Alister Spence

Verified
248 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
248 Pitt Street Sydney New South Wales 2000 AU

Alister is recognized as one of Australia’s most original, distinctive pianists/composers. With a performing and composing career spanning more than 25 years, his wide-ranging talents have led him to perform with and compose for some of the world’s most respected artists in the areas of contemporary music, improvisation, film and theatre.

In recent years he has devoted his energy to writing and performing with his trio, The Alister Spence Trio with Lloyd Swanton (the Necks) on double bass and Toby Hall (formerly with pianist, Mike Nock) drums and glockenspiel. This celebrated group has recorded five CDs (Rufus Records) and has a growing international reputation.

Their most recent CD, Far Flung (Rufus Records 2012) received a 4 star review in Jazz Journal (June 2013) and was listed in Critics Poll 2013 (January 2014). It was also listed in The WIRE 2013 Rewind – Critics’ reflections by Andy Hamilton as Album of the year.  fit (Rufus Records 2009) was voted in the top 15 jazz/improv releases worldwide for 2009 by The Wire, UK.  Both Mercury (Rufus Records 2006) and Flux (Rufus Records 2003) received ARIA nominations  (Australian Record Industry Awards) for 2004, 2007.  The trio toured in U.K and Canada in 2006 and Japan in 2008.

Since performing at The Vilnius Jazz Festival 2009, with bassist, Joseph Williamson (Tobias Delius Quartet, Alex Ward) and drummer, Chris Cantillo (Nils Berg Cinemascope, Lena Nyberg), Alister has returned to Europe and the UK on a regular basis to tour with this lineup. Also performing as a Quartet with saxophonist Raymond MacDonald (Marilyn Crispell, Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra).

Festival performances for the Trio include: Vilnius Jazz Festival 2009, Luminous Festival, Sydney Opera House curated by Brian Eno 2009, Tokyo Jazz Festival 2008, International Festival de Jazz de Montreal and Vancouver Jazz Festival 2006.

Alister is a founding member of Wanderlust and a long-standing member of The Australian Art Orchestra (AAO). Alister was also co-leader/composer with the internationally acclaimed group Clarion Fracture Zone for 15 years from 1990 – 2005.

His playing is featured on more than 30 CDs, many of which have either won or been nominated for Australian Record Industry (ARIA) Awards.

Over the years he has played with many of the finest musicians in Australia including Bernie McGann, Sandy Evans, Chris Abrahams, Don Burrows, Dale Barlow, Peter O’Mara, Tony Buck, Phillip Slater, Paul Capsis, Archie Roach and Ed Kuepper (The Laughing Clowns).

Alister has also performed with Satoko Fujii (Japan), Michiyo Yagi (Japan), Barre Phillips (US), Myra Melford (US), Mark Helias (US), Andy Sheppard (UK), Joe Williamson (SWE), Jim O’Rourke (Japan), Raymond MacDonald (Glasgow), Mark Helias (US), Karraikudi Mani (IND).

Over the last 20 years, Alister has toured extensively in Europe, Asia and Canada with The Alister Spence Trio, Clarion Fracture Zone, Wanderlust and AAO, and has performed radio broadcasts for ABC (Australia), BBC (UK), and WDR (Germany).

His talents as a composer are well known in Australia. As well as his own trio and Clarion Fracture Zone, Alister composes for Wanderlust and has been commissioned several times to write for The Australian Art Orchestra and Ten Part Invention.

Rating
Featured/Unfeatured
Claimed/Unclaimed
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 0.06 mi
One of Australia’s most accomplished and internationally recognised jazz artists, Dale was ...
BPC Lawyers logo.JPG
18/201 Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia 0.1 mi
BPC Lawyers is a leading compensation law firm in Sydney with specialist Personal Injury Lawyers....
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 0.11 mi
The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra (JMO) is Australia’s leading jazz orchestra and has gained ...
Sydney NSW, Australia 0.12 mi
Sydney NSW, Australia 0.12 mi
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, NSW 2001 0.12 mi
Visit us birth ceremony invitation at to explore our Invitation Templates. Let’s enhance yo...
49 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia 0.13 mi
Sydney Tower Eye, The Strand Arcade, Westfield America Trust, Westfield Sydney, 100 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia 0.15 mi
The Vampires formed in 2004, while its four members were studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of...
FB_Profile_image_300 Juliana Areias.jpg
616 Harris St, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia 0.16 mi
04052791600405279160
624 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia 0.24 mi
02 9550 366602 9550 3666
Winner of the Inaugural Bell Award For Australian Jazz Musician of The Year 2003 ‘protean,...
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 0.26 mi
John Hardaker is a Sydney musician, graphic designer and writer. He writes on music in order to p...
World Square, World Square, George Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia 0.34 mi
466980912466980912
Sydney NSW, Australia 0.36 mi
Sydney NSW, Australia 0.36 mi
Sydney, Australia 0.36 mi
Steve was born in 1960 and has had his own band in one form or another since 1978. A renowned vir...
sydney nsw 0.36 mi
Barney is a special piano player with that certain heart and touch, so he has great possibilitie...
Showing 1 - 20 of 185 results