Event details
The Julian Banks Quartet brings together some of Australia’s most creative improvisers in a group that is both fiery and fluid.
Led by saxophonist and composer Julian Banks, the quartet explores original compositions that carry echoes of the jazz tradition while redefining it through a distinctly contemporary lens.
Originally from Canberra, Julian Banks is a seasoned saxophonist amongst his contemporaries, noted for his flexibility in collaborating in styles as diverse as hip-hop, world music, folk, flamenco, cuban and jazz. His group has appeared at Ubud Jazz festival several times - his second album, Agung, recorded in Denpasar after climbing the Balinese mountain Gunung Agung. Banks is an in-demand session player and appears regularly around Australia, having performed in Chris Hales' Sylvan Coda ensemble for several years and his own various ensembles.
The music of the Julian Banks Quartet balances spontaneity with structure, allowing for deep listening, bold interplay, and moments of raw intensity.
With Joe Talia on drums, James Gilligan on bass, and Louis King on guitar, the group weaves rich harmonic textures and lyrical melodies into a sound that is unmistakably their own.