BLACK COFFEE
A MOVE THROUGH LIFE
PERFORMANCE PROJECT
Horn Player / Vocalists
Job Specification
Jazz Musicians Wanted
Move Though Life Dance Company (MTL) is seeking a horn players and a female
vocalist with jazz experience to be part of the band for their upcoming project, Black
Coffee.
For Black Coffee, MTL will team up with the Charlie Horst Jazz Quintet to create a
sizzling jazz club, jumping with live music and dance
Black Coffee will be performed at Marion Cultural Centre in March 2009 during the
Adelaide Fringe Festival.
Musicians will be expected to have experience in jazz music, be able to read a lead
sheet and improvise, and have an understanding of jazz theory.
About Black Coffee
Black Coffee has two levels. On a superficial level, it is a tribute to jazz music and
dance in a cabaret setting. At a deeper level, it is an exploration of the performance
persona.
Below is a taste of what an audience member will experience ….
When you leave after Black Coffee, you will have been immersed in an experience.
Black Coffee is a 1950s jazz club – there’s a jazz band (complete with double bass)
playing well-known standards, bebop and cool jazz, jazz dancers, table seating, great
food, wine and coffee … and an unexpected insight into the world of the performer.
BLACK COFFEE horn player / vocalist job spec
Move Through Life Dance Company is the first choice in training and performance
for adult dancers. The company is a not-for-profit organisation based 20 minutes
south of Adelaide. Black Coffee will be the company’s fifth performance project
since its inception in 2004. Charlie Horst Jazz Quintet has been formed specifically
for Black Coffee.
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As you enter, you’ll be transported – all front of house staff will be dressed from the
era, and will behave as if they are workers in a jazz club. The band will already be
playing – it’s meant to be a club after all, not a theatre performance that waits for all
the audience is seated before it starts. When the band gets to end of its set, the club
owner/MC will announce that the dance show is about to begin. It will be glitz,
glamour and sparkling smiles.
But at some stage, you may notice the people at the next table are behaving strangely,
and you’ll wonder if they are for real, or whether it’s part of the show. That’s the
twist. As well as seeing the dazzling brilliance the performer shows you onstage,
you’ll get to see behind the scenes. A series of short vignettes off-stage will reveal
what goes on before and after the curtain goes up – the self-doubt, the competition,
the personal relationships. The fake smile will be gone, the stylized jazz movements,
the artificial façade. Instead, contemporary dance, combined with dialogue, text or
voice over, will tell the back-story, somewhere outside the traditional performing
space. The boundary between audience and performers will be dissolved.
Black Coffee will be performed at the Domain Theatre at Marion Cultural Centre
during the Adelaide Fringe Festival in March 2009. The Fringe season will include
four performances – a preview performance on Friday evening, followed by Thursday
to Saturday evening performances the following week. Following the Fringe season,
MTL may restage the performance during the Cabaret Festival mid-2009 and/or tour
to two regional South Australian towns.
About Move Through Life
MTL is based in the City of Marion (southwest of Adelaide). The company was
formed in 2004 and debuted in October of that year with “eMerge” at Marion Cultural
Centre. Since then, MTL has staged three more performance projects, with the most
recent being “Mocean” during the 2007 Adelaide Fringe Festival. Over the
company’s lifetime, the cast size has varied from eight to fifteen. The MTL cast is
flexible, with a small core of dancers being supplemented by other dancers – some
stay to become part of the company, some do not. MTL continues to welcome new
dancers and encourage past members to return. Most of the dance produced by MTL
has a contemporary flavour, although there are often jazz undertones the core group of
dancers are jazz trained.
Since its inception, MTL has partnered with practitioners of other artforms, including
photographers, film makers, visual artists and musicians, to produce multi-artform
events that appeal to an audience comprising dance lovers and those new to dance.
BLACK COFFEE horn player / vocalist job spec
Move Through Life Dance Company (MTL) is a project-based dance company that
exists to provide a pathway for adult dancers to continue dancing at a challenging and
exciting level if they choose not to pursue a professional dance career.
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MTL is a not-for-profit incorporated association that does not currently have any
annual funding or major sponsorships. The company produces performance projects
with a small financial contribution from the dancers, fundraising, project grants and a
significant amount of volunteer time. Guest artists are paid for their contribution.
The lighting technician and sound engineer are also paid because their professional
expertise is required. All other roles, including the Producer/Artistic Director,
choreographers and dancers, are filled by volunteers. The organisation is managed by
a Board, with the Chair of the organisation also filling the dual role of
Producer/Artistic Director, and supported by a small operational committee.
Charlie Horst Jazz Quintet
The Charlie Horst Jazz Quintet has been formed for Black Coffee. Coordinated by
Dave Blackmore, the band lineup currently includes bass/double bass, guitar, piano,
drums and male vocals. The band is seeking to expand the quintet to include one or
two horn players and a female vocalist.
The existing members of the quintet have considerable experience in live performance
and recording, in genres including blues, funk, rock and jazz.
As with all performers and front of house staff, the band will be in costume and
character for the duration of each performance – that is, musicians in a 1950s jazz
club.
Rehearsals and Performance
The band will hold its own rehearsals to rehearse arrangements and make recordings
of rehearsal discs. The band will also be required to attend dance rehearsals
periodically, including the full run and technical rehearsals in February and March.
Dance rehearsals will be held at the Glengowrie studio, with technical rehearsals held
at the Marion Cultural Centre in Oaklands Park.
Musicians’ Tasks
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Attend scheduled band rehearsals
Contribute to development of arrangements, particularly your own parts, and
possibly contribute to song selection
Provide own instrument
Attend all dance and theatre rehearsals where musicians are scheduled
Attend and play for all technical and theatre rehearsals
Play in all performances
Attend scheduled photo shoots and costume sessions
Promote the performance amongst your own networks (friends, family,
workmates)
BLACK COFFEE horn player / vocalist job spec
The frequency and location of band rehearsals will be subject to negotiation with
Dave Blackmore, although rehearsals are likely to be conducted in Bellevue Heights
(approximately 20 minutes south of Adelaide).
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Skills, Knowledge and Experience
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Able to read from a lead sheet and improvise lead lines
Experience playing in jazz ensembles
Personal or formal study of jazz music
Understanding of jazz theory
Understanding of 1940s and 1950s jazz, and able to play in the styles of the era
Ability to play the same lines for each dance rehearsal and performance, which is
necessary to combine live music and dance, as dancers need consistency in the
musical rhythm, harmony and melody.
Fees
Musicians will be paid a performance fee, to be negotiated.
Musicians will sign a contract to confirm their involvement in the project.
Timeline
July
August
September
Oct to Dec
January
February
March
Development of themes and vignettes for dance component
Photo shoots for preliminary promotional materials
Selection of music
Initial musical rehearsals and recording of rehearsal discs
Continued development and rehearsal of music
Final rehearsals, to be accompanied by live band
Full run, dress, technical and theatre rehearsals
Performance season
To express your interest in becoming involved in Black Coffee, please contact Jo
McDonald.
Further Information
Jo McDonald
Director
Move Through Life Dance Company
0402 070 021
jo.mcdonald@movethroughlife.org.au
www.movethroughlife.org.au
BLACK COFFEE horn player / vocalist job spec
Expressions of interest
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