Helpmann Academy Jazz Awards and Elise Ross Regional Award Presented at A Night of Jazz with Jazzmeia Horn
'As graduates, these students have created music in an academic environment for years, focusing on perfecting their craft under the pressure of exams and the eyes of their peers. But one can see how Horn pushes the students she works with, creating formative experiences for them as they find their voices as artists. Her style opens up the world of music to show how joy, play and experimentation can become a part of the musical experience, giving them glimpses of new musical frontiers.'
– InReview
The Helpmann Academy's A Night of Jazz with Jazzmeia Horn was held at the Adelaide Town Hall on Thursday 31 October. The event was a celebration of jazz, hip hop and First Nations music which was greatly amplified thanks to the Helpmann Academy's new Cultural Strategic Parnership with the City of Adelaide.
The performance started with award-winning jazz graduates from the Elder Conservatorium playing a selection of jazz classics, with each musician having their moment to shine. Next up, special guests DEM MOB took to the stage, performing their material in English and Pitjantjatjara. Originally from the APY Lands community of Pukatja, DEM MOB had been collaborating with Jazzmeia to create a new track together.
After the interval, Jazzmeia performed new music from her latest release Messages with her pianist Victor Gould and the top graduating jazz musicians, swapping in and out to feature across her tracks. The evening culminating with Jazzmeia, DEM MOB and the jazz musicians cramming onto the stage together to perform the newly-created single. Watch this space for the release date and music video!
Helpmann Academy Jazz Awards
The evening also honoured the most outstanding musicians from the Elder Conservatorium with the presentation of the Helpmann Academy Jazz Awards.
Jazz graduate Harrison Smith was presented with the top honour of the night, the Helpmann Academy Langley Award for Jazz 2024 ($7,500), which is supported by K&S Langley Family. Harrison graduated with a Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance) in 2021 and is now one of South Australia's most in-demand trumpeters and flugelhornists. He has performed with and supported artists including James & John Morrison, Harry James Angus, Lage Lund, Ethan Iverson, 30/70, Hindley Street Country Club, Singlt Live, and Peter Garrett.
He recorded and released his debut album of original music with his group Sauce Code in 2023, and this year was selected to participate in the Siena Jazz International Summer Workshop, where he studied with trumpet masters including Avishai Cohen and Jason Palmer. Harrison's passion lies in performing within genres such as jazz fusion and contemporary groove music, as well as big band composition and arranging. On receiving the award Harrison was excited about the collaborations and connections he can make in the Adelaide jazz scene to realise his ambitions.
'The opportunity provided by the Helpmann Academy through the Langley Award for Jazz is not just a privilege to receive but is vital in realising the full scope and magnitude of my original big band music by allowing me the freedom to explore the potential of modern beat-based music for this traditional medium. This funding from the Helpmann Academy and the K&S Langley Fund has given me the opportunity to foster new and existing relationships with some of the finest artists, recording engineers, videographers and graphic designers in South Australia and internationally, which would be impossible for me to achieve without their generous support.'
– Harrison Smith
Vocalist, composer and multi-instrumentalist Courteney Hooper was the recipient of the Helpmann Academy Award for Voice 2024 (valued at $5,000) and the Helpmann Academy Award for Outstanding Vocalist (valued at $2,000). Both awards are supported by Dr Rob Lyons.
Courteney is in her final year of the Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance) and is increasingly becoming one of Adelaide's most sough-after musicians. Courteney's sound is sweet, yet with effortless precision and a warm, soulful balance. Since 2019 she has performed at a broad range of local venues and festivals, including Adelaide Jazz Festival, WOMAD, International Jazz Day at Dunstan Playhouse, Fringe in The Forest, Rootstock Festival, and The Local. In 2022 she was a recipient of The Barn Emerging Artist's Scholarship for her original compositions. In January 2025, Courteney will commence recording her debut album at Wizard Tone Studios.
'Having the opportunity to record my debut album of original music that I have been writing and performing over five years will be nothing short of life changing. This has been a lifelong aspiration, and I am filled with gratitude for the generous support from the Helpmann Academy and Dr Rob Lyons in making this happen.'
– Courteney Hooper
The other jazz awards presented on the night included:
Tyler Leung
Helpmann Academy Top Honours Award
$5,000 | Supported by Lang Family Foundation
Solomon Young
Helpmann Academy Top Undergraduate Award
$5,000 | Supported by David McKee AO & Pam McKee
Paolo Gutilla
Helpmann Academy Award for Outstanding Saxophonist
$2,000 | Supported by The Chili Crabs
Jackson Mack
Helpmann Academy Award for Outstanding Drummer
$2,000 | Supported by DankPods
James Ho
Helpmann Academy Award for Outstanding Bassist
$2,000 | Supported by DankPods
DEM MOB Awarded Elise Ross Regional Award 2025
The Elise Ross Regional Award 2025 was awarded to DEM MOB. Valued at $5,000, this award will support band members Elisha Umuhuri, Jontae Lawrie, and Basso Edwards – who are alumni from the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music (CASM) – to create new work..