ALBUM REVIEWS IN THE AUSTRALIAN
In September, 2017, Eric Myers commenced reviewing jazz albums in the Review supplement of The Weekend Australian. All reviews in this folder are written by Myers. As from October 21, 2025, the magazine Review was replaced by another magazine entitled Culture. From that date reviews by Eric Myers appeared either online in The Weekend Australian or as Album of The Week in the magazine Culture.
JAZZ
The Heavens Declare by Berlin Psalm Project
Lady Bam Records
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Published online in the Weekend Australian’s Culture magazine on May 23, 2026.
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The Australian saxophonist Richard Maegraith and his vocalist wife Ali Maegraith both studied at Sydney Conservatorium of Music in the early 2000s. Living in Berlin since 2015, they’re active at Kiez Church Wedding, a church in the heart of the city, where Richard is a pastor. Their ensemble Berlin Psalm Project presents eight psalms from the Old Testament, serving as lyrics for original melodies sung by Ali, a highly accomplished singer. Five compositions are written by her, and three are co-written with her husband. Before non-believers switch off, I can testify that Richard and five excellent Berlin musicians blast their way through eight beautifully arranged works, palpably creating full-blooded modern jazz. I hear it as contemporary hard-bop, exploring a variety of time-signatures. A glance at the Bible indicates that words in the psalms have been edited to suit the written melodies, while essential Christian messages are retained. It’s gratifying to see that, alongside the great saxophonist Maegraith, the band includes two brilliant Australian musicians resident in Berlin, trumpeter Greg Ambroisine and trombonist Will Pethick, both of whom contribute outstanding improvisations.
★★★★
Eric Myers
JAZZ
Vast Horizons by Justine Bradley
Independent
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Published online in the Weekend Australian’s Culture magazine on June 6, 2026.
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The multi-talented Australian singer, songwriter and poet Justine Bradley’s new album is an unusual venture, wherein she has set 12 of her poems to music. It’s a thoughtful, ruminative work which I found full of beauty. In my view there are three keys to this album’s success. Firstly the brilliance of pianist Bill Risby, whose sensitive solos and orchestral playing render Bradley’s compositions extremely moving, even majestic. Secondly, the immaculate playing of Brett Hirst (bass), and Fabian Hevia (percussion), the latter’s exquisite minimalism immeasurably enhancing the album’s intimate mood. Thirdly, the input of two American virtuosos: Randy Brecker, one of the world’s great trumpeters, who’s featured on two tracks; and Mike Harvey, the Chicago-based singer and vocal arranger who contributed vocals, vocal arrangements, and backing vocals on two tracks. Australia’s Jeremy Sawkins is on nine of the 12 tracks, playing electric or acoustic guitar. As for Bradley’s perceptive lyrics, they resonated with me the more I heard them. The blurb introducing the album perhaps says it all: “This introspective music evokes feelings of melancholy and longing, and its gravity is felt long after it’s finished.”
★★★★
Eric Myers
JAZZ
Women of Jazz ’26 by Various Artists
ABC Jazz
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Published online in the Weekend Australian’s Culture magazine on June 13, 2026.
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This is the fourth in ABC Jazz’s annual series of albums showcasing female musicians to have come to prominence primarily through its enlightened support programs. In earlier eras, female composers and performers making waves in Australian jazz were few and far between. I can remember when pianist Judy Bailey and somewhat later saxophonist Sandy Evans were token representatives of gender equality in our jazz. I’m gratified to say that owing to decisions made by key figures, we can point to an army of impressive women singers, instrumentalists and composers now writing and performing at the highest level. The 13 tracks on this album identify some of the best-known, such as saxophonist Tessie Overmyer, guitarist/vocalist Jess Green, vocalist Lauren Kate Henderson and pianist Lauren Tsamouras, while others less known include pianist/vocalist Ciara Louise Ferguson, saxophonist Martha Baartz and drummer Jodie Michael. They all appear on two tracks rather than one, so are given a fighting chance to demonstrate the extent of their artistry. I congratulate whoever chose the musicians, as it’s apparent that a keen knowledge of artistic merit underlies the selections.
★★★★
Eric Myers