NEW MUSIC COMING SOON
RECENT NEWS
Julie O'Hara
Hello there and welcome to my website. I recently experienced a subarachnoid haemorrhage and am currently recovering from brain surgery. I have had to take it slowly over the past couple of months and am improving every day. Happy to be here quite frankly and am so grateful to spend time with my family and friends. Being here for my kids is everything. I have taken long service leave from Monash University and through the support of the Melbourne music community and friends from near and far, have been able to take the time I need to recover from this traumatic event. Luckily, I remember all of my Bob Sedergreen chord voicings on the piano!! My musical mind remains intact as does my sense of humour, which has been very helpful in my recovery. Thank you for all your wishes and support. I wish you all health and happiness and please drop by the site from time to time as I will be putting up some music from past recordings as I now finally have time to go through so much musical history. It's been quite special. Love and peace to you all. x
Julie O'Hara is a freelance performing and recording artist and a veteran of the Melbourne/Naarm jazz scene.
Julie began her professional jazz singing career as a teenager with residencies enabling her to work with some of the county’s finest jazz musicians. The desire to evolve musically to communicate with her peers began in those early years, inspired by the musicianship around her.
Now an established musician, songwriter and recording artist, Julie has regularly toured Europe, Asia and Australia, playing at jazz and music festivals or performing as a guest vocalist, (The Cat Empire, Hoodangers, The Pearly Shells, Mistaken Identity, M.O.P, Virus). Although Julie performs predominantly jazz music, she also writes for pop, bluegrass, hip hop, R&B, neo soul, country and EDM.
Julie writes songs across various genres, having freelanced in different musical scenes for over thirty years. Julie features on over thirty recordings, including Aria award winning album,
‘Cities’ by The Cat Empire and ‘Midnight Sun’ with George Washingmachine (nominated
for a Bell Award for best jazz vocal album). Julie has won numerous song writing awards
for jazz, contemporary pop and EDM.
Julie works as a music educator, lecturing in jazz and contemporary voice and
improvisation at the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music at Monash University and teaches
song writing at Melbourne Graduate School and at Wild at Heart.
Julie has a background in Speech Pathology and voice science. Julie has taught singing,
song writing and improvisation at NMIT, VCA, Melbourne Conservatoire, Melbourne
Polytechnic, Victoria University and RMIT.
PROJECTS FOR RELEASE 2024
OUT NOW! 'New Hat' by The Pearly Shells feat Julie O'Hara (purchase at discography/shop)
'Boogie Guarantee' and 'Train' written by Julie O'Hara available as single downloads.
'All in the one room’ (contemporary jazz) - Available May 2024
'La Grande Soiree' (jazz manouche) - October 2024
'Boogie Guarantee' Julie O'Hara & The Pearly Shells A collection of O'Hara originals written for the Pearly Shells (R&B swing), release late 2024
‘Back to the start’ jazz/EDM/R&B/neosoul, programmed and produced by O’Hara including collaborative works with programmer/composers, Gary Deleo & Luke Josive.
O’Hara’s original songs and voice feature on various recordings, her own and of others but
this year will debut her first all originals contemporary jazz album, 'All in the one room’. The original songs feature bebop, hiphop, vocalese, Afro Cuban, Latin jazz and ballads. A diverse repertoire - 'All in the one room', inspired by an original artwork, painted by local Melbourne artist, Jody Bell.
Vocal improvisation and vocalese are essential elements to O’Hara’s writing, exploring ways to feature the voice within arrangements. Julie is known for her scatting fluency and strong
rhythmic sensibilities. Her trio features old friends and colleagues, pianist, Stephen
Sedergreen, drummer, Edward York and bassist, Mark Elton. Guest musicians featured on the album include saxophonist, Anton Delecca and trumpeter, Eamon McNelis.
Anita O’Day Tribute Concert – O’Hara has at times been likened to Anita O’Day, with a
similar tonality and rhythmic sensibilities while scat singing. Anita is one of O’Hara’s greatest
influences and the tribute features Anita’s career highlights and her incredible life story.
TOURS:
East coast tour 2024: To launch her new album, 'All in the one room'. Watch this space for more information.
