Media
CD – Andrew Dickeson's Blue Rhythm Band – Swingin' the Blues
Drum master, Andrew Dickeson, has made a recording showcasing his virtuosity as well as those of his fellow ‘kings of swing’. This is an album for dancers and listeners alike, with so many highlights that it’s difficult to know where to start. They do what Basie did - four solid beats to the bar and no cheating. Accompanying Dickeson on this fabulous connoisseur’s choice of classic tracks is Brad Child on tenor saxophone, Peter Locke on piano, and Jacob Graham on the double bass. The results are a magical interplay of musical invention, sliding around familiar themes in a swinging fashion with their fine technique. Opening with the Count Basie composition, Splanky, to set you in the mood, the band progresses to the gems of Charlie Shavers, Duke Ellington, Eddie Durham and the anthem of the great Chick Webb, Stompin’ At The Savoy, leaving the listener agape, breathless and in awe, walking the tightrope between their inventiveness and allowing the familiar tunes to speak. In My Solitude allows everyone to cool their Latin soaked heels, until Brad Child brings the house down, seizing the opportunity to demonstrate his impressive ballad chops with his soulful interpretation of the atmospheric Poor Butterfly. The performance delivers imagination and a pace that is a masterclass of how to reinvent the blues. This is a very special album from some very special musicians.
Jazz and Beyond, Barry O'Sullivan, Oct 2021
CD - Dan Barnett - Through Her Eyes
"the pay-off is an immediacy to the music, itself, and to the players’ interaction. Those players are the cream of Australia’s mainstream jazz scene: Paul Furniss (clarinet/alto saxophone – brilliant on Sultry Serenade), Bill Burton (trumpet/flugelhorn), Peter Locke (piano), the late Chuck Morgan (guitar), Craig Scott (bass), Cyril Bevan (drums), George Washingmachine (guest vocals/violin) and Anthony Howe (guest drums). And yet, as good as the solos are and as silken as the rhythm section is, the beating heart of the project lies in Barnett’s unerring instincts as jazz singer, even jolting you in the midst of something as well-worn as Skylark with a burst of falsetto as unexpected as a shooting star. On a couple of tracks his and Washingmachine’s voices merge in phrasing and blend in harmony like two kids playing a game – which is what music is when played with this level of delight.
Sydney Morning Herald, John Shand, Dec 2018
CD - Dan Barnett - Strictly Swingin'
Many works of Freddie Slack, a now forgotten American swing and boogie-woogie pianist/bandleader are featured. Tunes associated with him, Boogie Blues, Small Batch O’ Nod, The House Of Blue Lights, Southpaw Serenade, and A Cat’s Ninth Life enable pianist Peter Locke to show his hitherto hidden boogie-woogie expertise. Locke is part of a swinging rhythm section with bassist Ashley Turner and the redoubtable drummer Andrew Dickeson.
The Australian, Eric Myers, Dec 2018
In Performance - Gregg Arthur - Melbourne Jazz Festival: Opening gigs set a standard for elegance, artistry and innovation
The opening night in the Melbourne Recital Hall featured Australian vocalist Gregg Arthur, followed by the American Branford Marsalis' quartet. Arthur began the festival with an immaculate version of perhaps the most difficult standard in jazz, Billy Strayhorn's Lush Life, accompanied by pianist Peter Locke.
The Australian, Eric Myers, June 2018
In Performance - Gregg Arthur - The Slippery Art of Stretching and Snapping a Line
"the real highlights came on the standard repertoire. A Child is Born was transfixing, and pianist Peter Locke's gorgeous arrangement of In a Sentimental Mood allowed Arthur to tap into the song's deep beauty against fluttering piano figures. Locke's playing was a delight throughout, and with bassist Craig Scott and drummer Ron Lemke the band had a suppleness and keen feel for ensuring the voice was always spotlit.
Sydney Morning Herald, John Shand, Dec 2017
CD - Dan Barnett - Walkin' Shoes
From ballads to bop. The instrumental Tin Tin Deo is a dizzying workout for the band's Afro-Cuban chops. Growing out of a Greg Royal bass intro through a sharp Peter Locke piano solo, the tune culminates in an Andrew Dickerson (really, who else?) drum workout. A (grooving) highpoint!
AustralianJazz.net, John Hardaker, Jan 2017
CD - Dan Barnett - One for C
"a sensational big band reading of I Remember Clifford, and some enchanting solos from pianist Peter Locke and the radiant guitar of Chuck Morgan, underpinned by bassist Ed Gaston and British drummer Cyril Bevan."
Sydney Morning Herald, John Shand, May 2009