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Jamie Oehlers Biography




Jamie Oehlers is one of Australia's leading jazz artists and saxophonists. In 2003 Jamie was the winner of the World Saxophone Competition at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, 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 "Bell" Award for Best Australian Jazz Artist and three for Best Contemporary Jazz Album, an ABC Limelight Award for Best Jazz CD Release, a Western Australian Music Industry Award for International Achievement, a James Morrison Scholarship, has been nominated for a Mo Award for Best Jazz Instrumentalist, an Australian Young Achiever of the Year Award, and has twice been a finalist in the Australian Recording Industry Award's for Best Jazz Album. He has performed throughout the world including major festivals like the JVC Jazz Festival in New York, BBC London Jazz Festival, Jazz Yatra in India, Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Edinburgh Jazz Festival, Villa Celimontana Jazz Festival in Rome, Galway Jazz festival, Brecon Jazz Festival in Wales, Jazz Alive Festival in New Zealand, and most major festivals in Australia.



Jamie has collaborated with many great international jazz artists within Australia and overseas including performances and recordings with Ari Hoenig, Aaron Goldberg, George Garzone, Charlie Haden, Eric Harland, Reuben Rogers, Rufus Reid, Geri Allen, Cindy Blackman, Jamie Cullum, Bob Hurst, Peter Leitch, John and Jeff Clayton, Curtis Lundy, Eddie Marshal, Dale Barlow, Megan Washington, Kate Ceberano, Bobby Shew and many more. He is a member of the Paul Grabowsky Quartet and Sextet, the Australian Art Orchestra, and leads the groups Blowfish, the Jamie Oehlers Quartet, Memory of Elements and Lost and Found.



He has released 10 CDs as a leader, including his most recent recordings "Smoke and Mirrors" (with US drummer Ari Hoenig), "The Differences" (with Australian vocalist Gian Slater), "On a Clear Day" (with Paul Grabowsky - which recently won a Limelight Award for Best Jazz Release) "Lost and Found", and "The Assemblers" on Jazzhead Records. As a sideman, Jamie has recorded on another 30+ recordings.



After completing his studies at WAAPA in 1993, in 1994 he furthered his studies in at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Boston, under scholarship. He has also studied under some of the world's finest jazz musicians in New York City, including Dave Liebman, George Coleman, Hal Crook and George Garzone.



Jamie has been a saxophone and improvisation tutor at the Victorian College of the Arts and Monash University in Melbourne, and has held saxophone and improvisation workshops throughout Australia, New Zealand and the UK. In 2008 he became Coordinator of Jazz Studies at WAAPA in Perth.






Press Quotes ? Jamie Oehlers







"Oehlers can match his ability to think on his feet at speed over sustained choruses with a touch on ballads that contrasts his up-tempo assertiveness with vulnerability and tenderness"- Rob Adams, Scottish Herald




"He seemed to be his own accompanying trio, dazzling was the alteration between his melodic lines and the phrases that built up the supporting harmonies"- Alyn Shipton, BBC Jazz presenter at the World Saxophone Competition.





"a combination of strength and sensitivity"-Jessica Nicholas, The Age





"a creative, powerful and sensitive musician, with stories to tell"- Jim Mcleod, 24 hours





"one of this country's most outstanding jazz musicians"- Music Australia Guide





"Oehlers has a full command of the horn, a very warm tone, and a fondness (and surety in) the upper register that recalls Joe lovano"- Jason Bivins, Cadence magazine





"This was contemporary original jazz of world standard, played by highly talented artists demonstrating beyond all doubt that Australian groups such as Oehlers' quartet are producing important works and powerful performers able to stand tall on any stage" - John McBeath, The Australian





"Jamie Oehlers proves his position as a player of international stature...in the fierce music that follows, Oehlers picks up from Tinkler in an extraordinary solo of great passion. Yet elsewhere, on "Solace" and "Departure," he can play the tenor ballad with equal mastery" ? Bev Stapleton, All About Jazz





"Tenor saxophonist Jamie Oehlers speaks that kind of language; a beautiful language, but with a very unique accent and logic...Oehlers' musical language is very special" ?Billy Kerr, International Saxophone Journal