The Unsuspecting engages with post-tonal harmony from a Schoenberg perspective rather than the jazz lexicon. Fans of Allan Holdsworth, Chick Corea and Tribal Tech this one is for you.
The Unsuspecting is Melbourne guitarist and composer Nick Freer’s latest offering. An all Australian affair, The Unsuspecting unites some of the finest Australian jazz-fusion talent based locally and internationally.
Exploring a diverse repertoire, The Unsuspecting engages with post-tonal harmony from a Schoenberg perspective rather than the jazz lexicon. Fans of Allan Holdsworth, Chick Corea and Tribal Tech this one is for you. The Unsuspecting features high octane playing by Freer and his partly internationally based band which includes Sean Wayland (NY) on keyboard, Matt Clohesy (NY) on bass, Phil Turcio, also on keyboard and Andrew Gander on drums, Carlo Barbaro on sax and bass clarinet and Justin Humphries on acoustic & electric drums and stutter edit effects. “I wanted to change my playing style away from the solo jazz guitar format and back into something challenging in different way”, Freer says of his collaboration with these musicians.
Freer’s previous album Avatar: Hands made the long list of the Grammy nominations in 2006. Following that release, he took opportunities to perform in China, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Vietnam and Germany. He has performed at festivals throughout Australia and overseas including the Melbourne International Festival of Jazz, the Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Electric Jazz Festival, the Italian International Jazz Festival and the Stonnington Jazz Festival.
On The Unsuspecting, Freer has decided to continue to take the jazz fusion style head on despite the challenges that he faces having a band that is not entirely based in Australia. Whilst the jazz fusion scene is limited in Australia, Freer’s virtuosic guitar playing and fusion sensibilities create opportunities that take him across the globe for concerts and masterclasses. His passion for playing the guitar, and love of the style is what drives him. As Freer explains, “For me jazz fusion has the best of everything— jazz aesthetics and harmony with the higher end technique of rock and less of the set and forget mentality. Fusion for me is so interactive and evolves rhythmically in ways that straight ahead jazz does not”.
2015 sees Freer continue to complete his PHD on the work of one of his greatest influences, jazz fusion guitarist Alan Holdsworth at Monash University. Freer’s plans for next year include travel to Vietnam and Singapore to deliver a series of Masterclasses and concerts at Hanoi University and at the Embassy in Hanoi.
The Unsuspecting is available now via Nick Freer’s website and through CD Baby. Click the links below.
Exploring a diverse repertoire, The Unsuspecting engages with post-tonal harmony from a Schoenberg perspective rather than the jazz lexicon. Fans of Allan Holdsworth, Chick Corea and Tribal Tech this one is for you. The Unsuspecting features high octane playing by Freer and his partly internationally based band which includes Sean Wayland (NY) on keyboard, Matt Clohesy (NY) on bass, Phil Turcio, also on keyboard and Andrew Gander on drums, Carlo Barbaro on sax and bass clarinet and Justin Humphries on acoustic & electric drums and stutter edit effects. “I wanted to change my playing style away from the solo jazz guitar format and back into something challenging in different way”, Freer says of his collaboration with these musicians.
Freer’s previous album Avatar: Hands made the long list of the Grammy nominations in 2006. Following that release, he took opportunities to perform in China, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Vietnam and Germany. He has performed at festivals throughout Australia and overseas including the Melbourne International Festival of Jazz, the Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Electric Jazz Festival, the Italian International Jazz Festival and the Stonnington Jazz Festival.
On The Unsuspecting, Freer has decided to continue to take the jazz fusion style head on despite the challenges that he faces having a band that is not entirely based in Australia. Whilst the jazz fusion scene is limited in Australia, Freer’s virtuosic guitar playing and fusion sensibilities create opportunities that take him across the globe for concerts and masterclasses. His passion for playing the guitar, and love of the style is what drives him. As Freer explains, “For me jazz fusion has the best of everything— jazz aesthetics and harmony with the higher end technique of rock and less of the set and forget mentality. Fusion for me is so interactive and evolves rhythmically in ways that straight ahead jazz does not”.
2015 sees Freer continue to complete his PHD on the work of one of his greatest influences, jazz fusion guitarist Alan Holdsworth at Monash University. Freer’s plans for next year include travel to Vietnam and Singapore to deliver a series of Masterclasses and concerts at Hanoi University and at the Embassy in Hanoi.
The Unsuspecting is available now via Nick Freer’s website and through CD Baby. Click the links below.
