artist
cameron undy


Cameron Undy: Bassist Extraordinaire

BIOGRAPHY

Undy's history of playing over the last 15 years reads like a who's who of Australian jazz.

Artists of note that he has performed and/or recorded with include: Mike Nock, Bernie McGann, Roger Frampton, Dale Barlow, Paul Grabowsky, Mark Simmonds, Tony Buck, Greg Sheehan, Chris Abrahams, Dave Addes, Ian Chaplin,Sandy Evans, Jackie Orzaczky, Lily Dior, Lloyd Swanton, Don Burrows, James Morrison, Vince Jones, Carl Dewhurst, Lisa Parott, Louis Burdett, Tim Hopkins, Phil Slater, Simon Barker, Matt McMahon, Scott Tinkler, Sean Wayland. In addition Undy has appeared on stage and/or on record with popular artists; Inga Liljestrom, Ian Moss, Floyd Vincent and the Childbrides, Greedy Smith & Tommy Emanuel, Delta Goodrem, Deni Hines & Bertie Blackman.

Internationally Cameron Undy has performed with artists such as Sam Rivers, Don Pullen, Vincent Herring, Eddie Marshall, Terumasa Hino, Pheeroan Aklaff, Michel Borstlop, Bobby Shew and Nikki isles. Undy was an integral part of the early success of acid jazz group D.I.G.

Born in 1969, Undy began playing piano at 8 and clarinet at 10. After turning down a sholarship at 15 to the Canberra School of Music for classical studies he took up guitar and bass. He was accepted into the Sydney Conservatorium jazz course as a double and electric bassist in 1988 and graduated in 1989 with honours. Undy's main tutelage at the Con and on stage came from Mike Nock & his quartet of which he was a member (1998-2000). They recorded two albums of Mike's music and a duet album of his own music 'Temple'. He has toured the Canadian jazz festival circuit twice in the 90's, South East Asia, & appeared at every major jazz festival in Australia.

During his early development Cameron was inspired greatly by free jazz and especially the music of Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Particularly Ornette and Miles' transition in the 70's toward electric instruments and funk, rock and afro-beat grooves.

Undy began leading his own bands in 1989 satisfying his passion for composing and improvising with dance rhythms. The most well known perhaps being 'NUDE' with Lisa Parott, Carl Dewhurst and Louis Burdett, which released the album 'Side of Clues' (Newmarket 1993). There were several other projects all dedicated to finding the right environment for playing his music. Happy Tribe, Feet Music, Primal Voices, Space and Time.

In '95 he moved to Amsterdam. What inspired him most was the scene of contemporary classical music. He spent time studying the composers Gyorgy Ligeti, Bela Bartok and Olivier Messiaen and was exposed to the tradition of eastern European folk music. He survived by busking with other travelling musicians and spent a great deal of time composing.

On returning home he started the group 20th Century Dog. It was his desire to cross contemporary composition with fluid earthy playing that is usually heard from funk, rock or afro-beat groups. Around the same time he started 'Numerology' which was intended to express a jazzy, improvised flavor while drawing from odd number relationships. Particularly prime numbers like 5, 7, 11, 13, 17 and 19. This brought him into discovering new grooves and textures that opened his music to other worlds.

Groove, funk and dance music has played a big part in Undy's career too. In the last 5 years he has toured the world several times and recorded with European 'Nu Jazz' producers Mark de Clive-Lowe, Nathan Haines, Kaidi Tatham, Seiji, 4hero, Mainframe, Kabuki, Megashira, Alex Attias and Bugz in the Attik.

Undy recently launched his career as dance music producer Kidzen with his first vinyl 12 inch single 'Superpeople' (Future Classic). The 12 inch has already received radio play in Europe and is appearing on DJ charts globally. Kidzen is also featured on the Jazzgroove Records release "8fold".

Cameron releases his two new albums 20th Century Dog 'Mad Stream' and Numerology 'Telepathy' early september '05.

QUOTES

"Album of the year - 'Temple', Cameron Undy 1995"
Craig Pearce, Drum Media

"(someone) who does not merely recycle what they've heard but will really take music somewhere of there own."
Don Borrows

"Superb bassist...highly imaginative soloist."

"...one of the top handful of bassists in the country...and he's only getting better." "...brilliant, fresh, exciting and curiously magical this music sounded...(the audience) listened with open mouths and eyebrows raised."
Gail Brennan,S.M.H.

"Quietly carving a formidable reputation..." and "Undy has repeatedly shown a capacity to write strong melodies and set them against deep grooves." "Views musical eccentricity as a virtue."
John Shand

RELEASES

CAMERON UNDY | 20th Century Dog - 'Mad Stream'


CAMERON UNDY | Numerology - 'Telepathy'

 

 

 

back to artists

 

Copyright © 2005 Creative Vibes All rights reserved