Friday 27 October @ Thomas Dixon Centre
Mobile since her birth in Singapore, saxophonist, composer, and vocalist Caroline Davis’s expression covers a wide range of styles, owed to her shifting environment as a child. From angular, melody-present instrumental outfits to soulful, quirky song writing, Caroline’s persona is recognizably present. As an improviser and saxophonist, she has released six albums under her name and has won Downbeat’s Critic’s Poll Rising Star. Through the years, her work continues to garner praise in domestic and international publications.
Davis has shared musical moments with Lee Konitz, John Zorn, George Cables, Angelica Sanchez, The Femme Jam, Matt Mitchell, Terry Riley, Nicole Mitchell, Miles Okazaki, Geoffrey Keezer, Rajna Swaminathan, and Billy Kaye, among many others. She regularly sings and writes songs with the experimental R&B band, My Tree. Her composition work has led her to be a resident fellow at MacDowell, The Jazz Gallery, The Rockefeller Estate, and ICE Ensemble Evolution; and she has been awarded Jerome Hill, CMA, and NYFA fellowships. Her compositions often integrate science and music, influenced by her Ph.D in Music Cognition. Caroline is an advocate for gender equity (This Is A Movement, The New School) and carceral justice (Justice for Keith LaMar).
Alula Album
Caroline Davis’ first social justice album, Alula: Captivity, situates her electro-free compositions alongside the lives of eight heroes who kept hope alive through incarceration. The jazz community has been incredibly responsible for major contributions to social justice and for doing civil rights work even before certain movements were created. Through coded lyrics by blues singers like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith, to Nina Simone’s impactful lyrics in Mississippi Goddam and Young, Gifted, and Black, inspired by Lorraine Hansberry’s words, to Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite, to Terri Lyne Carrington’s recent gathering, Music for Abolition; jazz and creative musicians have always been present, creating artistic works to protest injustices and speak truth to power. Davis’ album stands on the shoulders of these influences, providing creative insight on the injustices present in the system of incarceration in America, and highlights the undeniable strength of those who have been, and some who are still, incarcerated.
Caroline was recently shortlisted for the 2023 DownBeat 71st Annual Critics Poll for Alto Saxophone alongside the likes of Lakecia Benjamin, Kenny Garrett, Steve Coleman, Jim Snidero, and Anthony Braxton.
Book now
The Brisbane International Jazz Festival will take over the Thomas Dixon Centre on Friday 27 October with a massive line-up of artists across multiple stages. Featuring Brooklyn-based saxophonist Caroline Davis and her adventurous trio Alula, Western Australian collective Quiet Country featuring Harry Mitchell (piano), Ben Vanderwal (drums), Allira Wilson (vocals), Karl Florisson (bass) and Ben Witt (guitar) premiering their new album, Melbourne’s Loose Leaf trio led by Andrew Saragossi as well as some of Queensland’s finest artists – Hannah Macklin, Cigany Weaver, Chris Stover's Imaginary Hybridities (USA), Joshua Hatcher Quartet, Sharon Nobs Trio, Khito, Tyler Cooney Quintet, SHAMIN, and the Theo Parrott Organ Trio.
The event will also kick off with an open rehearsal of the commissioned works of Kayleigh Pincott and Brendan Foster – recipients of the inaugural Lynette Irwin MF Composition Commission.
