Emanuel Schmidt (guitar, musical director)

Swiss-born Emanuel Schmidt came to Australia in early 1991 after living and studying in Switzerland, France, England and the United States. Whilst completing his degrees in Biological Oceanography and Aquaculture at the Florida Institute of Technology, he started playing drums, then keyboard and bass before discovering the guitar.

Emanuel is an excellent and experienced performer and draws on his significant repertoire in the jazz, blues, latin, pop, rock, and gospel styles. He performs at festivals, clubs, cafés and restaurants, weddings and various public performances with many of Sydney’s top musicians and singers including Simon Barker, Felix Bloxsom, Con Campbell, Erana Clark, Nicky Crayson, Toby Hall, Brett Hirst, Matthew Keegan, Richard Maegraith, Paul McNamara, Toni Randle, Bill Risby, Edoardo Santoni, Craig Scott, Hamish Stuart, Ashley Turner, and Sean Wayland.

Emanuel’s passion is jazz, which he performs and directs mainly with his own groups. These include two trios (guitar / bass /drums and guitar/organ/ drums) as well as the Quartet (guitar/saxophone/bass/drums). Emanuel also performs as a solo artist and in duos, and he is currently working on several new projects. His diverse musical experiences also include touring, performing in a musical (‘Fiddler on the Roof’), and recording live and in the studio. Emanuel has maintained residencies at the All Seasons Premier Menzies Hotel, Mancini’s, and the 1853 Restaurant with his own ensembles as well as with the Hugh Clark SuperShowband (‘Live at the CAFFE’) and the show, ‘The Living Room’. He holds a Ph.D. from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and a Diploma in Creative Arts (Music) with Honours from the Wesley Institute.

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Richard Maegraith (tenor and alto saxophones, flute) is a musician of many hues who was awarded a scholarship to complete his Master of Music (performance) from the Sydney Conservatorium. Richard is a winner of numerous awards, prizes, and scholarships and was nominated for outstanding achievement in the 'Young Australian Of The Year' Award (1995) and was a finalist of the James Morrison National Jazz Scholarship Generations in Jazz in 1991. This in-demand tenor player has performed with over fifty of
Sydney's finest Jazz, Latin, and World music ensembles and performers, including the James Morrison Big Band, the Sydney All Star Big Band, Mike Nock's Young Lions, the Java Quartet, James Muller, Margaret Urlich, and Lily Dior. Richard, who has appeared on over 20 released recordings, also heads up his own ensemble, the Richard Maegraith Quintet, and has toured extensively in Australia and overseas. In 2007, Richard looks set to release his debut album of original music as leader.

Toby Hall (drums) is one of the most highly regarded Australian drummers. He works with most of Australia's finest jazz and contemporary musicians live and in the studio, including Don Burrows, Bernie McGann, Clarion Fracture Zone, Dale Barlow, Paul Grabowsky, Mike Nock, Sandy Evans, Lloyd Swanton, and Vince Jones. He has also performed with international artists include Sheila Jordan, Ricky Ford, and Chuck Findley, among others. Toby has given master classes and workshops at tertiary institutions and jazz festivals throughout Australia, has toured all the major capital cities, and has performed at many of the best jazz festivals (Montreal Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Jakarta International Jazz Festival), and contemporary music venues (New York's famous Knitting Factory) throughout Europe, Canada, Asia and the South Pacific. Toby is featured on over 20 Australian C.Ds and is actively involved in the Sydney jazz community as a committee member of S.I.M.A., and as a member of JazzGroove Association, performing regularly for both associations.

Ashley Turner (double bass and electric bass) is one of Sydney's finest bassists.  He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music) cum laude from the City College of New York, where he studied for more than three years with jazz legend Ron Carter (Miles Davis) before being granted the music department's most prestigious award for a graduating student.  Whilst at CCNY, Ashley studied performance, composition, classical theory and analysis, and jazz harmony, among others. He also holds an Associate Diploma in Jazz Studies from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.  Ashley is a recipient of two Australia Council of the Arts Grants, and his album of original compositions, "Beautiful Open Spaces," was nominated for an ARIA Award in 2004.  Ashley was also a 2002 Freedman Foundation Jazz Fellowship nominee.  His touring destinations include India, New Zealand, Fiji, Papaua Niugini, and Switzerland, where he has performed at the 2004 Montreux Jazz Festival.  He has also played in major US cities including New Orleans, Dallas, and New York, where he has performed at Smalls, Birdland, the 55-Bar, the Knitting Factory, Swing 46, and numerous other jazz clubs. He has performed with many Australian jazz luminaries, including James Morrison, the late Roger Frampton, Ten Part Invention, Bernie McGann, Dale Barlow, Paul McNamara, Mike Nock, Don Burrows, Vince Jones, Renee Geyer, and Monica Trapaga.  In the USA, he performed with Arturo O'Farrill, David Hazeltine, Eric Lewis, Dave Stryker, Vic Juris, Alvester Garnett, Steve Little, Gene Jackson, Ian Froman, Eddie Bert, Conrad Herwig, Jerry Weldon, Charlie Persip, and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, to name but a few. Ashley's extensive experience makes him a consummate professional and a fantastic musician.

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Nick Bowd (alto and baritone saxophones) holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and is a recipient of the Margaret Henderson Scholarship. He has studied with jazz greats Mike Nock, Dale Barlow, Paul McNamara and Guy Strazzullo and has performed with such established artists/groups as James Muller Quartet, Mike Nock, the Louisville Sluggers and the Judy Bailey Septet at venues including the Side-On Café, Bennetts Lane, The Basement, and the Metro. He has recorded, produced, and released his debut original album “Arrival” on jazzgroove records.