Paul Grabowsky | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Paul Atherstone Grabowsky |
| Born | 27 September, 1958 Lae, Papua New Guinea |
| Origin | Melbourne,Victoria, Australia |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician and composer |
| Instrument | Piano |
| Website | paulgrabowsky |
Paul Atherstone GrabowskyAO, born 27 September 1958, is an Australian pianist and composer, founder of theAustralian Art Orchestra.
Born inLae, Papua New Guinea, Grabowsky is a pianist and composer of music for film, theatre and opera. His father Alistair had lived in Papua New Guinea with his wife Charlotte since the 1930s working on oil rigs, building roads, flying planes. Grabowsky described his ancestry as "failed Polish aristocracy".[1] His grandfather was a legitimate Polish Count of theGrabowski noble family, a descendant ofJan Jerzy Grabowski from where he gets his title; his grandfather was exiled from Poland and lived in Scotland.[2] His older brother Michael took great interest in the young composer and later worked with Paul co-ordinating and producing many of his television and film scores in the 1990s.
Grabowsky grew up inGlen Waverley, Melbourne, Australia, and began piano lessons when he was five years old. He studied the classical repertoire with Mack Jost, senior lecturer in piano at theConservatorium of Music at theUniversity of Melbourne from the age of seven until his university years. He attendedWesley College and it was that school'sjazz band which introduced him to the genre.
Immersing himself in jazz, Grabowsky left the conservatorium in 1978 to pursue musical studies at theJuilliard School in New York and then embarked on extensive travel in Europe. 1980 he worked in the Melbournecabaret/comedy scene where he began his relationship withSteve Vizard andRobyn Archer. He flew in 1980 to London where he travelled via Spain to Germany; he lived there in Munich until 1985. He had been back in Australia for Christmas 1982 when, on the invitation ofRed Symons, he co-composed his first film score, the first of many. In Europe he played with many musicians includingChet Baker,Art Farmer andJohnny Griffin as well as influential European artists. In 1983, Grabowsky formed thePaul Grabowsky Trio withAllan Browne andGary Costello. The duo recorded the albumSix by Three, which was released in 1989 and won the trio anARIA Music Award at theARIA Music Awards of 1990.
After his return to Australia in 1986, he played in various jazz ensembles. Grabowsky producedVince Jones' ARIA Award-winning albumIt All Ends Up In Tears. In 1987, Grabowsky formed theWizards of Oz with Saxophonist Dale Barlow, bassist Lloyd Swanton and drummer Tony Buck. Wizards of Oz recordedSoundtrack and won theARIA Award for Best Jazz Album at theARIA Music Awards of 1989. During this time, he also wrote the score to the filmThe Last Days of Chez Nous and for television showsPhoenix,Janus andFast Forward.
Grabowsky and the Groovematics were the innovative house band on theSeven Network TV showTonight Live with Steve Vizard from February 1990 to November 1993. This show was live five nights a week. Grabowsky also continued to compose scores for feature films many of which won awards.
In 1990 he was commissioned to write several pieces for the Munich-based jazz/contemporary-music group Die Konferenz. One group of these was based on songs ofÉdith Piaf ("Et les Affaires Piaf"), while a second group was based on songs from GermanUFA films from the 1920s to 1940s ("Es wird einmal ein Wunder"). With the support from its artistic directorRichard Wherrett, this led to the formation of the projectRinging the Bell Backwards at theMelbourne International Arts Festival and eventually to theAustralian Art Orchestra in 1994. That year, Grabowsky wrote apiano concerto forMichael Kieran Harvey.
He is married to Margot Salomon and in 1991 their first child was born; Isabella Grabowsky. Their son Guy Grabowsky was born in 1995..
