JMI Faculty

Dan Quigley’s early childhood was enriched by the presence of jazz legends Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Joe Henderson, John Scofield, Randy Brecker and many more. His father Greg Quigley also plays the trumpet and toured these jazz greats to Australia for concerts and workshops while Dan was still an infant.

Dan’s trumpet playing displays a rich heritage of the jazz tradition. He has been a professional trumpet player since he was 17 and since has performed with some of Australia’s biggest names including James Morrison, Dale Barlow, Tina Arena, Anthony Warlow, amongst many more.

It wasn’t until his early 20′s did the impact of early exposure and connection to jazz legends spark the passion to pursue a career as a jazz musician, educator and advocate.

Paula has been a passionate and active music educator since 1992, and is a recognised Pianist for sessions and performances. Her versatility as a performer has seen her perform and record in big bands, alongside rock stars, corporate bands and in her much loved set up, Jazz Duo. At Jazz Music Institute, Paula teaches and coordinates the subject areas of: Jazz Materials, Aural and Analysis, Ensembles, Piano skills (second study), and Concert Performance Practice.

Ben Hauptmann is a prestigious Jazz guitarist based Sydney, Australia. Winner of the 2010 Freedman Jazz Fellowship and 2nd place winner in the National Jazz Awards at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz 2007. Ben has shared the stage with a diverse range of artists including Mavis Staples, Joss Stone, Gurrumul Yunupingu, Donny Benet, Jack Ladder, Bandaluzia Flamenco, Katie Noonan, Lior, Bluejuice, Micheline Van Hautem, Justine Clarke, James Morrison and Tal Wilkenfeld. Internationally he has performed throughout the UK, France, USA, Indonesia, China, Japan, Singapore, Belgium, Turkey, The Netherlands and New Zealand as well as many major Australian music festivals including The Big Day Out, Wangaratta Festival of Jazz, Pyramid Rock Festival, Homebake, Woodford Folk Festival, Splendor In The Grass, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Apollo Bay Music Festival and the Adelaide International Guitar Festival. Ben wrote the ‘Lead Work’ column for The Australian Guitar Magazine for over 10 years and has taught music at VCA, Monash University and UNSW. Ben has contributed to over thirty recordings including the 2015 ARIA winning ’The Gospel Album’ by Gurrumul Yunupingu, he has released two albums under his own name and co-produced multiple others.

Charlotte Mclean is emerging as one of Australia’s most captivating and original vocalists. Possessed of a velvety-smooth voice, she produces her own addictive style and her original tunes have garnered critical and popular acclaim. Charlotte’s exemplary skills as an improviser allow her to put a fresh spin on classic jazz repertoire, and she sings with honesty, strength and a unique combination of contemporary musical influences.

Charlotte has had a passion for writing music and performing from an early age, and was delighted to release her debut album Knocking Bird in July 2014 with acclaimed jazz guitarist Toby Wren. In June of 2020 she will be releasing her second originals album Magnolia. Charlotte wrote, co-produced and co-arranged Magnolia and also plays piano throughout the album.

Charlotte has been singing professionally for almost fifteen years and was the winner of the June Bronhill scholarship for vocal excellence when she was seventeen. She frequently performs with many of Australia’s elite jazz musicians such as James Sherlock, Bruce Woodward, James Sandon, Paul Hudson, David Sanders, Steve Russell, Brendan Clarke, John Hoffman and Toby Wren to name a few.

David 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 divides his time between national touring, recording and teaching drum set at the Jazz Music Institute, Brisbane. As a tertiary educator David has become recognised as one of Australia’s top drum set teachers and his students are some of the most in demand drummers in the Australian music industry. Dave has been featured in Drumscene magazine, recognised for both his performance and educational pursuits.

Dave maintains a very busy performance schedule and has performed in many and varied situations both across Australia and internationally. David’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 thru a high volume, high energy show.

Dave 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.

