Ross McHenry to Perform at the 2014 Melbourne International Jazz Festival in June

ARIA nominated producer, composer and bassist Ross McHenry is set to play the renowned Melbourne International Jazz Festival in June.

Performing with his Future Ensemble project, Ross is the only South Australian based artist in this year's program, which includes internationally renowned jazz artists Chick Corea, Gary Burton and Charles Lloyd's Sky Trio amongst many others.

Performing at Melbourne International Jazz Festival is one of many exciting projects on the horizon for Ross in 2014. In June, Ross will also tour Japan and the UK with his afro-jazz ensemble Shaolin Afronauts.

Ross first performed with the Future Ensemble as a part of the 2013 Adelaide Festival and released his debut solo album Distant Oceans on UK label First Word Records in October that year. Ross created the Future Ensemble as a vehicle to explore the unique and changing cultural landscape of creative improvised music.

Known for his work in Australia with afro-jazz ensemble Shaolin Afronauts, Ross McHenry is a leading voice in new Australian music. As a composer, solo artist and bandleader, Ross has travelled the world collaborating with many artists including Eddie Bo (USA), Marva Whitney (USA), Tiger and Woods (Italy) and Mark de Clive Lowe (LA/NZ). Ross has studied with Paul Grabowsky, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson (LA) and Vardan Ovsepian (LA) and has performed at festivals around Australia including Adelaide Festival and WOMADelaide. Ross also works as a record producer and has produced more than ten albums for groups including Shaolin Afronauts, The Transatlantics, Max Savage and the False Idols and Hurricanes.

A concerted aim of Ross's work is to explore the idea of modern Australian cultural identity. His original compositions encompass a broad range of musical styles including jazz, afrobeat, and hip-hop. His work forms a part of the ongoing international creative discourse on original improvised music, its history and its future.

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