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"Improvisations"
MIZ GIVING LISA McCLELLAND
The Newsletter of the Gold Coast Jazz & Blues Club
February 2015
Editor: Roy McKeen
Meet
The Marvellous
Miz Demeanours
Join The Marvellous Miz Demeanours
for their rollercoaster ride of music
memories and personal misdemeanours!
Presenting their own brand of mischievous
comedy cabaret... The Marvellous Miz
Demeanours are unpredictable and totally
endearing with their four part harmonies
and effortless repartee.
Sizzling audiences with their unique show
of jazz hits and twists, scandalous blues,
quirky pop and tongue-in-cheek original
songs, The Marvellous Miz Demeanours
stars MIZ CHIEF Karen Strahan, MIZ HAP
Gaye Reid, MIZ CONDUCT Jill Walsh & MIZ
GIVING Lisa McClelland. These cheeky
ladies of song are joined on stage by
pianoman extraordinaireJOHN HILL and
stunning
percussionist/drummer
BEN
SCHUMANN.
Friends in life and on stage for over 20 years, an impromptu performance at
the Brumby Schnapps Distillery back in 2011 sparked the idea to create
THE MARVELLOUS MIZ DEMEANOURS!
These sassy ladies of song have successfully performed individually as well as
together in a range of marvellous guises. In 1996 they stepped out in their
original cabaret show HIGH ON HEELS performing at the Melbourne
International Comedy Festival. In 2000 they formed a different line up
performing iconic male rock songs as the DARKSIDE DIVAS.
Fast track to today... they finally return to their first love - cabaret - as
THE MARVELLOUS MIZ DEMEANOURS! Comfortable in their skins (plus a
sequin or two), their shows continue to thrill audiences as they dare to cross
the line as well as music genres - from jazz to blues to quirky pop.
MIZ CHIEF KAREN STRAHAN
A dynamo alto voice, our queen of groove, Karen is also a producer
and songwriter. HIGHLIGHTS: SWEET MISCHIEF jazz band, MELODY
MAGIC
childrens
show,
HIGH
ON
HEELS,
MELBOURNE
INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL, DARKSIDE DIVAS and WINGING
MY WAY TO THE TOP musical co-creator, producer, performer.
Starting out as a dancer, Karen was one of the first Canberra
Raiderettes. A late runner to singing, she studied jazz vocals with
Gery Scott at School of Music, Australian National University. She cofounded the very successful 9 piece jazz band SWEET MISCHIEF that
went on to tour the country including jazz festivals in Thredbo, Manly,
Darling Harbour, Pearl Beach, Samoa.
MIZ CONDUCT JILL WALSH
She flirts on and off stage with her alto voice, Jill is The Miz
Demeanours vocal harmony queen and arranger. Jill has taught at the
ANU School of Music jazz course and privately. HIGHLIGHTS: HIGH
ON HEELS, WINGING MY WAY TO THE TOP musical co-creator,
producer and performer.
Jill began performing in her family country pub and even at the age of
thee had the audience at her feet -singing on the bar! How could 100
farmers be wrong. She soon became the darling of the Eisteddfod
circuit and her career blossomed when she was accepted to study jazz
vocals under the tuition of grand diva Gery Scott at the Australian
National University where she met fellow Miz Demeanours Karen and
Lisa.. and so the long collaborating friendship and creative union
began.
MIZ HAP GAYE REID
A powerhouse raunchy bass voice Gaye has led her own jazz, blues
and rock bands. HIGHLIGHTS: HIGH ON HEELS, MELODY MAGIC
childrens show, BIG CITY corporate band, DARKSIDE DIVAS, and
MAMAS BLOOZ HOUSE and WINGING MY WAY TO THE TOP musical
Gaye started honing her voice on Melbourne's talent quest circuit in
the ‘70s where the rewards were plentiful (a magnum of Bodega
sparkling wine was worth a lot in those days).
Based in Canberra for the past 24 years, she has fronted her own
bands including corporate band BIG CITY that performed in Beijing
for the Australian Embassy in 1996 and in HIGH ON HEELS at the
Melbourne Comedy Festival. Gaye's versatility as a performer saw her
create the DARKSIDE DIVAS and in recent years leading award
winning blues outfit MAMA'S BLOOZ HOUSE where she won
Canberra's Best Blues Vocalist and has since shared stages with
Australia's blues royalty. Her festival credits include: Broadbeach
Blues Festival 2008, Australian Blues Festival 2009, 2010.
MIZ SOPRANO LISA MCLELLAND
The Miz Demeanours soprano with the crystal clear voice, Lisa
has performed around the world. HIGHLIGHTS: UP WITH PEOPLE
international singing troupe, MELODY MAGIC, childrens musical,
HIGH ON HEELS, cabaret show, DARKSIDE DIVAS, SWEET
MISCHIEF big band, WINGING MY WAY TO THE TOP musical.
In 1989 Lisa toured with international performance group UP
WITH PEOPLE for a two year tour of 13 countries that inspired
Lisa to study music at the jazz campus of the Australian National
University under the tuition of Gery Scott. This incredible learning
curve also began the start of her gloriously tumultuous 20 year
musical collaboration with Karen and Jill. An actor, MC and voice
over queen, Lisa has also enjoyed singing in many theatre
restaurant and cabaret shows.
