This double bill presents the MJC debuts of two contrasting piano trios (both including James McLean).

James Bowers has been busy on the local scene for around a decade with Lightly Toasted and other projects. His debut album as a leader, My Trio Album, was recorded in Tokyo, featuring Marty Holoubek (bass) and Shun Ishiwaka (drums). Musically the album ventures into sonic worlds inspired by modern jazz, metal, groove music and 20th century classical music. It received a 5 star review in The Weekend Australian. Performing with him are his longtime musical accomplices, James Gilligan (bass) and James McLean (drums).

Max Teakle is a young pianist and composer who comes from a family with four generations of jazz musicians (his great grandfather was in the Port Jackson Jazz Band). He is currently studying at the V.C.A., and has studied with Barney McAll, Mark Fitzgibbon, and Joe O’Connor while making a name for himself as an up-and-coming voice. Over the 2020 lockdown Teakle wrote a series of exploratory trio works with the specific skill sets of drummer James McLean and bassist Joseph Franklin in mind. Joined by these musicians he will debut the series, entitled ‘Schema’.