
PhD
Sandy is a saxophonist, composer, educator and music researcher with a passion for improvisation and new music.
She has played with and written for some of the most important groups in Australian jazz since the early 1980s, toured extensively in Australia, Europe, Canada and Asia, and been featured on over 40 albums. She leads the Sandy Evans Trio and Sextet, and co-leads Clarion Fracture Zone and GEST8. She is a member of Mara!, The catholics, the Australian Art Orchestra (AAO), Ten Part Invention, austraLYSIS, Friends of Kim Sanders, Atma Blu, Waratah, Andrew Robson’s Tallis project, Ben Walsh’s Orkestra of the Underground and SNAP. Sandy recently led her own group at the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, toured Europe with Mara!, was a featured soloist in Lloyd Swanton’s widely acclaimed Ambon project, and performed with Alon Ilsar.
Sandy has an extensive composition portfolio and has received many commissions from leading jazz, improvising and new music ensembles. Recent commissions include a suite in honour of legendary Australian saxophonist the late Bernie McGann, and a suite Rockpool Mirror based on photographs by Tall Poppies’ Belinda Webster. Wesleyan University Press released Sandy’s composition Testimony, a major work about the life and music of Charlie Parker with poetry by the Pulitzer Prize winning American poet Yusef Komunyakaa, in the US in 2013. Sandy composed Kali and The Time of Change, the title track of The Sirens debut CD.
Sandy has a keen interest in Indian classical music. She collaborates regularly with Sydney-based Indian musicians Sarangan Sriranganathan and Bobby Singh and recently released the CD Kapture, a tribute to South African freedom fighter Ahmed Kathrada. ‘…a masterfully performed fusion of jazz and Indian classical musics… the improvisations exemplify the virtuosic energy that is a key resonance between jazz and Indian classical music.’ Cummins 1/6/15 www.musictrust.com.au
Her CD Cosmic Waves, featuring South Indian mridangam virtuoso Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani and Sruthi Laya, is released in India on Underscore Records. She began collaborating with Aneesh Pradhan and Shubha Mudgal during a Churchill Fellowship visit to India in 2014 and is currently co-composing ‘Bridge of Dreams’ with them for Sirens Big Band.
She has played with and written for Great White Noise, The Bruce Cale Orchestra, the KMA Orchestra, Kristen Cornwell Quintet, the Bernie McGann Trio, Judy Bailey, the Gai Bryant Quartet and Jeremy Sawkins. Her group Women and Children First was a ground-breaking ensemble during the 1980s, undertaking an epic seven month tour by bus around the whole of Australia. While living in Scotland in 1987, she played with the saxophone quartet SAXTC and the rhythm and blues band Tam White and The Dexters.
She has toured extensively in Australia, Europe, Canada and Asia. Some highlights have been the Chicago Jazz festival, the North Sea Jazz Festival, WOMAD, the Brecon Festival, the Outside In festival, the Edinburgh Festival, Montreal and Vancouver Jazz festivals, the Knitting Factory (NY) the Wangaratta Jazz Festival, the Manly Jazz Festival, Sydney and Melbourne Jazz Festivals, the Brisbane Biennial, the Adelaide Festival, Jazz Yatra (India), the Sidmouth Folk Festival and the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. She has toured Russia, China, Estonia, Lithuania, Denmark, Holland, Italy, Germany, Finland, Singapore, Taiwan, India, Fiji, Western Samoa, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and Hong Kong. She has been featured in several television programs for the ABC and Scottish television as well as radio broadcasts on the ABC, BBC and WDR (Germany). She appears in the Australian jazz documentaries 'Beyond el Rocco' and 'Dr Jazz'.
Book Chapters, Journal Articles and Academic Papers
2016
2015
2013
2011
2010
Featured Articles, Addresses and Interviews
2008
2004
1995
The following books have references to Sandy Evans’ work:
Shand, John. Jazz: The Australian Accent. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press. 2009.
Clare, John. Bodgie Dada and the Cult of Cool: Jazz in Australia since the 1940s. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press. 1995.
