Barry O’Sullivan talks with Steve Fitzmaurice, Sydney-based saxophone and woodwind musician, arranger and composer, who specialises in playing the baritone saxophone. He is the leader of the nine-piece jazz ensemble Mingus Amongst Us which plays regularly in jazz clubs and festivals all over Australia. Featuring some of Australia’s best jazz musicians, Mingus Amongst Us perfectly captures the raucous, fiery energy that Charles Mingus and his compositions were famous for.
When did playing jazz music first enter your life and who were some of the artists who influenced your style?
I was introduced to jazz in high school when I met the wonderful Danny Egger, whom a lot of Sydney musicians would know well. He was a few years above me at school, but we hit it off musically immediately. I still vividly remember him giving me a cassette of Cannonball Adderley that he had copied. It was the album Sharpshooter, and I was hooked! Because of Danny, my first huge influence was Cannonball, and then of course it didn’t take me long to find out about Charlie Parker. I started playing tenor saxophone at school and fell in love with Sonny Rollins’ playing. It is funny how your tastes can change over time. I loved listening to Sonny but couldn’t handle listening to John Coltrane. Now, one of the most beautiful sounds I could hear is just one note from Coltrane’s horn when he plays a ballad. I first heard of Charles Mingus when I was studying at the Sydney Conservatorium, and uncoincidentally, I changed to playing the baritone saxophone. As with my other idol Duke Ellington, these musicians wrote so well for the baritone. The baritone player who influenced me most would be Ronnie Cuber. Secondly, Harry Carney, with Nick Brignola after that. Leo Parker has to get a mention too!
What are your current musical projects?
My orchestra, Mingus Amongst Us, has been my main project for almost fifteen years. I have just released a beautiful new double vinyl album of the band that I am busily promoting and looking for new venues to perform at. The orchestra has been a wonderful labour of love for me. After getting hooked on Mingus’ music, I felt an overwhelming need to write arrangements for his songs so that they could be performed live and enjoyed by audiences in Australia.
I am so lucky to have the calibre of musicians in my band who love and want to play his music.
Life as a musician is full of challenges.
Name some of the challenges that have confronted you so far.
The biggest challenge I constantly face is finding ways to keep a nine-piece band financially afloat. When we are not playing at a festival somewhere, we are pretty much always playing at a club where we are taking our split of the ticket price and then dividing it up amongst nine players. Some nights are more financially rewarding than others, and I thank my band members for always being enthusiastic in whatever the circumstances.
What are some of your other interests outside of your musical career?
My wife and I have three children aged fifteen, fourteen and three, so my other interests are keeping up with their interests, which involve games of soccer and netball, attending dance and debating – you name it! We also love bushwalking as a family in the national park around our house. We have a four-year-old Kelpie named Salvador and we like getting lost in the bush playing the game dog decides, involving us following him wherever he goes and f inding our way home at the end. You have performed in many varied ensembles with artists inside and outside the jazz spectrum.
What way does each experience differ for you?
Being primarily a baritone sax player, I find myself in many big band situations and I enjoy playing that part in the sax section. The regular big bands I play in are James Morrison’s and Tom Burlinson’s. David Campbell’s Big Band is another I have played with for a long time. I always enjoy it as it can involve playing in a large horn section or playing by myself on the saxophone and fantasising I’m Sam Butera for a moment. Outside the jazz spectrum, I am often playing with, or organising horn sections for touring international acts. I have played with artists and bands such as Blur, Seal, Susie Quatro, Tim Minchin and Basement Jaxx, at festivals like Splendour in the Grass, or The Byron Bay Blues Fest. I have always had fun keeping variety in my musical life.
Listen to A Jazz Hour presented by Barry O’Sullivan every Friday at 12pm