In 2025 The Garry Lee Quintet maintained the same personnel from gigs for Jazz Fremantle in 2024. Last year the Quintet performed gigs at Ellington Jazz Club including a performance in conjunction with Perth International Jazz Festival to launch the recording ‘Waltz for Roger’. This album – Bandcamp, iTunes, Spotify – features the late Roger Garrood playing eight compositions by Garry Lee in bands led by Garry from the 1980s/90s. Roger was a significant figure in WA jazz as teacher at WAAPA to Troy Roberts, John and Carl Mackey, Jamie Oehlers and Mike Collinson, plus many others. On 22 February the Quintet will again perform tracks from the recording and CDs will be on sale.

The Quintet is establishing a signature sound performing a combination of bebop and Latin standards as well as jazz interpretations of more commercial repertoire: Stevie Wonder, Toto, Steely Dan, with the occasional R&B influenced vocal by the leader. With a significant variation in ages each member of the band is considered a leading jazz instrumentalist on their instruments. Callum was awarded the leading Jazz Recitalist after graduating from WAAPA last year. Garry is WA’s first Australian Jazz Award winner and Australia’s first jazz musician to receive a Churchill Fellowship. Lineup:

Garry Lee – leader, vibraphone, guitar, vocals Mike Collinson saxes/flute, Ookii Effendi keys, Finn McKibbon double bass, Callum Thomas drums