Birchall and Woolhouse

The intimacy of the duet allows for whimsical interaction between pianist Jeremy Woolhouse and bassist Shannon Birchall.   Featuring compositions from Jeremy, the duo present a rich, cinematic concert experience, spacious and melodic, rhythmic and emotive.

Drawing inspiration from the piano-bass duet albums of jazz legend Charlie Haden, Jeremy and Shannon have a relaxed conversational presentation.  The compositions are rooted in the harmonic sophistication of jazz and reveal influence spanning from gospel to contemporary jazz, from pop to classical and European to South American music.

In the duet setting, the virtuosity of Shannon Birchall comes to the fore as the bass trades centre stage with the piano.  Soaring bowed melodies and weaving contrapuntal interplay with the piano contrast steady groove and dramatic unison.  Jeremy and Shannon first collaborated in 2002 on Jeremy’s album Thumbnails.  With touring and study commitments in between time, the duo reunited in 2012 to record the album The Scenery of Life Unfolding.

As a pianist and composer, Jeremy Woolhouse has been commended for lyrical melodies and elegant use of harmony. He received critical acclaim for recordings and performance in his original jazz-tango group Estuary Three, jazz trio Woolhouse-Michailidis-Robertson and solo project The Persistence of Dreaming.  Jeremy leads Silverbeat Quartet and performs in number of outstanding projects for festivals, jazz clubs and concert venues.

Shannon Birchall is revered as a virtuoso of double bass.  His credits range from the MSO, traditional-jazz-punk-band The Hoodangers, Austro-Cuban septet Sally Ford and the Pachuco Playboys, tex-mex band Texicali Rose, Deborah Conway, and The Spaghetti Western Orchestra.  He spent several years as bassist for John Butler, who described him as part of "the best line up I have performed with .... a pleasure to live, love, learn, record and tour with.”