Australia's
foremost saxophone quartet, Continuum Sax perform a unique
repertoire that extends the boundaries of saxophone sound
and technique. Through collaboration with other
contemporary music ensembles and performers, Continuum Sax
have acquired a diverse repertoire of composed and
improvised works and been involved in a wide-range of
performances. Continuum Sax has collaborated with Cécile
Broché from Brussels, MATCH Percussion, sound artist Gail
Priest, didgeridoo player Mick Davison, and jazz
experimentalists the Freedivers. In 2008, they participated
in the Restrung Festival as part of the 'Six Pack Symphony'
with other artists from Australia and Europe. Working
closely with Australian composers, Continuum Sax has
commissioned and inspired works from Stuart
Greenbaum, Paul
Stanhope, Jane Stanley,
Barry Cockcroft, and others. In 2009 they
have commissioned new works from Rosalind
Page, Damien
Ricketson and Robert Davidson
with assistance
from the Australia Council. As exponents of modern
European saxophone music they have presented Australian
premieres of works by Elena Firsova, Franco Donatoni,
Salvatore Sciarrino, Gavin Bryars, Rolf Gehlhaar and
Jacob TV.
Continuum Sax has released two CDs, CONTINUUM (2001) and
ICON (2005). They have just completed a recording project
for reedmusic.com that will result in a wide range of
educational resources for Australian saxophone quartet
music.
Continuum Sax is a member of
the New Music Network.
Continuum Sax are:
Margery Smith
James Nightingale
Martin Kay
Jarrod Whitbourn
In Review:
‘This
is a group that plays as one - a really beautiful,
integrated sonority…’ – From Review
of Continuum CD, 24 Hours Magazine (Oct 2002).
'Continuum Sax do improvisation very well, as in
Margery Smith's fond treatment of Sandy Evans's DPM.
However, the ensemble is equally impressive when playing
scored works, thus affording Barry Cockcroft's quartet p a
powerful...advocacy and making Perry Goldstein's Motherless
Child Variations, with its telling references to Gershwin's
Porgy and Bess, so memorable.' - from review, 'Deft at
melding sounds, with a score or without', Sydney Morning
Herald, 24 October 2006.
CONTACT CONTINUUM SAX