Jazz Upstairs featuring Loretta Palmeiro and Mark Isaacs

In 2023, with the support of private donations including through the Australian Cultural Fund, composer / pianist Mark Isaacs wrote a Sonata for Saxophone and Piano, to be given its world premiere by his long-standing duo with saxophonist Loretta Palmeiro, to whom it is dedicated. 

Though this work has many jazz stylistic inflections in its vocabulary, it is fundamentally a fully notated, through-composed ‘classical’ work. The duo has always played only freely extemporised music, but both performers are also classical artists, so this project was seen as a refreshing and diametrical change in approach from their work to date. 

The sonata is in three movements, which are entitled ‘Rhapsody’, ‘Benediction’ and ‘Fiesta’. 

After the twenty-minute sonata premiere, the remainder of the one-hour concert will consist of the duo’s return to free extemporisation. At the time of the concert, Loretta and Mark will not have improvised together, whether in public or private, since the duo’s previous performance at St Stephen’s more than eighteen months ago, wishing to share with their audience the actual joyous moment of the duo’s re-engagement after so long with this cherished way of music-making.

Wine and nibbles will be provided.

• "Spearing, heart-rending lines... they travel deep into a land of melodic luxuriance." – John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald (4½ stars)

• "A deep, near spiritual communication, along with an openness to risk-taking, and the trust and confidence it requires." – Des Cowley, Rhythms Magazine