Melbourne based pianist/composer/arranger Jo Abbott performs with big bands and jazz ensembles and has collaborated on various theatre shows since the 1990’s.
Theatre shows:
“And I, in my chair”2021 Lachlan Bartlett Company: Melbourne Cabaret Festival, Chapel off Chapel
(pianist)
Arena Theatre Company: “Robot Song” Melbourne season :”Theatreworks”, St Kilda 2019
(pianist/mum)
“Robot Song” (2019): The Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre
(pianist/mum)
“Death by Soprano” (2018); various venues Qld/NSW/Tasmanian tour “accompanist/pianist”
“Play Me, I’m Yours”(2015) – Opening Night Concert, Arts Centre, Melbourne;
“Yana Alana – Between the Cracks” : Auckland International Cabaret Festival (musician/pianist)
“Yana Alana – Between the Cracks” 2015: Deluxe, Garden of Unearthly Delights, Adelaide Fringe Festival; (musician/pianist)
Circus Oz – “Straight Up” USA tour 2017
(musician/keyboards)
“Death by Soprano” (2016) – Regional Arts Victoria Tour, various venues
(musician/pianist)
“Death by Soprano” (2014); Melba Spiegeltent /Melbourne Fringe Festival;
“Death by Soprano” (2013); La Mama Theatre “Explorations”
(musician/pianist)
“Capriccio “- 1997 street theatre Dublin/ Barcelona/Galway
(accordionist/Capriccio)
Sita Dances (1997) – Brisbane
(composer/pianist/MD)
Sita Dances (1997) – Hong Kong Fringe Festival
(composer/pianist/MD)
“The travelling Re-incarnation Show” and “Instead of staying home in bed at night behaving” 1996 – written, devised and performed by Annie Lee – Metro Arts Theatre, Brisbane.
(pianist/MD)
Other performances with various ensembles include Bennetts Lane Jazz Club; Melbourne Recital Centre; Paris Cat Jazz Club; Manchester Lane; Stonnington Jazz Festival; Eltham Jazz Festival; and Pinnacles Jazz Festival (with “Artisans Workshop).
Jo has performed solo sets of jazz piano for the Famous Melbourne Piano Luncheons, since 2010 and continues to explore her love of jazz, music theatre and cabaret music through her performances, studies and collaborations.
Jo has a B.Mus(Qld Conservatorium of Music) and graduated from the VCA in 2003 with a Postgraduate Diploma in Jazz Piano (Improvisation) and is currently studying arranging for ensembles online through the Berklee College of Music programme with Mark Poniatowski. Other mentors include Bob Sedergreen; Tim Stevens; Roger Frampton; Steve Sedergreen and vibraharpist Alan Lee, whom she collaborated with for a number of years and recorded an album “Music of John Lewis”- Move Records [..a shimmering, uncluttered sound, with the Lewis penchant for swinging hard and classical influences in swell evidence.” Kenny Weir]