In 1995, the Australian Art Orchestra toured Europe, and later India in 1996. Grabowsky directed theVictorian Arts Centre's Summer Music programme. Late that year he was commissioned to front the 14-partABC TV seriesAccess All Areas. As Commissioning Editor for ABC Television Arts and Entertainment (1996–1998), he commissioned the documentary seriesLong Way to the Top. During the late 1990s, Grabowsky concentrated on writing music for film and television:Molokai: The Story of Father Damien (1999) andInnocence (2000) byPaul Cox,Siam Sunset byJohn Polson, theNBC mini-seriesNoah's Ark, the UK productionShiner.Northern Rivers Performing Arts (NORPA) commissioned his first opera,The Mercenary with a (libretto by Janis Balodis).
In 2000, the projectThe Theft of Sita (a collaboration withWayan Yudane) came to fruition; it combined jazz elements,Balinesegamelan music andpuppetry. The piece premiered in Adelaide, and has since toured worldwide. In that year, Grabowsky was also involved in the writing music for the opening ceremonies of theSydney Olympics and theParalympics. Since then, he has written the operaLove in the Age of Therapy (libretto byJoanna Murray-Smith) commissioned by Melbourne Festival and Sydney Festival, and the symphonyStreets of Hurqalya (26 June 2002), commissioned by theMelbourne Symphony Orchestra. Among his recent film scores areFred Schepisi'sLast Orders andIt Runs in the Family,The Eye Of The Storm,Empire Falls (HBO)Paul Cox'sThe Diaries ofVaslav Nijinsky, andDisney'sThe Jungle Book 2. From 2003 to 2007, Grabowsky was commissioner at theAustralian Film Commission. In 2004 he became involved inCharles Darwin University's Remote Indigenous Music Program.[3]
In 2004, Grabowsky visited the remote community in theNorthern Territory calledNgukurr, in order to meet the traditional songmen. He met with the localelders and, after hearing twoWagilak songmen sing, asked permission to bring hisorchestra on a return visit. When he returned in 2005, he brought singer-songwritersArchie Roach and his wifeRuby Hunter, along with 10 members of hisAustralian Art Orchestra. After working together for five days, the musicians staged a concert in the town. The European musicians learnt about themanikay (song cycles) and were led to experiment with whole new ways of exploring sound.[4]
The resulting project, calledCrossing Roper Bar, toured the Northern Territory, played at theBirrarung Marr park inMelbourne, theNational Gallery of Victoria,Apollo Bay Music Festival and theSydney Opera House. When the group travelled toGulkula to play at the 2006Garma Festival, theYolngu songmen from nearby regions were amazed, thinking that those songs had been lost long ago. In 2010 aCrossing Roper Bar album was released.[4]
In 2005, Grabowsky was appointed Artistic Director for theQueensland Music Festival 2007.[5] Hissong cycleBefore Time Could Change Us, lyrics byDorothy Porter and featuringKatie Noonan, was commissioned by the Queensland Music Festival and released in 2005 by theWarner Music Group. The album peaked at number 65 on theARIA Charts and number 3 on the ARIA Jazz chart.[6] He recorded an album of original jazz compositions,Tales of Time and Space, withBranford Marsalis (soprano sax),Joe Lovano (tenor sax),Scott Tinkler (trumpet),Ed Schuller (bass) andJeff "Tain" Watts (drums). In 2007 he was appointed inaugural patron of theNational Film and Sound Archive's projectSounds of Australia.[7]
On 4 January 2008, the prestigiousAdelaide Festival of Arts appointed Grabowsky as its artistic director for the 2010 festival, its 50th anniversary year. He was then asked to stay on and direct the 2012 Adelaide Festival.[8]
In June 2012, Grabowsky was appointed Vice-Chancellor's Professorial Fellow in the School of Music atMonash University and in July 2012, he was appointed Executive Director, Performing Arts, Academy of Performing Arts, Monash University.
In 2014 Grabowsky was awarded theOrder of Australia (AO) for services to music as an educator, a mentor composer and pianist. He won his 5th Aria Award in 2014 for his sextet recording of original compositionsThe Bitter Suite.
In 2015/2016 he wrote the music and songs for theatre workLast Man Standing performed by theMelbourne Theatre Company, words and play by Steve Vizard; the two teamed again to write another new music theatre work,Banquet of Secrets, performed by theVictorian Opera company.