Joshua Hatcher is a saxophonist and composer with a style based firmly in the jazz tradition. He was one of the 10 finalists in the 2016 National Jazz Awards at the Wangaratta Jazz and Blues Festival and has performed with some of Australia’s finest musicians including Dale Barlow, Andrew Dickeson, Warwick Alder, Ben Hauptmann and Steve Newcomb.
His album “Now and Then” (2015) marks his debut recording as a leader and features original compositions for his quintet. 2 selections from this recording (Forgotten Languages, The Room Next Door) were finalists in the Jazz category at the 2016 Queensland Music Awards.
In 2016 he was named Composer-in-Residence for the West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) and premiered some of his new large ensemble compositions at the Perth International Jazz Festival. He is also Musical Director for the Enthusiastic Musician’s Orchestra and has had his compositions and arrangements recorded on their 2 most recent albums.
Since 2012 he has been a lecturer at Brisbane’s Jazz Music Institute teaching saxophone, improvisation, theory and ensemble playing. He is also regularly engaged as a big band clinician and guest director by schools and community organisations. He is currently undertaking a Master of Music (Research) at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music investigating the intersection of compositional and improvisational practices.

Professor Rob McWilliams, an internationally accomplished musician, conductor, and educator, was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. A United States resident from 1991 to 2014, Prof. McWilliams holds a Ph. D. in Music/Music Education from the University of Minnesota, a Master’s degree in Instrumental Conducting from Florida State University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Melbourne. Prior to his time in the USA, Prof. McWilliams served on the faculty of the University of Melbourne Institute of Education where he taught and coordinated courses in brass, jazz, and instrumental music pedagogy and conducted the Wind Symphony, Brass Choir, and Jazz Big Band. In the USA Dr. McWilliams served as Professor of Music and Director of Bands and Instrumental Music Education at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh from 1996 to 2014 where he also served as Head of the Music Department from 2011. Prof. McWilliams conducted most of the university’s symphonic and jazz ensembles, including the University Orchestra, and held primary responsibility for the University Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band. He also taught courses in instrumental music education, conducting, and jazz.

As a performing artist on trumpet and keyboard Dr. McWilliams has extensive performing experience with a number of domestic and international symphonic and jazz ensembles including performances with the following jazz artists: Mickey Tucker, Bobby Shew, Pete Christlieb, Nat Adderley, Vincent Herring, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Eddie Daniels, Ed Shaughnessy, Andy Martin, Dale Barlow, Wilbur Wilde, and Paul Grabowsky.

Dr. McWilliams has been published in a number of professional publications including the Journal of Band Research, Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, and is a published composer/arranger with Alfred’s Music. In early 2015 he relocated to Brisbane, and currently works for Yamaha Music Australia as an Educational Outreach Clinician and freelances as a musician, educator, conductor, adjudicator, and composer/arranger.

Double bassist, Andrew Shaw, has performed with many greats of the music world, from jazz to cabaret, from tango to country and western, and flamenco. Some of the artists he has performed with across the spectrum include John Scofield, Dave Liebman, James Morrison, Grace Knight, Tom Burlinson, Bill Watrous, Tony Malaby, Matt Wilson, David Ades, Dale Barlow, Mike Nock, Lyndon Terracini, Scott Tinkler, Rhonda Birchmore, Mandy Patinkin, Patti Lupone, Lady Rizo, Joaquin Amenabar, Sarah Blasko, James Ryan, Victor Morosco, The Saruzu Quartet, Flamenco Fire, Olayo Jimenez, Carla Pugliesi, and Jamie Oehlers.

Andrew is currently leading his own ensemble, Road Plant, concentrating on his original music inspired by the secret lives of earth moving equipment. He is also performing with Toby Wren Quartet, David Bentley, Caxton Street Jazz Band, Jeff Usher, Andrew Garton’s Abbreviations Orchestra and others.

