrounds with fine dining, this concert pays tribute to Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae and Diana Krall.
30th Anniversary concert
The Clare Hansson Trio celebrates 30 years of performing in Queensland on April 18, 2010. In 1980, Gary Balkin purchased the Exhibition Hotel in the Valley, painted it red, white and blue and renamed it Bonaparte's. Having observed Clare Hansson playing at his Melbourne Hotel during the latter half of 1979, Gary put his faith in the Clare Hansson Trio to entertain on Friday nights. They attracted a huge following, and the trio swelled to become a quintet. This 30th Anniversary concert will be a reunion of many musicians who made music with Clare over the years. Brisbane Jazz Club is the venue, from 1 - 4 pm. $20 cover charge. To book: 3391 2006. (An online booking service will be up and running soon for BJC bookings).
Jazz Greats
The Clare Hansson Trio appear for the Sunshine Coast Jazz Club on May 1st in a concert billed as A Tribute To Jazz Greats Past And Present, including Marian McPartand. Clare will present a selection of Marian's compositions, and honour other jazz greats during the night. Clare Hansson (Piano), Wayne Harper (Bass Guitar/Vocals) Geoff Ovenden (Drums). Kawana Community Hall
Jazz Meets Chopin
In 2005, Clare Hansson was engaged by 4MBS to perform a solo concert billed as 'Jazz Meets Bach'. Clare later performed these arrangements with double bassist Chris Schnack and a CD 'Jazz Flirtations' was released. Clare hopes to self-release Mark II of this CD in 2010 (see Discography). For the 2010 4MBS Festival of Classics, Clare will perform a solo concert featuring Jazz Impressions of the music of Chopin at 3 pm on Saturday May 8 in the Performance Studio at 4MBS home of classical music at Old Cleveland Road, Coorparoo. See 4MBS program guide for details.
Happy Hour
At Rennaissance Village at Victoria Point, Clare Hansson and bassist Wayne Harper will present entertaining jazz from 4 - 6. This event is produced by Hugh Cornish, star of television, who resides in the Village
Dubbo Jazz Festival
The 20th Dubbo Jazz Festival takes place on the weekend of 13th, 14th and 15th of August, 2010. Clare Hansson has been a frequent guest musician from the inception of this Festival, and has been invited back as a star performer for this wonderful weekend of jazz to celebrate 20 years.
News
My PhD Goes Live!
My PhD has gone live! Please follow the link below to view the Copyright Declaration and the chapters of the PhD on Marian McPartland's jazz career. Marian McPartland celebrates her 92nd birthday in 2010.
Marian McPartland, Jazz Pianist: An Overview Of A Musical Career
A PhD Thesis By Clare Hansson
Clare's News
2006 was an amazing year. A huge flurry of academic activity resulted in my doctoral thesis on jazz pianist Marian McPartland being awarded, with graduation on April 20, 2006, after a journey of nine years. A Graduation Concert in May raised $5,000 towards the establishment of the ‘Clare Hansson/Brisbane Jazz Club 2007 Young Jazz Recording Prize’ for which 20 young groups auditioned in 2007 for the chance to produce a professional recording.
2007 was an exciting performance year for Clare with much variety and many challenges. Highlights in 2007 were backing Melbourne singer Pippa Wilson at Sharks Club at the Gold Coast in January, a trip to Bellingen to perform with Brett And Clare's Dilemma in March, and a gig at Woodgate near Childers. I was able to entice double bass player Chris Schnack across the Tasman for a series of four concerts and jazz workshops in July. In honour of Chris's tour, I released a CD 'Jazz Flirtations' featuring Chris and I interpreting the music of J. S. Bach (see Discography). This CD has now been re-recorded for re-release.
Clare appeared at three Jazz Festivals in 2007. First, the Palmer Street Jazz Festival in Townsville in August was an outstanding success, with Clare backing vocalist Wilma Reading. The second Festival was the Newcastle Jazz Festival, again backing Pippa Wilson with her Melbourne band, The Noosa Jazz Festival was again a sensational few days with a large contingent of musicians from all over Australia. For the first time, the Clare Hansson Trio worked as a unit. Clare on piano, Val Jones on double bass, and Geoff Ovenden on drums. Clare was honoured to be interviewed about her life in jazz by Lachie Thomson, against the backdrop of some video footage of jazz moments in her life. This set the scene dramatically, and to conclude the interview the Clare Hansson Trio played 'Jitterbug Waltz' by Fats Waller.
2008 began with a wonderful week in Sydney enjoying the ambiance of the Sydney Festival. Two gigs with sax player Paul Furniss at the Four Seasons Hotel were exciting. I attended other jazz performances, and saw the show Billy Elliott at the Capitol Theatre. An Oscar Peterson Tribute Concert for the Sunshine Coast Jazz Club was hugely successful. Two very special cameo appearances with the St. Lucia Orchestra for Sue Wighton and I billed as the Dynamic Jazz Duo was sensational and very well received. Two more Oscar Peterson Tribute Concerts were enthusiastically received, one at Brisbane's City Hall on September 9. The highlight of 2008 was the opportunity to accompany the silent film featuring Josephine Baker 'Siren Of The Tropics' in Brisbane's City Hall to a capacity audience.
Jazz in 2009 was affected by the 'economic downturn' but I managed to survive without resorting to busking!! Regular gigs kept the wolf from the door, and a highlight of 2009 was a fundraiser at Brisbane Jazz Club on June 13 to raise funds for the Queensland Jazz Archive.
Family news is that my son Philip’s backpacker resort Cloud Nine is powering along, and the newly-completed bar Beetle Bar a stunning space. My granddaughter Phoebe turned 18 on February 10 and celebrated with family and friends in the Beetle Bar. Phoebe is studying to be a beautician, as well as holding down a job with several shifts at McDonalds. Phoebe graduated from the Gap State High School at the end of 2009 after celebrating her Formal and ending the year with Schoolies. My grandson Jake is doing very well at school and loves his sport of Rugby Union, tennis and fishing. He celebrates his 11th birthday on July 7, 2010. He is a very competent drummer, holding his own with a professional rock group in the Beetle Bar.
My big news for 2010 is that I was honoured to be chosen among 25 Queensland artists who made a vital contribution to artistic life of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. I am the only jazz person to be so honoured in the celebration of QPAC 25. From 1985 to 1989, my son Philip was my double bass player for many foyer performances, concerts and cabarets. Philip accompanied me to the lavish launch, and the stunning exhibition of portraits by photographer Justine Walpole was an eye-opener to all in the Tony Gould Gallery. I donated a sequined vest to the QPAC Museum, and it is also on display.
Clare on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on NPR from New York
Clare Hansson's guest appearance on Marian McPartland's radio program Piano Jazz was rebroadcast to millions throughout the United States and places beyond on November 28, 2006. Marian is delighted that my Website thesis on her jazz life is complete and has been launched globally. Clare has the honour of being the only Australian musician to make a guest appearance on Piano Jazz.
