In Conversation with Dale Barlow, Masters of Music – Internationally renowned Australian Jazz Saxophonist, Multi-Instrumentalist, Clarinettist, Flautist and Composer.

Dale Barlow, is an internationally renowned Australian Jazz Saxophonist, Multi-Instrumentalist, Clarinettist, Flautist and Composer. He is winner of several ARIA Awards, Album of the Year/ Jazz performer of the year/ International Artist of the Year/ Bicentennial Artist of the Year and has four Mo Awards and grants.

 

Áine chats with Dale about his life and experience of playing and creating music.  Dale grew up surrounded by music.  His father was a professional musician, his mother and grandmother played the piano and it was no surprise that he was playing with professional bands from the age of 14 years old and in a youth Jazz big band with a young James Morrison.  Music took Dale to New York in the 1980’s where he studied and gained the most extraordinary musical experiences.  Dale discusses music composition and his particular creative process.  His experience of being stuck in Thailand for two years during Covid, and his eventual return to Australia which Dale says was a bit of a culture shock.  We talk about his international experiences and how the world has changed and what he’s doing now in the music industry in Australia.

In Australia and South East Asia Dale has performed with many artists and groups, includinCg Keys Music Association, The Benders, Bruce Cale, Roger Frampton, , Matt Finish, Vince Jones, Margaret Ulrich, Kate Cebrano, Indra Lesmana, and Dwiki Dharmawon.  Dale's group 'The Wizards of Oz' with Paul Grabowsky, Lloyd Swanton and Tony Buck, was the first Australian group to undertake a major 2 continent tour (USA/Canada/Europe) with assistance from the Australia Council for the Arts.

Dale has played and toured and recorded with many other jazz greats including Sonny Stitt, Chet Baker, Gil Evans, Jackie McLean, Billy Cobham, Dizzy Gillespie, Curtis, fuller, Eddie, Palmieri, Benny Golson, Lee Konitz, Helen Merrill, Mulgrew Miller, Kenny Barron, Ray Drummond, Dave Kikoski, Richie Cole, Billy Higgins, Freddie Hubbard and Wynton Marsalis, Cindy Blackman, Ernie Wattsm Eddie Henderson, Jeff Watts, Essiet Essiet, Bennie Green and Mike Nock.  He played with the Gil Evans' Big Band, and was a member of the Billy Cobham band for 3 years.