Shaw has performed nationally and internationally at many major venues and festivals. He has recorded on more than 40 albums with various artists.

Trav has been studying and playing the guitar for over 20 years. He is a prolific composer and multi-instrumentalist, having written and arranged music for a variety of circumstances including film music, video game sound tracks, small and large string ensembles, big band, and choir.

Trav is in high demand as a session musician, having recently been hired in the studio to record with the 2017 and 2018 winners of the Carrol Lloyd Award (for emerging female singer-songwriters), and has played in various contemporary outfits at major music festivals around the country, such as the “Brisbane International Jazz Festival”, “Broadbeach Jazz Festival”, “Melbourne Jazz Festival”, “Woodford Folk Festival” and “Big Day Out”. Travis has also played alongside reputable Australian Jazz musicians such as James Morrison, John Morrison, Craig Scott, and Jonathon Zwartz.

Graduating in 2013 from the Jazz Music Institute with a Bachelor of Music (BMus), Trav studied guitar under both Bruce Woodward and Ben Hauptmann, achieving academic awards in all 3 years and in 2015, receiving a nomination for the Freedman Jazz Fellowship. Trav worked for 5 years at the Brisbane Music Studio teaching guitar and directing an ensemble program, has developed a new performance module as part of Griffith University’s Bachelor of Popular Music, which he now runs both at the Gold Coast and South Bank Campuses, and has been teaching guitar and ensemble classes at JMI for 2 years.

Brad Esbensen is a Brisbane based trumpet player, arranger, composer, copyist and educator. He has worked in backing bands for artists including Kenny Rogers, James Morrison, Grace Knight, Max Miller and many others. He is currently working as Musical Director with Herb Armstrong and the Royal Street Krewe, performing a show paying tribute to the music of New Orleans, as well as being Musical Director of the Brisbane Big Band which has been the resident big band for the Brisbane Jazz Club since 1974. He also works regularly with local bands including Decahedron (a 10-piece jazz group), Jeff Usher Band, Swing Chronicles, Brisbane Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, Glenn Miller Tribute Band and the Queensland Pops Orchestra.
His arrangements and compositions have featured regularly as test pieces. Many of his compositions and arrangements have been performed with a variety of groups including the Australian All Star Youth Big Band, Queensland Youth Orchestra Big Band, Brisbane All Star Youth Big Band and the Queensland Pops Orchestra. He has been engaged as a copyist by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and various local and touring shows. He was the recipient of first place in the 1994 Perth Jazz Orchestra Composition Awards with an original arrangement of “There Will Never Be Another You”.
Brad also holds an Associate in Composition from the Australian Society of Musicology and Composition and a Diploma of Music Technology from the University of Newcastle.

Bec Scolnik is a Brisbane based saxophonist and educator. As a baritone saxophone specialist, Bec has a passion for big band and arranging, and has performed in ensembles led by Dave Panichi, Judy Bailey, Andrew Robertson and more. She received a grant with South Coast Big Band in 2020 to arrange and record a version of ‘Fascinating Rhythm’, and is an orchestrator for large scale arena shows. Bec has performed extensively in musical theatre and enjoys doubling on all woodwind instruments.
In 2019 Bec completed her BMus (Jazz Performance) at Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she studied with Col Loughnan and David Theak. Her performance experience ranges from folk groups to straight ahead jazz, and modern ensembles to New Orleans brass band. Bec now teaches privately on Brisbane’s northside and directs two ensembles at Glasshouse Christian College in Beerwah.

Mikael Strand is a Musician, Multi-Instrumentalist, Composer, and Music Educator. Equally versed in Classical, Jazz, Popular & World Music languages, Mikael has been performing as a professional Trombonist since 1999. Mikael holds a Bachelor of Music in Contemporary Music from the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University and a Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Queensland.

