Mace Francis combines adventure with nostalgia on Isolation Emancipation
Best recognised for his work with the Mace Francis Orchestra, as well as the Festival Director of the Perth International Jazz Festival and Artistic Director of the Western Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra, Mace Francis’ latest project is a more personal one – his latest album Isolation Emancipation.
It’s the 10th album from renowned Perth jazz figure and advocate for original Australian big band music, Mace Francis, as part of his new project, Mace Francis Plus 11. Both the ensemble instrumentation and the style is inspired by the Marty Paich recordings of the 1950’s, and this new album by the 12-piece ensemble is a deft exploration of a bygone era. While the album is adventurous new material at its core, it’s deeply rooted in the classic traditionalism of the swing era, capturing the soul and nostalgia of the past.
Featuring some of Perth’s best instrumentalists, and the powerful vocals of Lucy Iffla, Mace Francis Plus 11 will perform a preview of ‘Isolation Emancipation’ on the eve of its launch on November 25 at Lyric’s Underground in Maylands, WA.
He stopped by the RTRFM studios to chat to Saturday Jazz’s Dan Garner about the record, how to best support the local jazz and community and more. Listen to the chat below!
