Reservations – please text the reservation number
0460 869 256
Dynamic and creative pianist and vocalist, Kyle Watson, returns with his energetic and
swinging quartet, offering the Toowoomba Jazz Society a night of jazz not to be missed, on
Friday the 13th of March.
Kyle and his fellow jazz exponents will be delivering a carefully selected repertoire of
vocal and instrumental material incorporating swinging standards, ballads, blues, and more,
leading the audience on a joyous journey, where traditional jazz tunes and well-worn
standards are given new and colourful life, and jazz material from more contemporary eras is
unexpectedly plunged back into its traditional roots, exhibiting Kyle’s propensity for
straddling all angles of jazz. High energy, infectious swing, deep feeling, humour, and
exciting improvisatory adventurism are all to be expected from Kyle and his comrades on this
special night, guaranteeing the audience’s pleasure, whether listening, dancing, or both!
Associated with the Toowoomba Jazz Society from a young age, Kyle is appreciated as
one of the most creative, versatile, and dedicated musicians the city has produced, having
consistently developed and expanded his craft as a jazz pianist, vocalist (also trumpeter and
drummer), arranger, composer, and improviser over the three and a half decades since he
was selected as a national finalist in James Morrison’s Generations In Jazz Scholarship in
1991. Apart from his reputation as a versatile performer, his work as a teacher is highly
regarded, having helped students of all ages and levels with entering, understanding, and
developing their connection to jazz, including teaching on and developing curriculum for
tertiary jazz courses at the Northern Rivers Conservatorium Arts Centre in Lismore in the
early 2000’s.
As a jazz vocalist Kyle comes out of the interpretive and improvisatory schools of
singers like Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O’day, and Sarah Vaughan, Billy Eckstine,
Chet Baker, Mel Torme, and George Benson, and is a respected exponent of scat singing.
As a jazz pianist, Kyle draws his inspiration from a large variety of influences ranging from
Jellyroll Morton, Duke Ellington, Earl Hines, Art Tatum, and Errol Garner, to Thelonius
Monk, Lennie Tristano, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, and Herbie Hancock.
Kyle is also known for his unique development of, and high level specialisation in, left-hand
keyboard bass playing, and, having also played and studied double bass, is heavily influenced
by many great swinging bassists from jazz history, including Slam Stewart, Charles Mingus,
Oscar Pettiford, and Paul Chambers. Kyle’s left hand will be taking the bassist’s role for this
gig, adding another dimension to his musical output, and providing another aspect to his
performance for the TJS audience to enjoy.
Joining Kyle, will be Northern Rivers trumpeter and flugelhorn player, Govinda
Abbott, Lockyer Valley Guitarist, Jesse Kupper, and Toowoomba drummer Harry Schneider.
Govinda Abbott is an internationally established musician who has already impressed
himself upon Toowoomba audiences, appearing with Kyle Watson for TJS in 2024 and 2025.
Govinda took an early trajectory with jazz at the Newtown School of Performing Arts, before
studying jazz performance at the Sydney Conservatorium and completing a Masters in jazz
and pedagogy in East Germany (where he lived and worked as a musician for 15 years), and
teaching jazz as head of Brass and Woodwind at the Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory.
Govinda has played the gamut of traditional and contemporary styles of jazz, in small
ensembles and big bands, collaborating with renown international jazz artists, including
recent guest appearances with iconic Australian jazz band, Galapagos Duck.
Jesse Kupper is well known to Toowoomba audiences, having established himself as
the city’s foremost jazz and jazz crossover guitarist through performances with his bands
‘Then That’ and ‘DuGtRio’, and as a sideman with Ross Kessler, Kyle Watson, and Steven
Henry. A product of Brisbane’s renown Jazz Music Institute, where he studied with Bruce
Woodward and Jamie Clarke, Jesse is also a current student of Mark Stefani (USA), an editor
for Just Jazz Guitar. His chief influences on the instrument are Kenny Burrell, Wes
Montgomery, Howard Roberts, Allan Holdsworth, and George Benson. He has performed at
the Brisbane, Hervey Bay, Toowoomba, and Lismore jazz clubs, JMI Live, the Jumpers and
Jazz Festival, Doo-Bop jazz bar, and many other bars and cafe’s across Australia, also playing
rock, blues, roots, and contemporary music with excellence.
Harry Schneider has become one of Toowoomba’s favourite drummers since
graduating from the University of Southern Queensland’s music program in 2022, and has
been making impressions on the Toowoomba Jazz Society with his appearances with Jesse
Kupper and Megan Crocombe’s ‘Then That’ project, Nathan and April Hitzke, Sue Ray, and
more recently, with the Steven Henry Quintet. Harry is also a prominent and well-reputed
drum tutor in the Toowoomba area, teaching in several local schools, as well as privately.
He is in demand locally and beyond as a freelance musician and recording session drummer
in many genres of music, and is making his mark as a jazz drummer with his sensitive
accompanying, authentic swing feel, and impressive improvisation in soloing.
Being still in its early prime, Harry’s trajectory is well worth witnessing at the TJS, especially
in the creatively stimulating company of Kyle and friends, whose combined experience stands
to encourage more hidden surprises from this exciting young local drummer.
ENTRY: TJS Member $15, Non-members $20. Annual membership of Toowoomba Jazz Society is available on the night.
PARKING: Access the car park off Gipps Street, or there are parks in front of the bowling green in Ball Street, and access via the gate.
ENTRANCE: Up the steps from the car park on the southern side of the building or from the bowling green side. Disabled access ramp on the Western side (Gipps Street) and through the bar.
Out of respect for the musicians and your fellow patrons, please keep conversations at a low volume during the performance. Many thanks.
See the delicious Bistro menu below for Rink 46 – open from 5.30 pm. Bring your City Golf Club membership card for member discounts.