A talented Multi-Instrumentalist, Mikael is proficient on all of the Brass Instruments as well as Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Piano, Bass Guitar, and Percussion. Mikael has performed, toured and recorded with the likes James Morrison, Don Burrows, Renee Geyer, Melbourne Ska Orchestra, Jerry Lewis, Ingrid Jensen (USA), Jim Pugh (USA), Mad Professor, The Saints, Mista Savona, Kate Miller-Heidke, Hot 8 Brass Band, West End Composers Collective, Doch Gypsy Orchestra, Dubmarine, and many other high-profile Artists and Groups.

In 2002, Mikael was selected to be the musical director of the Queensland Conservatorium Trombone Ensemble, which toured Indonesia as part of Australian Education Week. In addition, Mikael has performed at numerous national and international festivals such as the iconic Woodford Folk Festival, Byron Bay Blues and Roots Festival, Cape Town International Jazz Festival (South Africa), Festival Mondial (Netherlands), Colours of Ostrava Festival (Czech Rep), and many others.

Currently, Mikael enjoys a busy performing career, regularly performing with Hip- Hop/Funk/Soul Brass Band BULLHORN, the Sweet Thunder Jazz Orchestra, as well as performing and recording as a freelance Trombonist all over Queensland and Australia.

A passionate music educator, Mikael currently holds the position of Multi-Instrumental Music Teacher with the Queensland Education Department, and has held teaching positions at Primary and Secondary Schools since 2003. Mikael has also received acclaim as a conductor, with several of his ensembles receiving awards at state and regional band competitions such as Fanfare, Prestige Music Festival and the Gold Coast Eisteddfod.

Mark Smith has spent his whole working career, close to thirty years, working as a sound technician and engineer. He is passionate about sound quality and importantly, artist comfort and satisfaction. Whether in a live performance or a recording situation Mark believes that providing a comfortable environment for the artist will give the best performance or recording outcome for them.

Mark’s skills and interests in music are wide and varied covering genres as diverse as classical, rock, folk and jazz. Mark has run a mobile sound business, Real Productions, since 1996. He has a wealth of experience including managing the recording projects of numerous artists from solo concert pianists to large orchestras – and everything in between.

In the past five years Mark has mentored a number of students through workplace placements for the School of Audio Engineering. In recent times he was invited to be a guest lecturer at the Queensland Conservatorium and a course lecturer in Music Technology at the Jazz Music Institute, Brisbane.

Jess Spina has been singing and performing jazz since her first appearance at the Brisbane Jazz Club when she was 9 years old.

She has since earnt a reputation as one of the finest vocalists in Australia, placing 3rd in the prestigious National Jazz Awards held at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues in 2020.

Most recently, Jess was nominated for the 2022 Freedman Fellowship Awards amongst the vanguard of Australian jazz musicians.

Her experience as a performer ranges from regular local gigs to International festivals. In 2019 she attended the the Siena International Jazz workshop in Italy where she worked with renowned jazz artists including Kenny Werner, Becca Stevens, Miguel Zenon, Henry Cole, Theo Bleckmann and Jen Shyu amongst others. Jess has also cherished performing alongside eminent Australian musicians such as Kristin Berardi, Olivia Chindamo, James Sherlock, and Elly Hoyt.

As a composer and arranger, Jess is inspired by icons of modern jazz like Laurence Hobgood, Veronica Swift, Sam Anning and Jo Lawry. Legends like Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae and Betty Carter continue to motivate her.

Jess won the Sir Samuel Griffith Scholarship to study a Bachelor of Music majoring in Jazz Voice at the Queensland Conservatorium, and upon graduation in 2019, she was awarded the Sid SJ Bromley Jazz award for academic excellence, leadership skills and performance abilities.

Jess has also completed a Graduate Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy from the Queensland Conservatorium under the tutelage of renowned educators Dr Irene Bartlett and Dr Ron Morris and is delighted to have joined the faculty at Jazz Music Institute teaching 3rd year jazz voice students.