Sharpe, John. I Wanted to Be a Jazz Musician. Canberra: National Film and Sound Archive. 2008.
Johnson, Bruce. The Oxford Companion to Australian Jazz. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. 1987
Composition Portfolio
* indicates a commissioned work
For the Australian Art Orchestra
Instrumentation: 5 Saxophones (doubling woodwinds), 3 Trumpets, Trombone, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Violin, Bass, Drums, 2 Percussion, Piano, Keyboards, Guitar
Overture
Boxcars
Purple Dress
Deep South
A Day like Today
Abel and Cain
Black Cockatoo
Camarillo Part 1
Camarillo Part 2
Addie’s Boy
Pree’s Funeral Song
Barrow Street
A Soft Touch For Strings
Baroness Pannonica
Finale and Coda
Instrumentation: Children’s Choir, 8 vocal soloists and large ensemble – String Orchestra, Flute and Piccolo, Bb Clarinet/Bb Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone/Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Bb Trumpet, Tenor Trombone, Tuba/Euphonium, Didjeridu in D and Eb, Harp, Piano, Keyboard, Organ, Computer, Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Oud, Acoustic and Electric Bass, 5 Percussionists
For Ten Part Invention
Instrumentation: 4 Saxophones, 2 Trumpets, Trombone, Piano, Bass, Drums
Mvt 1: Fortea Two
Mvt 2: The Heart
Mvt 3: North Pole
Mvt 4: Queensland
For The Sandy Evans Trio
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Bass, Drums
For Bernie McGann Quartet
Instrumentation: 2 Saxophones, Bass, Drums
For Celebrating Bernie McGann Quintet
Instrumentation: 2 Saxophones, Trumpet, Bass, Drums
For the Sandy Evans Sextet
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Piano, Bass, Drums
For Clarion Fracture Zone
Instrumentation: 2 Saxophones (one doubling clarinet), Piano and sampler, Bass, Drums
For Clarion Fracture Zone with the Martenitsa Choir
(Female Bulgarian choir)
For Saxophone Quartet
Dawn Over Gumbangyir Country
Urungutang
The Beautiful Bellinger
Boggy Creek Bop
Street Party
For GEST8
Instrumentation: 2 Saxophones (one doubling Clarinet), Trumpet, Koto, Computer, Guitar, Bass, Drums
For The catholics
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Trombone/Pocket Trumpet, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Percussion, Slide Guitar or Piano Accordion
For Waratah
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Koto/Bass Koto, Percussion
For Bulgarian Women’s Choir
For Bulgarian Women’s Choir and MARA!
Instrumentation: 2 Saxophones, Voice/Tapan, Bouzouki, Bass
Compositions for Indian jazz intercultural ensembles
Instrumentation: 2 Saxophones, Trumpet, Bass Trombone, Piano, Bass, Drums, Bamboo Flute, Electric Mandolin, Mridangam, Ghatam
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Trumpet, Bass Trombone, Drums, Bamboo Flute, Electric Mandolin, Mridangam, Ghatam
Anbe Sivam (Co-composed with Guru Karaaikkudi Mani)
An Indian in Paris
Drums Across the Ganges
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Piano, Bamboo Flute, Electric Mandolin, Mridangam, Ghatam
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Bamboo Flute, Electric Mandolin, Mridangam, Ghatam
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Sousaphone, Bamboo Flute, Electric Mandolin, Mridangam, Ghatam
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Electric Bass, Bamboo Flute, Electric Mandolin, Mridangam, Ghatam
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Bass, Tabla, Sitar/Carnatic Male Voice, Drums
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Bass, Sitar/Carnatic Male Voice
One Dream
One Planet
One Justice
One Prayer
One Breath
One Hope
Peace
For Rockpool Mirror (collaboration with photographer Belinda Webster)
Instrumentation: Saxophone duets with Koto, Tabla, Bass, Bass Trombone, Drums, AirSticks
For Sirens Big Band
Instrumentation: 5 Saxophones (doubling woodwinds), 4 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, Bass Trombone, Bass, Drums, Piano, Guitar, Rapper
Text-sound collaboration
For The String Contingent
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Violin, Guitar, Double Bass
For Soprano Saxophone, Trombone and Contrabass Clarinet
For Alto and Baritone voices, Tenor Saxophone, Bass, Piano, Drums
For The Seymour Group
Instrumentation: Flute/Alto Flute/Piccolo, Clarinet/Soprano Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Horn, 3 Trumpets, 2 Trombones, Bass Trombone, Didjeridu, Violin, Double Bass, Prepared Piano, Drum Kit
For Dance
For Theatre
Film Soundtrack
Music for advertising
Clients include:
CDs featuring Sandy Evans’ compositions and/or improvisations
Sandy Evans Trio with Bobby Singh and Sarangan Sriranganathan
Sandy Evans and Yusef Komunyakaa
Sandy Evans Sextet
Sandy Evans Trio
With Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani and Sruthi Laya
GEST8
SNAP
Clarion Fracture Zone
Ten Part Invention
The catholics
MARA!
