My PhD Goes Live!

My PhD has gone live!  Please follow the link below to view the Copyright Declaration and the chapters of the PhD on Marian McPartland's jazz career.  Marian McPartland celebrates her 92nd birthday in 2010.

Marian McPartland, Jazz Pianist: An Overview Of A Musical Career
A PhD Thesis By Clare Hansson

Clare's News

I am excited to have ready for release Mark II of jazz interpretations of Bach (see Discography).  Originally released as Jazz Flirtations, the CD was re-recorded, re-mastered and re-packaged with a dashing new cover.  The launch has been delayed due to the Brisbane floods, and a possible date for the launch is Saturday October 8, 2011 at the Brisbane Jazz Club. 

Family news is that my son Philip’s backpacker resort Cloud Nine is powering along, and the newly-completed bar Beetle Bar a stunning space.  My granddaughter Phoebe turned 18 on February 10, 2010,  and celebrated with family and friends in the Beetle Bar.  Phoebe is aiming to be a beautician, as well as holding down a job with several shifts at McDonalds.  She graduated from the Gap State High School at the end of 2009 after celebrating her Formal and ending the year with Schoolies.  My grandson Jake is doing very well at school and loves his sport of AFL, tennis and fishing.  He celebrates his 12h birthday on July 7, 2011.  He is a very competent drummer, holding his own with a professional rock group in the Beetle Bar.  The Beetle Bar has really taken off, with up to three bands performing three nights a week, and a competent new bar manager. 

Philip has embarked on a 'tree change', moving with his partner Bec to a rural property at Upper Coomera.  It was a mammoth move from two properties with many trips up the highway, and with Bec having a rider mower accident, Phil completed most of it.  They are somewhat settled, as are Bec's eight horses!  I look forward to my first glimpse of what he calls 'Paradise'!  Phil has retained a granny flat under his Highgate Hill house for overnight stays.

2011 in Brisbane and Queensland began with devastating floods.  I was high and dry on the 23rd floor of a highrise, but unable to vacate the building for ten days.  The Brisbane Jazz Club was inundated, and concerts moved to the Legion Club nearby.  Two gigs at the Customs House were enjoyable, and I have two more in May. 

2010 began quietly, and I was honoured to contribute to a concert to raise funds for the people of Haiti devastated by the earthquake. The idea of a singalong in Over 50s retirement villages came to fruition in April and May - very well received, With Brisbane City Hall closed for restoration, a jazz concert in the City Baptist Tabernacle attracted a capacity audience. With Lyn Gillett in Brisbane for this, I was able to set up five other gigs for us to see our new CD. One of the biggest gigs of my career took place on April 18, 2010, at Brisbane Jazz Club. 270 people crammed into the Club to celebrate 40 years of the Clare Hansson Trio, with Gary Balkin opening the proceedings. To play with Philip again on his beautifully-restored double bass was a heady and nostalgic experience.

My big news for 2010 is that I was honoured to be chosen among 25 Queensland artists who made a vital contribution to artistic life of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.  I am the only jazz person to be so honoured in the celebration of QPAC 25.   From 1985 to 1989, my son Philip was my double bass player for many foyer performances, concerts and cabarets.  Philip accompanied me to the lavish launch, and the stunning exhibition of portraits by photographer Justine Walpole was an eye-opener to all in the Tony Gould Gallery.  I donated a sequined vest to the QPAC Museum, and it was also on display.

Jazz in 2009 was affected by the 'economic downturn' but I managed to survive without resorting to busking!! Regular gigs kept the wolf from the door, and a highlight of 2009 was a fundraiser at Brisbane Jazz Club on June 13 to raise funds for the Queensland Jazz Archive.

2008 began with a wonderful week in Sydney enjoying the ambiance of the Sydney Festival. Two gigs with sax player Paul Furniss at the Four Seasons Hotel were exciting. I attended other jazz performances, and saw the show Billy Elliott at the Capitol Theatre. An Oscar Peterson Tribute Concert for the Sunshine Coast Jazz Club was hugely successful. Two very special cameo appearances with the St. Lucia Orchestra for Sue Wighton and I billed as the Dynamic Jazz Duo was sensational and very well received. Two more Oscar Peterson Tribute Concerts were enthusiastically received, one at Brisbane's City Hall on September 9. The highlight of 2008 was the opportunity to accompany the silent film featuring Josephine Baker 'Siren Of The Tropics' in Brisbane's City Hall to a capacity audience.

2007 was an exciting performance year for Clare with much variety and many challenges. Highlights in 2007 were backing Melbourne singer Pippa Wilson at Sharks Club at the Gold Coast in January, a trip to Bellingen to perform with Brett And Clare's Dilemma in March, and a gig at Woodgate near Childers. I was able to entice double bass player Chris Schnack across the Tasman for a series of four concerts and jazz workshops in July. In honour of Chris's tour, I released a CD 'Jazz Flirtations' featuring Chris and I interpreting the music of J. S. Bach (see Discography). This CD has now been re-recorded for re-release.

Clare appeared at three Jazz Festivals in 2007. First, the Palmer Street Jazz Festival in Townsville in August was an outstanding success, with Clare backing vocalist Wilma Reading. The second Festival was the Newcastle Jazz Festival, again backing Pippa Wilson with her Melbourne band, The Noosa Jazz Festival was again a sensational few days with a large contingent of musicians from all over Australia. For the first time, the Clare Hansson Trio worked as a unit. Clare on piano, Val Jones on double bass, and Geoff Ovenden on drums. Clare was honoured to be interviewed about her life in jazz by Lachie Thomson, against the backdrop of some video footage of jazz moments in her life. This set the scene dramatically, and to conclude the interview the Clare Hansson Trio played 'Jitterbug Waltz' by Fats Waller.

2006 was an amazing year. A huge flurry of academic activity resulted in my doctoral thesis on jazz pianist Marian McPartland being awarded, with graduation on April 20, 2006, after a journey of nine years. A Graduation Concert in May raised $5,000 towards the establishment of the ‘Clare Hansson/Brisbane Jazz Club 2007 Young Jazz Recording Prize’ for which 20 young groups auditioned in 2007 for the chance to produce a professional recording.

Clare on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on NPR from New York

Clare Hansson's guest appearance on Marian McPartland's radio program Piano Jazz in 1999 was rebroadcast to millions throughout the United States and places beyond on November 28, 2006.  Marian is delighted that my Website thesis on her jazz life is complete and has been launched globally.  Clare has the honour of being the only Australian musician to make a guest appearance on Piano Jazz. 

You can listen to the interview with Marian McPartland.

Clare was thrilled to be invited to New York to hear Marian perform in Dizzy's Coca Cola Club in the Lincoln Center on October 4, 2010, where Marian featured with her trio and up-and-coming young musicians.  Clare's hostess Julia Ballerini accompanied her to the concert.  Before returning home, Clare took in as much jazz in the Big Apple as she could possibly fit in.  New York is the jazz hub of the world!