Graeme Norris’s career as a jazz musician and music educator spans almost 40 years. In Australia Graeme has lived and worked in Sydney and Brisbane, teaching in many schools, and at Brisbane Conservatorium of Music and JMI. From 2012 to 2020 Graeme resided in New York City. He obtained his Masters in Jazz Performance from Manhattan School of Music and was the recipient of the Outreach Award for his outstanding contribution to MSM’s Arts in Education and community engagement programs. In 2014 Graeme joined the faculty at Manhattan School of Music Pre-College department, covering saxophone, jazz history, theory and ensemble direction.

Graeme has recorded two CD’s as leader (Pentatomic – Rufus Records and More Please! – Gut String Records), and has appeared on a dozen as sideperson. In 1994 the Graeme Norris Quartet represented Australia at the Jakarta International Jazz Festival, and was awarded an Australia Council recording grant. In 2010 the Enthusiastic Musicians Orchestra recorded One For B featuring Graeme’s original compositions. Graeme has performed in Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and New York including at Dizzy’s, Mezzrow, SoB’s and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. In Australia, Graeme has led groups at all premier jazz venues and at several festivals, and has shared the stage with Eartha Kitt, Jerry Lewis, Kenny Rogers, Frankie Valli, James Morrison, Tom Burlinson, Monica Trapaga, Grace Knight, Emma Pask, Nicki Parrott, Katie Noonan, Roger Frampton, Craig Scott, Alan Turnbull, James Sherlock and Don Rader.

Graeme’s approach to teaching incorporates a thorough knowledge of the earliest jazz through to the most contemporary, an expansive repertoire, comprehension of jazz language through study and exploration of harmony, melody and rhythm, and instrument specific aspects including sound production, articulation and finger technique.

Growing up in a musical family with access to an array of instruments,
music and encouragement has led Lee to be the multi-instrumentalist/composer he is today. For over a decade he’s been an
active member of the Meanjin(Brisbane) music scene including private
tuition in Piano, Saxophone and Electric Bass.
Lee has a keen interest in exploring the different possibilities of
rhythm and harmony with a foundation that is entrenched in Jazz. He’s
experienced in playing many styles such as Jazz, Soul, Hip-hop, Funk,
Pop, Electronica, Metal, and Avant-garde. When he’s not at JMI, Lee
can be found performing with local bands Big Dead, Elktung, HRBRT,
and Menajerie.
Lee’s main role as bandleader/composer has been with Elktung, where
he’s able to explore his passion for singing, odd-meters and
synthesizers. His debut EP ‘Note To Self’ was released in 2019 with
plans to record later this year. Lee has appeared on several recordings
as performer and/or composer with the aforementioned artists
including Moreton and Captain Dreamboat.
Lee has toured the East-Coast of Australia over the years with some of
the more notable shows at The Sydney Opera House and the
Melbourne Recital Centre with appearances at Australian festivals like
The Woodford Folk Festival, Brisbane International Jazz Festival, Bello
Winter Fest, and Jungle Love.

Mike Anderson is a professional guitarist, composer and guitar teacher with a passion for the jazz tradition.
Prior to moving to Brisbane in 2015, Mike has lived and worked as a professional musician in both Sydney and his hometown Melbourne, where he attended the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts. He has performed with some of Australia’s finest musicians in all three cities, worked as a utility musician on cruise ships around the world and performed numerous times on live television.
In 2014, Mike was named a top ten finalist in the National Jazz Awards for guitar, as part of the Wangaratta Jazz and Blues Festival. He recorded his debut album, “Eyes and Wolves” in 2018 with the Mike Anderson Trio, featuring Mike’s own original compositions and is currently the principal guitarist for the Queensland Pops Orchestra.
With over 20 years of teaching experience, and forever a student of jazz himself, Mike has forged a unique voice on the guitar and is dedicated to developing that to the highest level of both mastery and artistry on the instrument.