Melbourne based pianist/composer/arranger Jo Abbott performs regularly with big bands and jazz ensembles. She is sought after as an accompanist for choirs, soloists and has collaborated on various theatre shows since the 1990’s such as collaborating with Arena Theatre Company in the role of (pianist/”mum”) for the Helpmann award winning show “Robot Song” for their Melbourne season at “Theatreworks” and Adelaide season at The Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre in 2019; with the award winning show “Yana Alana – Between the Cracks” for the Auckland International Cabaret Festival and Adelaide Fringe Festival; “Play Me, I’m Yours” – Opening Night Concert, Arts Centre, Melbourne; with “Circus Oz” for their USA tour of “Straight Up”, (2017) and with performer/writer Isabel Hertaeg for the national tour of “Death by Soprano” (2018); and previous seasons at the Melbourne Spiegeltent for the Melbourne Fringe Festival; regional Victorian tour and a season at La Mama Theatre.
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]