Welcome to 2025….and our first Thursday night gig of the year!!
And what better place to get the New Year ball rolling, than riverside at the Brisbane’s Home of Live Jazz….with The Vicki Salisbury Trio and Friends.
Let me introduce you. They are:
Vicki Salisbury Lead vocals.
Dr. David Salisbury Saxophone, flute, vocals.
Larry Thompson Keyboards, pedal bass, vocals.
Greg Stroud Guitar.
Callum Pascoe Drums.
Husband and wife duo, Vicki and David are originally from the USA; New York/Arizona and Los Angeles, respectively. They were performing together regularly, long before they arrived and initially settled in Melbourne in 1993.
12 years after that arrival, they met national/international keyboard maestro, Larry Thompson, in Townsville. These three musical soulmates have been performing together ever since: each bringing a unique set of skills….
Vicki’s vibrant and joyful stage presence is inspired by her mother’s career as a performer in musical theatre, big bands and smaller ensembles…and the love that gave her for The Great American Songbook.
Dr. Dave’s saxophone and flute float through every piece, tight and sweet; a vital ingredient of the trio’s sound.
And while Larry at the keys, glides effortlessly through most styles of music, his Big Love is Modern Jazz. He loves nothing more than taking a well-known Rock song and expertly re-crafting it as Jazz.
Larry also happens to be attached to a manic left foot, which is in constant movement across the switches of his pedal bass, delivering that crisp and driving bass line.
And each of them composes their own original tunes, drawing upon influences from their personal journeys through a range of musical styles, including Pop, Rock, Latin and Jazz.
So, Yes!!, as was evident tonight; the success of this trio is absolute proof of the old adage, that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts!!
But wait. There’s more!!
This evening also featured two special guests…
Greg Stroud’s chilled, smooth guitar playing style is known and loved, far and wide, bringing a touch of class to performances with solo artists, duos, combos and big bands in Melbourne, Sydney/Newcastle, Brisbane and North Queensland.
And that’s Callum Pascoe at the kit. A Brisbane local, Callum is drummer in a number of ensembles, including the Queensland Youth Orchestra Big Band, with whom he plays locally and nationally, giving him the invaluable experience of performing alongside greats such as James Morrison, Darren Percival, Andy Firth, and others.
What a night you all gave us!! Five individually great musicians in perfect sync, across two inspired sets of beautifully paced and arranged vocals, instrumentals, home-grown numbers, and a sprinkle of classics.
Thank you, Vicki, David, Larry, Greg and Callum. Please come back soon!!
Alan Smith
Brisbane Jazz Club