Nicki Parrott and her Northern Rivers Band

NICKI PARROTT acoustic bass, electric bass, vocals
STEVE RUSSELL piano, keyboard
DAVE SANDERS drums
TODD HARDY trumpet, flugelhorn
SHANE HANNAN trombone
MARTHA BAARTZ saxophone, flute

NICKI PARROTT acoustic bass, electric bass, vocals
Nicki Parrott started her musical training at age four. She studied jazz at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music under the direction of Don Burrows and was awarded an Arts Council grant to study bass with Rufus Reid in New York. 

Nicki was bassist and vocalist for the legendary Les Paul for over 10 years, in addition to performing at most of the world’s top jazz venues and festivals including The Jazz Cruise and sold-out performances at Birdland and Dizzy’s in NYC. Returning to Australia after nearly 30 years in New York City, Nicki currently performs in the Norther Rivers area, Brisbane, Newcastle and Sydney.

Nicki has performed with such jazz greats as Randy Brecker, Clark Terry, Bucky and John Pizzarelli, Dick Hyman, Joe Wilder, Michel Legrand, Lee Ritenour, Jose Feliciano, Scott Hamilton, Houston Person, the New York Pops Orchestra, Tommy Emmanuel and legendary producer Arif Mardin. Nicki has also appeared with rock and roll elites such as Paul McCartney, Todd Rundgren, Slash and Steve Miller.

She has recorded more than two dozen vocal records for Venus Records (Japan), Arbors Records (USA) and Ooroo Records (USA/AU).

STEVE RUSSELL piano, keyboard
Long regarded as one of Australia’s finest jazz pianists and accompanists, Steve has appeared with a comprehensive list of Australian and international artists including Nancy Wilson, Chuck Findlay, Dale Barlow and Kristen Berardi, and performed support gigs for Wynton Marsalis and John Scofield. His innovative compositions, described by Australian jazz doyen Tony Gould as “state of the art”, feature on two CD releases, the live-recorded Dark Matters, and the award winning studio album, When The Light Comes.

Steve is also highly regarded for his work as Musical Director for the Queensland Music Festival, Opera Queensland, and the Queensland Performing Arts Trust. He is a passionate music educator and has published a book on piano technique, Calm Hands. 

DAVE SANDERS drums
Dave has been involved in virtually every aspect of the music industry and music education and has gained the reputation as one of the most versatile and in-demand drummers and drum teachers in Australia.

Dave’s ability to cross the boundaries of genre and style has made him an asset to many acts within the music industry both as live performer and experienced studio musician. Sensitive to the music and musicians around him, Dave is just as happy to sit back and play swinging brushes as he is to smash through a high volume, high energy show.

Dave’s performance credits include Monica Trapaga, Rhonda Burchmore, Rodriguez, Pete Murray, Grace Knight, Lisa Hunt, Margaret Urlich, Leonardos Bride, Bob Barnard, Jim Kelly, Jack Thorncraft, Don Burrows, George Golla, Mickey Rooney, Lady Rizo, Tom Burlingson, ACRE, The Eurogliders, Ian Date, George Washingmachine, Leigh Carriage, Petula Clarke.

TODD HARDY trumpet, flugelhorn
Based on the the Northern Rivers of NSW, Todd is an exciting Trumpet player who is comfortable in a variety of musical settings, but is clearly rooted in the tradition of  Jazz. He draws inspiration from Trumpet greats Louis Armstrong, Lee Morgan and Chet Baker and is able to fuse the classic swing of the 1930's to the post-bop grooves of the 1960's. 

Before his recent move to the Northern Rivers, Todd performed in a variety of venues throughout Sydney with his Jazz trio, quintet and 13 piece Swing Orchestra as well as regular performances with Anita Spring, Monica Trapaga, Rhonda Burchmore, the Dan Barnett Big Band, the Unity Hall Jazz band and George Washingmachine.
Todd has also worked on Television bands for channel 9, 10 and ABC including performances on Australian Idol, X Factor, The Footy Show, James O'Loghlin Show and many others.
 
Career highlights have included recording with Grace Knight, Jazz legend Judy Bailey and Jimmy Barnes as well as performances with Seal at Byron Bay Blues Fest, James Morrison, The Temptations, INXS, Midnight Oil, Barbara Morrison (USA), Culture Club (UK) and Doug Parkinson.

MARTHA BAARTZ saxophone, flute
Martha Baartz has performed extensively Nationally and Internationally including Glastonbury Festival (UK), The Edinburgh Festival, The Melbourne Festival, and The Brisbane International Jazz Festival and has a Master’s in Music Performance (award of Academic Excellence 2010) from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. 

Martha is well known for her compositions performed in The Baartz Freeman sextet, Baartzy’s Brew and The Denson Baartz Quartet. She has recorded four successful albums of original music and her compositions are often played on Radio National, Jazz Track. Martha currently teaches saxophone at Southern Cross University (SCU) and Lindisfarne Grammar School.

She has performed with Australian greats; Dan Sultan, Renee Geyer, Jimmy Barnes and Ian Moss (Motown show), Sandy Evans, Bob Sedergreen (2008 Don Banks award winner) Andrea Keller (Aria winner) and Michelle Nicole (Wangaratta Jazz vocal award winner) and international superstars The Funk Brothers, The Temptations and Martha and the Vandala’s. She is a first call session and freelance artist having recorded with Australian premier R&B/Soul band The Teskey Brothers.

SHANE HANNAN  trombone 
Shane Hannan, a highly sought-after trombonist in South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers, commands attention with his dynamic performances. A fixture at major festivals like Byron Bay Bluesfest, Gympie Music Muster, Splendour in the Grass, and the Caloundra Music Festival, Hannan's trombone artistry has left an indelible mark on the Australian music scene. His versatility and passion shine through as he effortlessly navigates jazz, contemporary, and eclectic genres, solidifying his reputation as a standout musician. With a captivating presence, and a resume boasting performances with the “Who’s Who” of Australian jazz, Hannan continues to elevate musical experiences with his soulful and skillful trombone performances.