Beeche / Magnusson, is the meeting point for Melbourne saxophonist Jack Beeche (Tim Willis – The End, Issho, Monash Art Ensemble) and renowned guitarist Stephen Magnusson. It documents a period of time the musicians spent regularly improvising music over cups of tea. Here the two musicians communicate on a set of lyrically improvised dialogues in duo format.

Stephen Magnusson needs little introduction. As an award-winning guitarist, he is considered one of Australia’s most accomplished, versatile and distinct musicians with incredible technique and an astoundingly beautiful tone.

Saxophonist Jack Beeche made his home in Melbourne after spending some years in London. He is particularly known for his work with Tim Willis’s band -The End, and in 2015 released his first album Golden Blue. Beeche has a lyrical tone, always improvising in the moment, from note to note.

On this album Beeche and Magnusson converse over original compositions, jazz standards and rock covers, interspersed with free improvisations in a flowing dialogue of melody and harmony.

Magnusson has music in him that is simply astounding
The Age

 
Jack Beeche is an Australian saxophonist based in Melbourne. After graduating from the ANU school of music in 2004 he moved to London where he immersed himself in the local jazz scene, attending jam sessions, gigging and performing in the UK and Europe. During this period Beeche played in ensembles ranging from jazz to cabaret, ska and hip hop. He regularly travelled, studying with top international jazz musicians, searching for his own approach to improvised jazz. After becoming highly influenced by alto saxophonist Lee Konitz who strives to improvise entirely in the moment; Beeche returned to Australia in 2009 where he settled in Melbourne. Beeche works regularly with jazz ensembles in Melbourne, performing at festivals and touring nationally. In 2015 he completed his Masters of music performance at Monash University and released his first album Golden Blue.

Beeche’s saxophone ranges from loud, rock fuelled intensity in bands like Tim Willis’s - The End and Jessica Carlton’s ISSHO; to lyrical, interactive conversations, heard on his 2015 release Golden Blue and 2016 release Beeche / Magnusson.

Jack Beeche, with a sound, not altogether unlike Paul Desmond
Jim McLeod

Track Listing

1 Image 1

2 Mercenary Pounds

3 Golden Blue

4 Image 2

5 Wings

6 Image 3

7 I’ll Remember April 4

8 Darn that Dream

9 Image 4

10 Kathelin Gray

11 The Gift

12 Image 5

13 Love Theme from a Zombie Film

14 Tea in the Sahara

15 Black Hole Sun

16 Mercenary Pounds (reprise)

17 Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise

Recorded at Pughouse Studios by Niko Schauble December 22nd, 2014 and February 23rd 2015

Mixed and Mastered by Yen Nguyen at 10 Kinds of Handsome