The Australian Art Orchestra
The String Contingent
The Bernie McGann Trio
The Gai Bryant Quartet
Women and Children First
Great White Noise
Atma Blu
austraLYSIS
Hazel Smith with austraLYSIS
Lloyd Swanton
Andrew Robson
Kim Sanders and Friends
Kristen Cornwell Quintet
Mohsen Soltany Sand
Paul McNamara
Jeremy Sawkins
Judy Bailey and Friends
Jamie Fielding
Sirens Big Band
Compass Quartet
Australia Council Fellowship, Music, 2017-2018
APRA AMCOS Art Music Award to compose ‘Bridge of Dreams’, 2016
Vice Chancellor’s Commendation for Academic Excellence, PhD Macquarie University, Sydney, 2014
Churchill Fellowship, 2014
Performance of the Year, Art Music Awards, for The Australian Art Orchestra and Sruthi Laya, 2013
Best Independent Jazz CD, AIR Award for When the Sky Cries Rainbows, 2011
Order of Australia Medal for contribution to Australian music, 2010
Australian Jazz Musician of The Year, Inaugural Bell Award, 2003
APRA Award for Most Performed Jazz Composition, 2003
Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Award for Best Australian Jazz Recording for Playground, 1997
Young Australian Creative Fellowship, 1996
ARIA Award for Ruino Vino, 1996
Jazz Performer of the Year, Mo Award, 1996
APRA Award for Jazz Composition of the Year, 1995
Deutsche Schallplattenkritik Award nomination, Germany, for The catholics CD Simple, 1995
Jazz Times Critics’ Pick in the top 10 annual releases: The catholics CD Simple, 1995
Best Jazz Group, Mo Award for The catholics, 1995
5 star rating, DownBeat Magazine (US) for Clarion Fracture Zone CD Zones On Parade, 1994
Mo Award, Female Jazz Performer of the Year, 1993
ARIA Award, Best Australian Jazz Recording for Blue Shift by Clarion Fracture Zone, 1990
5 star rating, Jazzthetik Magazine (Germany) for Blue Shift, 1990
Jazz Times Critics’ Pick in the top 10 annual releases: Blue Shift, 1990
Coda magazine (Canada) critic’s pick in the top 10 annual releases: Blue Shift, 1990
Australian Music Centre: Represented composer
APRA AMCOS: Member
Sydney improvised Music Association: Member
Selected performances featuring Sandy Evans’ compositions and/or improvisations
2016
‘The Arrival’ with Ben Walsh’s Orchestra of the Underground,
Guest soloist with The Black Arm Band,
Collaboration with Brazilian percussionist Vitor da Trindade
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2006
2005
2004
Atlantic Jazz Festival, Halifax
Edinburgh, UK; collaboration with Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra, UK
2003
2002
2001- 2002
2001-2004
2000
1999
1997-2000
Gai Bryant Quartet
1996
1988 (to present)
International highlights:
1996 tour of Europe, US and Canada including Leverkusener Jazztage (Germany), West End Cultural Centre, Winnipeg, Vancouver Jazz Festival, (Canada), the Knitting Factory (New York)
1994, tour of Europe including live broadcast for Radio Bremen (WDR Germany)
1992, Jazz Yatra Festival, India, tour of Europe including Morecambe WOMAD Festival, Bath International Festival, Jazz Café, London, Jazz in Duketown Festival, Holland and clubs in Bristol, Manchester, Munich and Berne
1991, tour of Europe including the Brecon International Jazz Festival, Outside In Festival, Crawley, the Jazz Café, London, the Edinburgh Festival, BBC live to air broadcast
1990, tour of Hong Kong, Europe, Russia, Estonia and Lithuania including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Holland, the Bimhuis Club, Amsterdam, the Montmartre Club, Copenhagen, the Hong Kong Jazz Club and clubs in Estonia, Lithuania and Russia
1991 (to present)
The catholics
1995 (to present)
austraLYSIS
1994-2004
Kristen Cornwell Quintet
1988 (to present)
MARA!