PIANO MAN AND VOCALIST JOHN HILL
A songwriter, singer and pianoman extraordinaire, John
regularly performs with the A-list of Aussie musicians. His voice
is warm and engaging and every note on his piano is played
with great heart and panache. He is equally at home in a piano
bar to fronting his own band playing Australia's major stages.
Originally from Sydney, John now calls Mullumbimby home.
HIGHLIGHTS: International tours of Holland, Africa, England,
Japan.
DRUMS BEN SCHUMANN
Ben lays down the solid grooves with his drums. His slick
playing crosses the genres and keeps him in high demand
on the corporate, pub and club circuit in Canberra. For the
past 12 years he has privately tutored many upcoming
drummers. He steers the engine room of the Miz Demeanour
ship with drive and passion and we love him for
it! HIGHLIGHTS: NIGHT TRAIN, KEVIN WINDROSS BAND,
SWEET MISCHIEF jazz band.
We welcome the Marvellous Miz Demeanours to Gold Coast for their first
visit to Queensland. They come with warm recommendations from our
friends in NSW and ACT jazz clubs.
Following their performance at our club they go on to perform at the
Sunshine Coast Jazz Club, Caloundra and at a club in Maleny.
Galapagos Duck - 23rd January
It really was weather for ducks when Galapagos Duck played at The Arts Centre Gold Coast. High winds and rain
lashed South East Queensland resulting in flooding in many places. Despite Nature’s tantrums an enthusiastic
crowd of 277 crowded into the Paradise Room to hear The Duck. They were not disappointed. It is amazing what
five musicians on stage can accomplish. It was a sheer avalanche of sound which was greeted with rounds of
applause. Jazz lives!
Photographs courtesy of Simon Humble-Crofts
Oh, Lady Be Good!
Melissa Western
In a feast of jazz and blues, Melissa takes you on a
tour of the 20th Century with the great divas as your
guides.
Of course you know the classic songs of the greats like
Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, Etta James,
Eartha Kitt, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Judy
Garland, Patsy Cline, Marilyn Monroe, Edith Piaf, Eva
Cassidy and more, but do you know their stories?
This is a wonderful cabaret-style night filled with
fascinating anecdotes, iconic characters, fun for the
audience and most of all, great quality music.
Songs like I Loves You Porgy, God Bless the Child, Peel Me
a Grape and Oh, Lady Be Good are performed with
pizzazz and flair by Brisbane based singer-actor
Melissa Western who is: ‘Warm, witty and supremely
talented … captivating …Western is a force of nature‘

Broadway
Baby
‘When the music stops, there is the longest silence.
Then Melissa Western’s voice reappears, snatching
you away again, inspiring a big grin on your face.
You knew she was never gone for long, yet in that
silence
you
still
missed
her.’
 Three Weeks
‘We were struck by how talented Melissa Western is,
she has star quality, a wonderful singing voice and a
great personality.’ Village Hall Promoter, West Lindsey,
Lincolnshire
"Melissa Western is a sultry singer with an
exceptional ability to scat, and her rich, powerful
vocals invite the audience to accompany her on her
journey."
New
Adelaide
Theatre
Guide
Joining Melissa onstage is a versatile and talented jazz
quartet featuring some of Queensland’s finest players.
Friday
22nd May
Oh, Lady be Good has performed to acclaim at The Jazz
Bar
(Edinburgh
Festival).
Melissa is well known to us as the star of ‘An Evening
in Paris.’
The Jazz Action Society Gold Coast Inc. trading as Gold Coast Jazz & Blues Club was founded in 1985 and
meets monthly (except December) in The Paradise Showroom at The Arts Centre Gold Coast, 135 Bundall
Road, Surfers Paradise on advertised dates. The club presents a wide variety of music and entertainment in
the jazz and blues genre provided by bands, singers and entertainers from all over Australia and
internationally.
If you are a visitor to our club we invite you to become a member and take advantage of discounted
admission prices and discount at the bar and bistro. You will receive the club’s newsletter monthly either
electronically or hard copy. Members are admitted at members rates at affiliated jazz clubs world-wide.
Membership application forms can be found at the desk in the foyer or you can join online.
You will be made very welcome!
Gold Coast Jazz & Blues Club
President/Editor Roy McKeen
Vice President Nikki Murphy
Treasurer Simon Humble-Crofts
Secretary John Simpson
Membership Rob Speedie
Raffles Suzanne Rolls
Production Mgr. Andy Dowdeswell
5529-6562
0408 738 168
5679-2774
5538-8821
5527- 5294
0401 026 001
5597-0098
www.goldcoastjazzclub.com
[email protected]
P.O. Box 6421
GCMC 9726
Your Jazz Club
Membership Card
The only valid club membership
card is the plastic card with your
name, membership number and
year of membership.
Please present your card when
ordering at the bar and bistro and
when making reservations at the
Box Office.
When booking by telephone
please quote your membership
number.
Have you seen the huge illuminated sign above the Box Office in the Arts Centre Gold Coast?