Our Resident Jazz Band: the ramblers
The Ramblers started a few years ago as a group of Albert Park locals who enjoy playing traditional New Orleans jazz music together. The band now share the fun of New Orleans Trad & Jazz style music at events, markets, and special occasions.
The band includes a number of foundation musicians such as drummer and vocalist, Ken Farmer, known and admired by virtually everyone in the Australian blues and jazz scenes for his ‘playing like no-one else’ drum and washboard skills. There are few people he hasn’t played with since beginning his career in 1960. Ken has over 30 bands listed in ‘Who’s Who of Australian Rock’ – and that’s only up until 1992!
The Ramblers expanded post pandemic, and now include more than 15 committed musicians with a mix of instruments such as trombones, trumpets, clarinets, saxophones, guitars, banjo, bass, drum, piano, and a few singers.
The Ramblers aim to make Trad & Jazz approachable to all through style and rhythm variations on known standards.
We are always looking for back-up jazz musicians to sit-in with our jazz band when one of our members has to work or is on holiday.
If you're interested, please reach out to the office via email.
A demo reel is on Facebook at: https://fb.watch/gppqvP-tPm/
The band includes a number of foundation musicians such as drummer and vocalist, Ken Farmer, known and admired by virtually everyone in the Australian blues and jazz scenes for his ‘playing like no-one else’ drum and washboard skills. There are few people he hasn’t played with since beginning his career in 1960. Ken has over 30 bands listed in ‘Who’s Who of Australian Rock’ – and that’s only up until 1992!
The Ramblers expanded post pandemic, and now include more than 15 committed musicians with a mix of instruments such as trombones, trumpets, clarinets, saxophones, guitars, banjo, bass, drum, piano, and a few singers.
The Ramblers aim to make Trad & Jazz approachable to all through style and rhythm variations on known standards.
We are always looking for back-up jazz musicians to sit-in with our jazz band when one of our members has to work or is on holiday.
If you're interested, please reach out to the office via email.
A demo reel is on Facebook at: https://fb.watch/gppqvP-tPm/
St Silas has a proud jazz tradition and our own jazz song, St Silas Shuffle. The former St Silas church hall (now the site of a petrol station next door) was the home of the Melbourne Jazz Club. Willie McIntyre's Jazz Band, along with many others, regularly played there.
The St Silas Shuffle was written by Tony Newstead (Willie McIntyre's Jazz Band trumpeter), and recorded by them in 1946. Members of the Dirty Dozen Jazz Band and their friends at the Australian Jazz Museum uncovered a copy of the St Silas Shuffle's chords and original recording. The Dirty Dozen Jazz Band brought it back to life by playing it during morning tea after our first Jazz Eucharist in November 2014 - a 78 year old comeback! St Silas Shuffle has become a congregation favourite.
The St Silas Shuffle was written by Tony Newstead (Willie McIntyre's Jazz Band trumpeter), and recorded by them in 1946. Members of the Dirty Dozen Jazz Band and their friends at the Australian Jazz Museum uncovered a copy of the St Silas Shuffle's chords and original recording. The Dirty Dozen Jazz Band brought it back to life by playing it during morning tea after our first Jazz Eucharist in November 2014 - a 78 year old comeback! St Silas Shuffle has become a congregation favourite.