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally asAIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008[9][10] | Lost and Found(as Oehlers Grabowsky Keevers) | Best Independent Jazz Album | Nominated |
| 2010[11] | On a Clear Day | Best Independent Jazz Album | Nominated |
| 2014[10] | The Bitter Suite | Best Independent Jazz Album | Won |
| 2017[12] | Provanance (with Vince Jones) | Best Independent Jazz Album | Nominated |
| 2020[13][14] | Tryst | Best Independent Jazz Album or EP | Won |
TheAPRA Awards (Australia) are annual awards to celebrate excellence in contemporary music, which honour the skills of member composers, songwriters and publishers who have achieved outstanding success in sales and airplay performance. They commenced in 1982. Paul Grabowsky has won seven awards from twenty nominations.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "Disappearing Shoreline" | Most Performed Australasian Jazz Work | Won |
| 1990 | "Tonite I'm Alive with You"(with Yuri Worontschak) | Most Performed Australasian Jazz Work | Won |
| 1993 | Phoenix (Series 2) | Television or Film Theme of the Year | Won |
| "Welcome to the World of Major Crime" | Jazz Composition of the Year | Nominated | |
| 1996 | Mushrooms | Best Film Score | Nominated |
| 2000 | Siam Sunset | Best Film Score | Nominated |
| 2001 | Innocence | Best Film Score | Nominated |
| 2004 | "Stars Apart"(performed by Allan Browne) | Most Performed Jazz Work of the Year | Nominated |
| 2005 | Art of War | Best Music for a Television Series or Serial | Nominated |
| 2006 | "Silverland" | Most Performed Jazz Work of the Year | Nominated |
| Unfolding Florence: The Many Lives of Florence Broadhurst | Best Music for a Documentary | Won | |
| 2009 | "Raindrop" | Jazz Work of the Year | Nominated |
| 2013 | "Falling"(with Gabriella Smart) | Instrumental Work of the Year | Nominated |
| 2014 | "Tall Tales"(performed by Monash Art Ensemble) | Jazz Work of the Year | Won |
| 2015 | "Love Like a Curse"(performed by Monash Art Ensemble) | Jazz Work of the Year | Nominated |
| "The Nightingale and the Rose"(with Genevieve Lacey and Flinders Quartet) | Instrumental Work of the Year | Nominated | |
| 2016 | "Nyilipidgi"(with Young Wägilak Group) | Jazz Work of the Year | Won |
| "Spiel"(with Niko Schäuble) | Nominated | ||
| 2017 | "Moons of Jupiter" | Jazz Work of the Year | Nominated |
| 2018 | Comeclose and Sleepnow: Six Liverpool Love Songs(with The Monash Art Ensemble and Gian Slater) | Vocal / Choral Work of the Year | Nominated |
TheARIA Music Awards are annual awards, which recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres ofAustralian music. They commenced in 1987. Paul Grabowsky has won seven awards from seventeen nominations.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Six by Three(as Paul Grabowsky Trio) | Best Jazz Album | Won | [15] |
| 1991 | The Moon & You | Nominated | [15] | |
| 1993 | Tee Vee | Nominated | [15] | |
| The Last Days of Chez Nous | Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show Album | Nominated | [16] | |
| 1996 | When Words Fail(as Paul Grabowsky Trio) | Best Jazz Album | Won | [15] |
| 1998 | Angel(as Paul Grabowsky Trio withShelley Scown) | Nominated | [15] | |
| 2000 | Siam Sunset | Best Original Soundtrack Album | Nominated | [16] |
| 2001 | Three(a.k.a. PG3) (as Paul Grabowsky Trio) | Best Jazz Album | Nominated | [15] |
| 2004 | Tales of Time and Space | Nominated | [15] | |
| 2005 | Before Time Could Change Us(with Katie Noonan) | Won | [15] | |
