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Wendy Murray - vocals

Wendy Murray - singer, songwriter, dancer and instrumentalist - dedicated her life to music many years ago, and has made her career in Brisbane as both performing artist and teacher.  Currently the lead singer and driving force behind Latin jazz band Hot Mambo and jazz/funk/blues outfit The Wendy Murray Quintet, she has also performed in a string of duos, trios and bands in and around Brisbane including Seven, The Rite of Swing and Citrus Groove. Her voice is deep, rich and warm as honey, adapting effortlessly to the mood of the moment – from the sultry soulfulness of the torch song to the sizzling energy of Cuban salsa. Since the mid 90’s she has been a vocal teacher, at both Jazzworx Institute of Jazz and Southern Cross Colleges, as well as teaching all contemporary styles at her private studio in Paddington. Wendy’s influences are eclectic but lean most strongly toward Latin, jazz, blues and funk. She has a background in jazz and graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 2000. In 2001 she undertook a study tour of Cuba to learn traditional song, dance and culture. Ever broadening her horizons, she is currently studying Shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) and traditional Japanese music. She has been dancing since childhood, mastering a variety of styles including regional and classical Spanish, modern, jazz and dance drama. She taught dance at several Brisbane schools and TAFE adult education for many years. Wendy’s natural rhythm adds a dynamic stage presence to her performances in Hot Mambo’s live shows. Wendy is an accomplished guitarist, using the instrument to accompany solo performances and to compose songs. Her song writing talents have generated a collaborative album with legendary Brisbane guitarist Jamie Clark, recorded in 2004 at the Brisbane Powerhouse.

 

 

Louise Denson - piano

Louise has been active on the music scene in Brisbane and surrounds since her arrival in 1999 to teach at the Queensland Conservatorium Jazz Department. She holds a Master’s degree in Jazz Improvisation from the New England Conservatory in Boston, where she studied with such greats as Paul Bley and George Russell. Highlights of Louise’s career in North America include numerous appearances at the Montreal International Jazz Festival as well as a tour of the jazz festival circuit in Western Canada with Canada’s premier salsa and merengue orchestra, ‘Papo Ross & Orquesta Pambiche’. She appears as a player, composer and arranger on several CD’s, as well as having done taped and live-to-air broadcasts for radio and TV. Louise’s playing and compositional style has been heavily influenced by Latin music. For more information about Louise, visit her personal website at: www.louisedenson.com

 

 

Jeremy O'Connor - bass

With a Bachelor in jazz bass, Jeremy studied with heavy-weights, Helen Russell and Jon Diamond at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. He has been playing on the Brisbane scene for over 6 years with bands such as Hot Mambo, Scat and Honey and has toured the world extensively with these groups! His jazz band, Scat, won an American Gospel Music Award for their album 'Live at The Healer' and they completed a tour of the USA and UK in 2005. More recently, Jeremy was involved with the 2005 'Ten Tenors' tours around Australia and Germany. Jeremy sites Marcus Miller, Victor Wooden and John Patitucci as his main bass-playing influences.

 

 

Clint Allen - trumpet

Clint is a graduate of QUT's Academy of the Arts where he studied under Phil Ryan. He has backed prominent artists including Don Burrows, Julie Anthony, Leo Sayer, Christine Anu, Rick Price, John Waters and James Morrison, and has travelled with various ensembles around Australia and internationally. He is a versatile player who has performed in a variety of jazz, pop and classical ensembles ranging from the Brisbane Big Band to the Brisbane Baroque Orchestra to the Hip Hop Horns. Clint is currently a lecturer and tutor at QUT, and directs the Big Band at the University of Queensland. He also directs and performs with the contemporary new music group, the Seventh Chapter. This ensemble has been the recipient of many awards and grants (from the Queensland Arts Council and the Australian Arts Council) and has performed sold-out concerts that presents modern music in a new light. Awarded a Queensland Arts Council grant in 2005, Clint travelled to New York to study with the Meridian Arts Ensemble as well as take lessons with Mark Gould (Juilliard School of Music) and Laurie Frink (Manhattan School of Music). Clint also is a regular recording artist in Brisbane appearing on various projects including the Resin Dog’s album's 'More' (2007) and ' Hi-Fidelity Dirt' (2003) and the acclaimed Butterfingers album 'The Deeper You Dig' (2006). He also appears on Hot Mambo’s debut album, ‘Smoke Signals’ which was released at the 2001 Woodford Folk Festival. He has appeared at almost every major Australian festival including the Big Day Out, Splendour In The Grass, East Coast Blues & Roots Festival, Livid and the Woodford Folk Festival. Recently, he played in the pit orchestra for the Brisbane season of 'Fiddler on The Roof' which starred Topol as the lead character, and was a featured musician in NORPA's 2006 acclaimed contemporary operatic production of "Electric Lenin". Recently, he has worked on the Playstation (PS2) computer game soundtrack, 'El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera', which was scored by Mick Gordon (Game Audio Australia). Clint's compositions and arrangements have also been performed in Australia by various ensembles and in the USA by the Paducah Chamber Winds. He is also a published author about new music in Real Time Arts Journal (Sydney).

