The city that never sleeps has provided inspiration for many musicians and WA’s Nerissa Campbell is no different.
Campbell will return to the state and her home region for June’s Jazz By The Bay festival.
Campbell’s connection to the area runs deep, she once called Bunbury home and has family in Busselton.
The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts product has been based in New York since 2001.
“There is this real creativity that happens there and no one gets paid – there are these amazing people, doing totally kick-ass things just for the love of it and I find it really inspiring,” she told the Mail.
“There is a guy in New York and he says, ‘if you look after the music, it will look after you’.
“It definitely made me want to concentrate on contributing something to that scene. I used to feel like more of an entertainer just booked to do whatever, but my time in New York has lead me to focus on what I want to say and where my music is leading me.”
Campbell’s music weaves its way through somber pop-ballads, bluesy folk songs, moody instrumentals, and a lyricism full of thought and space.
She has released four albums under her own label, Crooked Mouth Music, with the most recent 2016’s After The Magic.
When in the South West, Campbell will play with a quartet.
She said with a genre like jazz, playing with other musicians was a freeing experience.
“It is fun to be able to be up there with others and take risks and be bare with the music,” she said.
“When playing in a bigger situation, everyone brings something to the music so it has its own vibe.
“There is that improvisation element that jazz is known for and you never know what’s going to happen.”
Jazz by the Bay will be held over the June long weekend throughout Busselton, Dunsborough and Margaret River.
A diverse range of jazz talent will be on offer at free and ticketed events.
For full program, event updates and ticket information visit jazzbythebay.com.au or Jazz by the Bay on Facebook.