Julie recently toured nationally with The Cat Empire 2021-2022, as a guest vocalist, performing
songs recorded together on the Aria award winning album, ‘Cities’ and from live
recordings e.g. The Lost Song. The Cat Empire is celebrating 20 years together and will tour as the original line up for the last time before several members depart and the band heads in a new direction. Audio streaming of the final line up concert at Sidney Myer Music Bowl is available from www.thecatempire.com
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES IN MELBOURNE (See events)
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Tribute at Geelong Arts Centre with the Society Syncopators June 2024
Altona to launch the new look Altona pier with the Pearly Shells Jan 2024
Ultrafox at the Counts June 2024
Pearly Shells last Friday in every month @ jazz lab 2024
Pop up jazz concert at NGV with The Pearly Shells March 23rd, 2023
Mother's Day Jazz Concert with Nina Ferro, Nichaud Fitzgibbonat the Memo Ballroom 2023
The Pearly Shells at Eltham Jazz Festival Feb 2023
The Pearly Shells at Jazzlab Jan 27th, 2023
JMQ at the Golden gate with Julie O'Hara and saxophonist Anton Delecca Feb 2nd, 2023
Triple Treat at The Paris Cat Dec 2nd
JMQ at the Golden Gate HOtel, Sth Melbourne 1stDec
Winter ball at the Brunswick Ballroom - The Pearly Shells July 9th
'La Grand Soiree' at the Ruby Carter Lounge, St.Kilda Oct 23rd
Sidney Myer Music Bowl with The Cat Empire
Julie O’Hara quartet at the Counts jazz club
The Pearly Shells x-mas party at Jazzlab
Julie O'Hara with JMQ at the Golden Gate Hotel
Joe Ruberto Trio at Rising Sun
SESSION CREDITS:
Julie’s vocal improvisation and harmony singing, features on all seasons of comedian Josh
Thomas’s series, ‘Please Like Me’ (ABC) and ‘Everything’s going to be OK’ (Stan). Also, his
‘Whoopsie Daisy’ national comedy tour, with all music composed by Bryony Marks. Most recently, Julie's vocals appear on Josh Thomas's latest podcast 'How to be Gay' (2022)
Julie’s voice also features on award winning films such as, Book of Revelation, (Cezary
Skubiszewski), The Sapphires (Cezary Skubiszewski) & Cloudstreet (Bryony Marks).
CURRENTLY FREELANCING WITH:
Steve Purcell’s Pearly Shell’s Big band, The Cat Empire, Jake Mason Trio, James Sherlock Trio, Bopstretch, Julie O’Hara trio-sextet, French Gypsy project ‘Le Grand Soiree’, Ultrafox, Bopstretch, Bob Sedergreen trio, Paul Williamson’s Hammond Combo, Bopkick and Joe Ruberto Trio.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
Working alongside Gil Askey during our decade long residency, curating jazz and R&B
stage for White Night Melbourne for four years, recording Papermoon and Midnight Sun
with George Washingmachine, performing at Wangaratta Jazz Festival with vocalese
project, performing original project, La Grande Soiree at Stonnington Jazz Festival and
again at the Clock Tower theatre (Melbourne International Jazz Festival), singing BV’s for
Harry Angus ‘Struggle with Glory’ project for Melbourne Music Festival, supporting
guitarist, Charlie Hunter’s trio at the Continental (as duo with guitarist, Stephen
Magnusson), touring Sydney with Mistaken Identity, supporting James Brown at Rod
Laver Arena with the Cat Empire, Opening of Commonwealth Games in Melbourne with
the Cat Empire, Touring with original hip-hop/jazz band, skaddabox, supporting the Cat
Empire on national tour, touring Scandinavian jazz festivals with Hoodangers and MOP,
working as a solo piano bar artist in Dresden, Germany, living in Bangkok, performing
residencies in jazz clubs, touring regionally with Ultrafox and Blue Drag, recent recording
and performing with The Pearly Shells, guesting with Jake Mason trio, performing with
vocalist, Nina Ferro, singing with Bob Sedergreen at the Hawthorn Town Hall and session
work with composer Byony Marks and Cezary Skubiszewski, performing tribute concert of
Anita O’Day, teaching students jazz singing and improvisation.
RECENT PERFORMANCES INCLUDE:
Festivals: Melbourne International Jazz, Eltham Jazz, Stonnington Jazz, Wangaratta Jazz
Concerts: Cat Empire @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Ultrafox at the Mebourne Recital Centre, Jake Mason Trio at The Counts jazz club, Pearly Shells at Jazzlab and the Brunswick Ballroom, Ruby Carter Jazz Lounge with Nina Ferro and Nichaud Fitzgibbon, Joe Ruberto Trio at the Rising Sun Hotel, James Sherlock Trio at Jazzlab,
Hawthorn Town Hall and Memo ballroom with The Pearly Shells Big Band, ABC FM live to air with The Pearly Shells , Winnebago Lounge with Ultrafox, Caravan Club ‘Tribute to Hank Williams’ (Andy Baylor and co), Lido Jazz Room Julie O’Hara quartet, Kelvin Club
with Paul Williamson quartet, Jazz Lab with Ultrafox, Paris Cat with Bob Sedergreen Trio, Melbourne Music Festival Harry Angus - ‘Struggle with Glory’ project, Claypots with Peter
Baylor, The Pinnacle with Bopkick, The VJC with Bopkick, Frankston Arts Centre Morning Melodies with B#Big Band, Uptown jazz club: Julie O’Hara sextet, Arts Centre High Tea (La Grande Soiree'), Spiegel Tent – ‘Le Grande Soiree’, Copacabana: B#Big band
