The Journeyman Suite AR Big Band

• 1The Journeyman Suite - Part 1 'Blow'06:43
• 2The Journeyman Suite - Part 2 'The Balladier'07:05
• 3The Journeyman Suite - Part 3 'Torment'04:11
• 4The Journeyman Suite - Part 4 'The one less travelled by...'06:56
• 5The Journeyman Suite - Part 5 'Revelation'06:51
• 6Symphony for Big Band - 3rd Movement08:56
• Total Runtime40:42

Info for The Journeyman Suite

Journeyman - a worker who has a skill that makes them able to do a particular job, and who usually works for someone else. (Cambridge dictionary)

The ‘Journeyman Suite’ was composed in 2022 as part of additional academic study by composer/saxophonist/bandleader Andrew Robertson. The suite is semi autobiographical and explores the life experience of the working musician - the skilled tradesperson who makes their income performing behind the ticket-selling artist at the front of the stage.

In 2022-23, leading jazz composer/arranger Andrew Robertson composed the 'Journeyman Suite' for 18 piece jazz Big Band and String Quartet. This innovative work features 5 movements of 35 minutes in duration and stands alone in recent Australian composition in the use of such an ensemble, incorporating elements of 20th Century Western Art Music and jazz Big Band. Recorded over 3 days in July 2023 in Sydney's famed Studios301, the recording element has been self funded by the composer. This includes musician session fees, studio hire, sound engineer fees. Such independent projects support our music industry (both creatively and financially). Funding is sought to bring the project to completion covering editing/mixing, mastering and production costs.

This project is important as it represents a major work by a leading composer to add to the Australian jazz canon. Projects of this scale are rare in our current industry with the last of this size being works by legendary musician Judy Bailey over 10 years ago. With the effective end of sales of physical media and the ubiquitous nature of streaming, the contemporary musician has extremely limited options to commercialise any creative output. In previous generations, musical artists would create and release an album (CD, vinyl, tape and even iTunes). Sale proceeds of these recordings would ideally pay for the creation of the album and provide additional funds for the next creative project. In our current environment this simply is not an option. Grant applications are a lottery with a growing number of artists applying for the limited pool of grant funding, making this increasingly less viable. To bring the project to life, we ask for your support in the post-production stage.

Andrew Robertson, tenor saxophone, arranger
Graham Jesse, alto saxophone, flutes
Loretta Palmeiro, alto and soprano saxophone
Paul Cutlan, tenor saxophone
Craig Walters, tenor saxophone, clarinet
Rebecca Scolnik, baritone saxophone
Marianne Yeomans, viola
Simon Sweeney, trumpet
Louise Horwood, trumpet
Bernice Tesara, trumpet
Simon Ferenci, trumpet
Anthony Kable, trombone
Mark Barnsley, trombone
Dan Barnett, trombone
Colin Burrows, trombone
Danica Holden, guitar
Tim Fisher, piano
Brett Hirst, double bass
Gordon Rytmeister, drums

Andrew Robertson
is one of the most in demand jazz/commercial arrangers in Australia. He has been the Jazz Harmony & Arranging Lecturer at Sydney Conservatorium of Music since 2016 and has written for innumerable artists for live performance and recordings; US Superbowl 2021; Australian Idol; Eurovision Song Contest; many television ads on Australian TV and every year for the NSW Schools Spectacular. Specialising in Big Band and orchestral arranging, Andrew writes for a diverse range of musical groups from Choirs to 800 recorders + 250 strings for the NSW Primary Instrumental Festival!

Since graduating from the NSW Conservatorium of Music (Sydney) in 1991 Andrew has followed a career as a professional jazz musician, composer/arranger and jazz educator. As a woodwind specialist he has performed with such diverse artists as Michael Buble, George Benson, Boy George and Culture Club, Bobby Shew (US), Jerry Lewis (US), Jim Pugh (Steely Dan), Wayne Bergeron (US), Rex Richardson (US), Lorna Luft (US), John Farnham, James Morrison, the Sydney All Star Big Band, Emma Pask, Tom Burlinson, Don Burrows and professional Broadway Musicals such as ‘Cats’, The Producers, Legally Blonde, Anything Goes, Crazy For You, Chicago, West Side Story, Dusty, Hugh Jackman's The Boy From Oz etc.

He also recorded many jingles for television and his playing/arranging is heard nightly on Australian/NZ television through ads for Toyota, Telstra, Suncorp, Landcruiser, Mortein, Woolworths and many others.

Andrew is also one of the busiest freelance commercial arrangers in Australia having arranged for events such as Australian Idol (03-09), “Battle of The Choirs” (08), Eurovision Song Contest, The Sydney Opera House 30th Birthday Gala Concert, Sydney and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras, television ads, the 2006 Channel 9 Theme Song, and many others.

His arrangements appear on many of Australia's top artists CDs, such as Natalie Gauci (Aus. Idol winner 07), Emma Pask, Monica Trapaga, Dan Barnett, Carl Risely, Janet Seidel, Swingcity, Mark Rivett, Sydney All Star Big Band, MBF 'Accentuate The Positive', NSW Dept. of Education Secondary 'Schools Spectacular' and others.

Andrew is also heavily involved with music education. He was Director of the NSW Dept. of Education Performing Arts Unit Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble 1997-2006. The Jazz Orchestra winning the National Stage Band award. Andrew is Founder/Director of the music education providers Jellybeans Music (Australia’s leading Primary classroom music program) and JozzBeat Music Publishing Pty. Ltd. which produces some of the most successful Primary music teaching resources in Australia and internationally. Andrew regularly lectures on Primary School music programs and resources across Australia and internationally.

Andrew often is invited to conduct school and college Big Bands with his wealth of experience in this field. He currently lectures in Jazz Pedagogy (how to teach jazz) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

This album contains no booklet.