The Vampires

Trailblazers for a new generation of creative jazz talent from Australia, The Vampires have gained critical attention worldwide by pushing the genre into new realms. With a distinctive sound that is undoubtedly their own, the band has garnered praise from Downbeat (“phenomenal”), Guardian UK (“seductive genre hopping creativity”), and All About Jazz (“gold all over”). The Vampires have received nominations for Australia’s ARIA awards, Bell Awards, AIR Awards, and were the first instrumental act to be short-listed for the Australian Music Prize.

Two years on from their highly praised work The Vampires Meet Lionel Loueke, The Vampires return with a new offering: Pacifica. Whilst their sixth album sees the Vampires return to the classic chord-less quartet format, the new album is an evolution of the band's sound, leaning further into recording production. The album has been receiving attention worldwide, with comparisons to Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew and the Art Ensemble of Chicago.

With the band now living in different parts of the world - bassist Alex Boneham is an established presence in Los Angeles whilst trumpeter Nick Garbett lives in Lampedusa, Italy, Pacifica is as much a celebration of the band coming together as it is about their deep, long-standing musical kinship.

“In a head-bopping nod to the obvious, The Vampires play vamps. Yet, these are no ordinary vamps. Written and improvised melodies are beautiful and flawless, and the harmonies between the three voices (woodwinds, brass, bass) ring with pitch-perfect sonority. There is a sublime pacing to each of the tunes here, with strategic shifts in texture, tonality, tonality, rhythm or intensity twisting the narrative of each hypnotic groove into an ever-unfolding and irresistible arc.”

**** Gary Fukushima, Downbeat

"This is such a good album that it's difficult to know which superlatives to start with.... This is state-of-the-art modern jazz at the highest level"

****1/2  Eric Myers, The Australian

"Not only is the composing and improvising exceptional, it’s the Vampires’ best-recorded album, too.…carrying faint (and thrilling) echoes of the Art Ensemble of Chicago."

**** John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald

“Simpler nature, yet equally expressive soundscapes… reminiscent of the fusion 'milestone' Bitches Brew.”

**** Freidrich Kunzman, All About Jazz

"If jazz music is about continuously reinventing and staying on your toes, then 'The Vampires Meet Lionel Loueke' is a phenomenal jazz record by a worldly, talented, and newly minted five-piece band."

****  Chris Tart (Downbeat)

“It is gold all over. Original, melodically minimal compositions with hidden details scattered in every corner you look—covering nearly every topographic musical element and framed in a cohesive whole.”

Friedrich Kunzman, All About Jazz

“One of my favourite albums of the year was a jazz recording.. …It’s beautifully constructed melody sounded so classic, so perfect, that it had already become deeply ingrained in my memory. Of course, I have been listening to this album a lot. This one’s a real winner.”

David Faulkner, The Saturday Paper, Australian Music Prize chair

“Seductive, genre-hopping creativity: The references embrace reggae, classic Cuban son, high life, pre-electric Miles Davis and hints of Blue Note soul-jazz or Henri Texier’s cinematically scene-setting music..."

**** John Fordham, The Guardian UK

"This was the perfect summer record that pulled off the trick of being both an ambient soundtrack to life on the move while remaining capable of standing up to concentrated home listening." 

Phil Barnes, All About Jazz