Australian jazz composer and saxophonist Maximillian Wickham is celebrating the release of his debut album Hopeful, a cross-genre jazz and classical work, at The Ellington Jazz Club on Thursday, June 23.
Blending classical and contemporary Australian jazz expression, Hopeful is an optimistic, mature and passionate release, using layered composition techniques and complex harmonic interplay.
“I never want to write music that’s merely an exploration of complexity,” Maximillian Wickham said. “There always has to be an emotional connection, or person or issue to tell the story through the music.”
Sketched out by the influence of such Australian jazz artists as Barney McAll, Julien Wilson, and Andrea Keller, the album blends modern jazz and classical elements to support the overarching storyline through the music.
Maximillian Wickham will lead an outstanding 13-piece chamber ensemble featuring a collection of local heavyweight jazz and classical musicians, and is joined by jazz guitarist and composer Joshua Nicholls, making it a special double album-launch event. The two composer-performers were awarded this year’s Recording Opportunity with Perth Jazz Society, and are pleased to complete each other’s ensembles.
“I really couldn’t have picked a better composer to launch the album with,” Joshua Nicholls said in our interview with him last week. “Having never recorded an album before it’s been a real learning curve and to be able to navigate the different challenges with a friend has made the process even more enjoyable.”
Maximillian Wickham launches his debut album Hopeful at the Ellington Jazz Club on June 23, 2022. Listen to Hopeful on Spotify now. Tickets are on sale now at ellingtonjazz.com.au