1988
1987
1986 (to present)
Ten Part Invention
1986
1985-86
1983-85
1984
1983-84
1982-84
1981-83
1976-78
1976-78
Sandy has also appeared as a soloist with Western classical music ensembles including The Australian Chamber Orchestra, The Seymour Group and Synergy.
Sandy founded the Jann Rutherford Memorial Award (JRMA) in 2005 and is the president of the JRMA committee. The Award, named in honour of the late jazz pianist Jann Rutherford, supports young female jazz musicians at the beginning of their professional careers. The Award is supported by organisations including partnerships with the Mietta Foundation, Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival (MWIJF), Sydney Improvised Music Association (SIMA), Jazz Queensland ABC Jazz, ABC Radio National and private philanthropy.
My Teaching
Feb 2013 – present
Founding Director
Jazz Orchestra, University of New South Wales
Director (from 2014) Intermediate Jazz Ensemble, University of New South Wales
July 2013 – 2016
Composition Tutor
Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney
2014 –2016
Jazz Tutor
Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney
2016
Adjunct Lecturer
Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney
2015
Faculty member
Australian Art Orchestra Creative Music Intensive, Tarraleah, Tasmania
2010 – 2012
Lecturer and Tutor
Masters of Contemporary Improvisation (Coursework Masters),
Department of Media, Music, Communication, and Cultural Studies, Macquarie University. Subjects taught: Improvisation Theory, Musicianship, Improvisation Around the Globe, Rhythm Studies, Modal Studies
2004 – 2009
Composition, saxophone and ensemble teacher
Sydney Grammar School
2002 – 2009
Course Director
Founding Director (2002)
Young Women’s Jazz Workshops, Sydney Improvised Music Association
1976 – present
Private composition, improvisation and saxophone tuition
1989 – present
Improvisation and composition lectures, workshops and masterclasses
Canberra School of Music (Australian National University), Victorian College of the Arts, West Australian Performing Arts Academy, University of New England, Southern Cross University, University of Western Sydney, Queensland Conservatorium of Music (Griffith University), Elder Conservatorium, Adelaide, Hobart Conservatorium, CQ University (Mackay), Charles Sturt University (Darwin)
1989 – 2014
Saxophonist, presenter
Musica Viva In Schools Program with Mara!, The World According to James and The Umbrellas
2009
Artist in Residence
Waratah, Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University, Queensland
2010
Artist in Residence
Sandy Evans Trio, Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University, Queensland
2009
Guest saxophone teacher
Jazz Department, Australian National University, ACT
2007
Directed a pilot program for improvisation for music education students
Sydney Conservatorium of Music (under the direction of Michael Webb)
2004
Masterclasses in composition and improvisation
The University of Iowa, US
Sommerakademie Jazzworkshop, Berlin, Germany
1999
Artist in residence
Jazz department, University of Western Australia
1999
Jazz improvisation workshops
South Australian jazz co-ordination program