CLARION FRACTURE ZONE

Clarion Fracture Zone assembles five great Australian jazz musicians and composers in a group that plays original music, that is distinctive and exciting. Co-leaders Sandy Evans, tenor and soprano sax; Tony Gorman, alto and tenor sax, clarinet; Alister Spence, piano, keyboards: share an imaginative flair that results in powerful and evocative compositions. Drums and double bass complete the line up. The music is rewarding in the way that the best music is nourishing to both heart and mind...the originality and intelligence of this new music is astounding. 'Blue Shift', their first album for ABC Records has also been released on the German label Verabra.

The highly acclaimed album has won them an ARIA for best jazz album 1990, and was voted amongst the top ten jazz albums for that year by the US critics` poll in the authoritative Jazz Times Magazine (USA), and by CODA magazine (Canada) with Jazzthetik (Germany) giving the album the coveted five-star rating. "I`ll play this record a lot." Jazz FM Magazine (UK). Since its inception in 1988, the quintet has thrilled and enthralled audiences around the world. In 1990 Clarion Fracture Zone performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Holland, the Bimhuis Club, Amsterdam, the Montmartre Club Copenhagen, clubs in Estonia, Lithuania and Russia, and the Hong Kong Jazz Club.

The following year they were part of the Brisbane Biennial, returning to Europe to perform at the Brecon International Jazz Festival, the Jazz Cafe London, the Edinburgh Festival, a BBC live to air broadcast and Crawley Outside. In 1992 Clarion Fracture Zone represented Australia at the Jazz Yatra Festival India, and again toured in Europe performing at the UK's Morecambe Womad Festival, the Bath International Festival, Jazz in Duketown Festival Holland, the Jazz Cafe London, clubs in Bristol, Manchester, Munich, and Berne and will be appearing at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz. ''CFZ is undoubtedly of a high level, their music is very spirited, a different world which seeks for and is worth absorbing in... if only such groups could turn up more often." (Estonian Express).

Clarion Fracture Zone performed regularly in jazz clubs in Sydney and for SIMA (Sydney Improvised Music Association), as well as at the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Festival and Manly Jazz Festival. They have built up an enthusiastic following across Australia performing for the Tasmanian Jazz Action Society, the Perth Jazz Society, the Craigmoor Jazz at the Winery festival and the Victorian Arts Centre. They have done several broadcasts for The Australian Broadcasting Corporation and have been featured on national television. Clarion Fracture Zone have received the support of the Performing Arts Board of the Australian Council for international touring and recording.

Members

Sandy Evans (tenor and soprano sax); Tony Gorman (alto and tenor sax, clarinet); 

Alister Spence (piano, keyboards) Andrew Dickeson (drums) Steve Elphick (bass)

Louis Burdett (drums) Tony Buck (drums) Lloyd Swanton (bass) Toby Hall (drums)