Geoff Kluke

 

Geoff Kluke commenced his performing career in the late 60’s. He has had a wide range of musical experience over the years performing with many of the World’s top musicians and artist’s. Starting off studying classical double bass in Adelaide he then branched off into playing jazz gigs with musicians around his home town in a wide variety of styles and with musicians of varied backgrounds.

He has performed with the world’s greatest jazz musician’s, the likes of Phil Woods, Mark Murphy, Dewey Redman, Nat Adderley, Charlie Byrd, Lee Konitz, Herb Ellis, Barney Kessell, Slide Hampton, Mickey Tucker, Ernestine Anderson, George Cables, Warren Vache, Richie Cole, The Glen Miller Orchestra, Buddy Tate, Clifford Jordan, Frank Foster, Shiela Jordan, Plas Johnson, Ruby Braff, Ralph Sutton, Joanne Brackeen, Cal Collins, Bob Mintzer, Ken Peplowski, Jimmy Witherspoon. To mention just a few.

In addition to the musicians listed above, Geoff has played with the legends of Australian contemporary improvisation. Such illustrious names as Don Burrows, James Morrison, Bob Sedergreen, Brian Brown, Tony Gould, Bernie McGann, John Pochee, Sylvan (Schmoe) Elhay, Paul McNamara, Keith Hounslow, Bob Bertles, Joe (Be-Bop) Lane, Barry Duggan, Serge Ermoll, Onaje (the contemporary Australian jazz group whose membership includes Allan Browne, Richard Miller and Bob Sedergreen), The Australian Jazz Orchestra. The list goes on and on.

Over the years Geoff’s playing has embraced a wide variety of jazz genre’s. These include: standards, be-bop, post-bop, contemporary, originals, swing, avant-garde, “straight-ahead”, etc. in a variety of line-ups including duos, trios, quartets, big bands,etc.

Geoff still works with some of the Australian musicians mentioned above but with many other jazz illuminaries who reside in Melbourne the likes of which include; Gil Askey, Bob Sedergreen, Alex Hutchinson, Paul Williamson, Mike Jordan, Mark Fitzgibbon, Laurie Lewis, Brian Rangott, Steve Sedergreen, and again there are are far too many to mention here.

He also played with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, involved with “pit work” such musicals as Oklahoma. He recently performed Claude Bolling’s, “Suite for Violin and Jazz Piano” with world renowned pianist, Elyane Laussade and the brilliant 15 year old violinist Kana Ohashi.

He has done loads of variety shows, cabaret work, backing such notable singers as Sir Harry Seacombe, Vera Lynn and Cilla Black. In 2004 Geoff worked briefly with renowned singer, actor and comedian Eddie Perfect (“standing in” for Enzo Ruberto, Eddie’s regular bass player). Geoff has also recorded with some of the above mentioned artists. In his younger days in Adelaide he also had a vast array of experience playing in television studio bands, session work, playing on “pop” recordings, “jingles”, etc. He also played a lot of electric bass in rhythm and blues bands soul bands, funk bands, fusion groups etc. working with pop and r’nb legends like the Platters, the Drifters, Del Shannon, Bo Diddley, the Diamonds, etc.

Since arriving in Melbourne in the mid 80’s he has become more active in jazz education through his association with the V.C.A. teaching both double and electric bass, jazz theory, harmony, history and directing the student groups. He also teaches privately while maintaining a busy performance schedule (live gigs and recording) with many of Australia’s (and international) artists.