Hammerhead album launch at Jazz Showcase

Event Details
Powerhouse sextet Hammerhead burst onto the Sydney scene in 2010, playing from a catalogue of music largely inspired by the late 50s and early 60s ‘Hard Bop’ movement.

Formed by internationally acclaimed tenor saxophonist Jason Bruer, Andrew Robertson (alto sax and flute), Simon Ferenci (trumpet), Greg Coffin (piano), Alex Hirlian (drums) and David Quinn (bass) make up the sextet.

Their debut album ‘Mozaic’ (2014) was a genuflection to the movers and shakers of the hard bop movement and received widespread acclaim in Australia & Japan. 

Hammerhead

Since that first release, Hammerhead’s music has morphed into a set of all original compositions from the pen of band leader Bruer, showcasing his eclectic influences including hard edged Urban Jazz, Hard Bop, Funk and Chamber Jazz illustrating a considerable contemporary shift in approach & style.

This performance will celebrate the release of their new album “I Didn’t Get to Where I am Today” as part of a National tour. It contains 10 new original compositions from bandleader Jason Bruer.
The music was written during the pandemic and resultant lockdowns and is Bruer’s artistic response to his first-hand experiences as a sufferer of long Covid and a subsequent heart attack brought on by the virus.

Jazz Showcase Details:

Gleniffer Brae
Sunday, 25th June 2-5pm (student performances in multiple rooms)

Hammerhead will perform two sets at 3pm and 4pm
Ticket Price: $20 (includes entry to all student performances)
NOTE: Under 17 years of age is FREE entry.

Jason Bruer – tenor sax; Andrew Robertson – alto sax and flute; Simon Ferenci – trumpet; Greg Coffin – piano; Alex Hirlian – drums; David Quinn – bass

This Concert is a WollCon Jazz Series event.

Anne has been a member of the Wollcon Board since 2019. She holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts from UNSW. She is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law and an accredited Mediator and Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner. She has taught family law and other subjects at Wollongong University.

For a number of years she has been a subscriber to the Australian Chamber Orchestra which regularly performs in Wollongong . She has been passionate about music and in particular music education to children and adults.

Jake has worked in the disability sector for 24 years- 17 of these with Interchange and 7 years as their CEO. Jake is passionate about inclusion and equality for both people with disability and their carers.

He holds an MBA, Bachelor of Commerce, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, as well as completing Diploma’s in Case Management, Community Services Coordination and the AICD Company Directors Course.

Jake is also a committee member on the International Short Breaks Association Board and has been a Director on the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music Board since 2022.

Wayne is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors as well as being a qualified company secretary and accountant with over 35 years experience in banking and finance. He performed for nine of those years as Chief Executive of IMB Ltd, and the preceding seven years as Company Secretary and Chief Financial Officer, also with IMB. Wayne’s primary expertise is in the areas of governance, management, accounting, risk management and banking and finance. He has spent his whole life living in the Illawarra and is passionate about ensuring the Illawarra can provide the best possible opportunities and lifestyle for its residents. In 2024 Wayne was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to the community.

Dr Terumi Narushima is a senior lecturer and Music Discipline Leader at the University of Wollongong. She is a composer, performer and sound designer specialising in microtonal tuning systems. Her works include Tritriadic Chimes, a sound installation for LA MicroFest, Hidden Sidetracks, a composition for custom-made instruments premiered by Ensemble Offspring at Sydney Opera House, and a project to build microtonal flutes using 3D printing. She has worked on theatre collaborations which have been presented nationally and internationally, including Yasukichi Murakami: Through a Distant Lens, Lost in Shanghai, and The Story of Chi. She performs with microtonal ensemble Clocks and Clouds, and her book Microtonality and the Tuning Systems of Erv Wilson is published by Routledge.

Nicky is the CEO of Community Industry Group. She has degrees in Dementia Care, Community & Environment and Marketing, and a Grad Dip in Project Management. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an Honorary Fellow of UOW. In addition to Chairing the WollCon Board, she is Deputy Chair of the Regional Development Australia Illawarra Shoalhaven Board and an Independent Non-Executive Director of Warrigal, a large not-for-profit specialising in the provision of services for older people.

Her corporate governance and strategy experience extends through a 20+ year career on boards in the corporate, government and NFP sectors.