 

 

Shane Palmada - sax/flute

Born on the Gold Coast, Shane Palmada’s formal training includes a Bachelor of Music Performance (Hons) from Griffith University - Queensland Conservatorium of Music and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Queensland. He also holds his A.Mus.A and L.Mus.A (saxophone) performance diplomas and is currently studying a Doctorate of Education at the Queensland University of Technology.

In 2004, he was appointed the Director of Music at St. Paul’s School, Brisbane. Shane has taught instrumental music at many private and public schools in both NSW and QLD. He is equally at ease conducting ensembles in both the classical and jazz genres and has been founder and Musical Director of a number of local ensembles. He has had the opportunity to perform nationally and internationally, where his performance career has seen him embrace a wide variety of musical styles, where he has featured with classical chamber and orchestral ensembles through to pop/jazz/ and reggae groups.

 

 

Sacha Kloostra - drums

Sacha Kloostra is a Brisbane-based drumset player involved in many musical styles from small combo jazz to Cuban salsa to burning funk and fusion. While in some circles Sacha is simply known as "The Latin Guy" for his profound interest and knowledge of Afro-Cuban and other Afro-Caribbean musics, he is quick to shake off such labels, however flattering they are intended to be. Sacha believes that in a city with such a small but diverse music scene as Brisbane, versatility is demanded of the working musician, and while being known as someone who specializes in a particular style can open up some rewarding opportunities, it may also lead to being known as someone who ONLY plays well in that style. This is certainly not the case here. Sacha currently holds the drum chair in Brisbane's most happening latin dance band 'Hot Mambo' and works freelance on Brisbane's many musical circuits, mostly jazz orientated. In just the last few years he has worked with tons of Brisbane's most esteemed artists and groups including 'Los Mambises', 'The View from Madeline's Couch', Steve Newcomb, Jamie Clark, Louise Denson, Stacey Broughton, David Peachey, Troy & Trev Brady and many more. For more information on Sacha, visit his personal website at www.sachakloostra.com

 

 

Yenni Barnes - percussion

Yenni is a Latin percussionist currently studying at Qld Conservatorium, Brisbane who is well versed in rhythms of Latin and South America. Based on the Gold Coast, Qld, Yenni has backed Vanetta Fields, Debbie Burns, Vince Maloney, Peter Allen, Danny La Rue and Normie Rowe in such venues as Seagulls (Gold Coast), Twin Towns (Tweed Heads), Jupiters Casino (Gold Coast) and the Treasury Casino (Brisbane). Performance highlights include the Opening concert for Brisbane EXPO, Opening concert for QPAC (Brisbane), Opening concert for Gold Coast Convention Centre and the Closing concert for Cloudland (Brisbane).

 

 

 

Carlos & Ellie - dancers

Hot Mambo collaborates with professional Latin dancers from Latin Steps Dance, Carlos Galiano and Ellie Torres, who provide stunning floor shows as well as group dance lessons (salsa, mambo shines, Brazilian samba-reggae, axe, cha cha cha, bachata, merengue, meneitos and reggaeton) that really get the crowd moving!

For more information, see their website at www.latinsteps.com

 

Sambeleza - dancers

Sambeleza is a dynamic Brazilian and Latin Carnival Samba group, performing Brazilian Samba shows and Latin shows. Kick start your evening with intoxicating rhythms of Latin Carnival, beautiful live dancers, colourful costumes and vibrant choreographies!

For more information, see their website at www.sambeleza.com.au