DISCOGRAPHY
SURVIVAL DAY
Singer and pianist Margie Lou Dyer has been a key member of the Melbourne jazz scene for decades, and as part of a new ABC Jazz commission, she's recorded a new EP with her quintet that celebrates her city's fighting spirt.
Anyone familiar with the Australian jazz scene will have no doubt heard the name Margie Lou Dyer. Jazz is in her blood. The daughter of Warwick "Wocka" Dyer, and she grew up surrounded by the music of jazz and blues innovators like Jelly Roll Morton and Bessie Smith. Her father passed away when she was just a toddler, but he left a strong legacy that she's continued to build upon.
OLD DIGGER'S PICNIC
'Old Digger's Picnic', is Margie's first record made without her late husband and musical mentor: Allan Browne. It is also the Margie Lou Dyer Quintet's first album - recorded by the talented Phil Noy in the beloved McKinley Music Room.
It traces her Jazz lineage, reflecting the powerful influence of her late father 'Warwick Dyer'; Whose legacy to her was his vast collection of 600+ early jazz artists and his own jazz recordings from the 'Frank Johnson Band' and countless Jazz concerts in the 1950s.
ALFREY STREET
The philosophy guiding Allfrey Street was to use an old style drum-kit, with a strong left-handed piano style, as the core rhythmic approach to the material chosen for the album. Most of the songs date from the 1920s and New Orleans, whilst the originals pay homage to the stylistic variation that make Jazz, past and present, an ever-evolving art form.
Elements of gospel, blues and New Orleans/Creole flavours are embraced as if new again, yet their traditional forms basically remain intact. There is however, an Australian voice present, either by default or intention. Allan's poem Allfrey St., which refers to an obscure Australian recording - 'The Allfrey Street Stompers', guides their musical journey, echoing the vibrance of Warwick Dyer on piano and vocals, Len Barnard on drums, Bob Barnard on trumpet and Nick Polites on clarinet.
This is one of Allan's favourite Australian recordings. The album includes three 'Daughters of Jazz'; Margie Lou Dyer, Rebecca Barnard and Stella Browne, following in their fathers' footsteps, (Stella in her grandfather's too), yet giving the music their own personal stamp. The truly inspirational and charismatic Gil Askey is featured on four tracks, Howard Cairns on all but one and John Scurry, Steve Grant and Jo Stevenson add their wonderful contributions on various other tracks.
SOULED OUT
Margie Lou Dyer with... Allan Browne, Steve Grant, Leon Heale, Bill Howard, Richard Miller, Ben Robertson, John Scurry, Bob Sedergreen, Paul Williamson. Margie's swinging and earthy singing style, combined with some of Melbourne's best jazz musicians brings expression to the Australian jazz industry as you would expect.