| 2006 | Always(with Bernie McGann) | Nominated | [15] | |
| 2014 | The Bitter Suite | Won | [15] | |
| 2015 | Solo | Nominated | [15] | |
| 2016 | Provenance(with Vince Jones) | Won | [15] | |
| Nyilipidgi(with Monash Art Ensemble, Daniel Ngukurr Boy Wilfred & David Yipininy Wilfred) | Best World Music Album | Nominated | ||
| 2019 | Tryst(with Kate Ceberano) | Best Jazz Album | Won | [15] |
| 2020 | Please Leave Your Light On(with Paul Kelly) | Best Jazz Album | Won | [15] |
TheAustralian Jazz Bell Awards, (also known as the Bell Awards or The Bells), are annual music awards for the jazz music genre in Australia. They commenced in 2003.[17]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Paul Grabowsky | Australian Jazz Artist of the Year | Won |
| 2007 | "Five Bells" – Paul Grabowsky | Australian Jazz Composition of the Year | Won |
| 2009 | Lost and Found (as Oehlers, Grabowsky, Beck) | Best Australian Contemporary Jazz Album | Won |
TheHelpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry groupLive Performance Australia since 2001.[18] Note: 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | The Theft of Sita (with I Wayan Gde Yudane) | Best Original Score | Won | [19] |
| 2003 | Love in the Age of Therapy (withJoanna Murray-Smith) | Best Original Score | Nominated | [20] |
| 2005 | Tales of Time and Space | Best Performance in an Australian Contemporary Concert | Nominated | [21] |
TheMusic Victoria Awards are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Torrio! (With Mirko Guerrini & Niko Schäuble) | Best Jazz Album | Nominated | [22][23] |
TheSidney Myer Performing Arts Awards commenced in 1984 and recognise outstanding achievements in dance, drama, comedy, music, opera, circus and puppetry.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Paul Grabowsky | Individual Award | awarded |
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS [28] | ||
| The Moon + You |
| – |
| The Zurich Sessions(with Sunk Poeschl and Peter Bockius) |
| – |
| Tee Vee | - | |
| The Last Days of Chez Nous(soundtrack) |
| – |
| Phoenix(soundtrack) |
| – |
| Viva Viva[32] |
| – |
| Angel (withShelley Scown) |
| – |
| Keep Up Your Standards (withRobyn Archer)[33] |
| – |
| Passion(withAustralian Art Orchestra)[34] |
| – |
| Noah's Ark(soundtrack) |
| – |
| Siam Sunset(soundtrack) |
| – |
| Shiner(soundtrack) |
| – |
| Last Orders(soundtrack) |
| – |
| Big Adventure(with Philip Rex and Niko Schauble)[35] |
| – |
| Tales Of Time And Space[36] |
| – |
| Ruby (with Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter and Australian Art) |
| – |
| Before Time Could Change Us (withKatie Noonan) |
| 65 |
| Hush Collection (Volume 3: Paul Grabowsky) |
| – |
| Always (withBernie McGann) |
| – |
| Hush Collection (Volume 7: Ten Healing Songs by Paul Grabowsky) |
| – |
| Lost and Found[37] (withJamie Oehlers andDavid Beck) |
| – |
| On a Clear Day[38] (withJamie Oehlers) |
| – |
| The Bitter Suite[39][40] (as Paul Grabowsky Sextet) |
| – |
| Solo[41][42] |
| – |
| Words and Pictures[43](Soundtrack) |
| – |
| Spiel[44](with Nikolaus Schäuble) |
| – |
| Provenance[45](withVince Jones) |
| – |
| Nyilipidgi[46](with Daniel Ngukurr Boy Wilfred, David Yipininy Wilfred and Monash Art Ensemble) |
| – |
| Shift[47](with Rob Burke, George Lewis andMark Helias) |
| – |
| Torrio |
| – |
| Moons of Jupiter[49](featuringScott Tinkler, Erkki Veltheim and Peter Knight) |
| – |
| Tryst[49](withKate Ceberano) |
| 147[50] |
| Please Leave Your Light On[51](withPaul Kelly) |
| 3 [52] |
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