RECENT NEWS

---

Update 2025

I am now one year post SAH and doing well. Thank you for all of your messages and wishes. I appreciate them so much. It has been a challenging year but no matter what, I'm grateful to be here. This is definitely a slow and steady recovery. Writing new songs has been great therapy for me and I look forward to sharing them with you. Strength has returned to my voice and I've been enjoying singing again, even if it's only for short bursts. Things will continue to improve and I am feeling very positive for the future. Till our paths cross again, take care and enjoy every day. 

Update 2024

Hello there and thanks for visiting my website. 

Unexpectedly, in June 2024, I experienced a subarachnoid haemorrhage. I am currently recovering from brain surgery. I have had to take it slowly and am improving every day. Happy to still be here and so grateful to spend time with my family. Being here for my kids is everything. The support of the Melbourne music community and friends from near and far, have helped me take the time I need to recover from this traumatic event. Luckily, I still remember all of my Bob and Steve Sedergreen piano voicings!! My musical mind remains intact as does my sense of humour, which has been very helpful in my recovery. I find being around noise and people very difficult at present, so it will take some time. 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 and videos from past recordings and performances. 

As I travel along the neurological roller-coaster of recovery, I will post the occasional update. 

Love and peace to you all. x

NEW UPDATES: 2024/2025

#1. I would like to extend the warmest of thanks to all of the music institutions that have provided me with incredible teaching experiences and opportunities for personal growth over the years. I have sadly, had to resign from my current teaching positions at Monash University, Melbourne University and Wild at Heart, to focus on my recovery. I will miss everyone deeply and hope our paths cross in some way down the track. Keep on being creative, true to yourselves and let music nourish your soul. 

#2. 2024 Julie O'Hara released her first all originals contemporary jazz album, 'All in the one room’

ISC Jazz Semifinalist Jazz category 2024!

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/Naarm artist, Jody Bell.

 'All In The One Room', has recently made it to the ISC Semifinals for the jazz category 2024. Yihaa!

Congratulations to my beautiful band and thank you again to Jody Bell whose magical painting inspired the song and the whole album design concept (by Alisha Brooks)\

Vocal improvisation and vocalese are essential elements to O’Hara’s writing, exploring interesting ways to feature the voice within arrangements. Julie is known for her scatting fluency and strong

rhythmic and harmonic 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.

#3. Welcome to my new independent record label, 'JAZZSPELL RECORDS', which represents all of my original music, past and future recordings, including swing, jazz manouche, R&B swing, contemporary jazz, EDM, Traditional jazz and more. Catalogues of various genres will be available soon! Music pdf's and backing tracks will be available as well. We will let you know when it is up and ready. 

Please contact info@julieohara.com regarding syncing and licensing opportunities 

BIOGRAPHY 

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 RELEASED 2024 & 2025

OUT NOW! 'New Hat' by The Pearly Shells feat Julie O'Hara (purchase at discography/shop/BELMAR RECORDS)

"Julie O’ Hara – arguably Victoria’s best swing-bop-jazz vocalist" –Australianjazz.net

'Boogie Guarantee' and 'Train' written by Julie O'Hara available as single downloads FROM BELMAR RECORDS.

'All in the one room’ (contemporary jazz) JazzSpell Records - Available now at Bandcamp

https://julieohara.bandcamp.com/album/all-in-the-one-room-jazzspell-records

ISC Semifinalist - Jazz Category 2024

'La Grande Soiree' (jazz manouche) - 2025

'Boogie Guarantee' Julie O'Hara & The Pearly Shells A collection of O'Hara originals written for the Pearly Shells (R&B swing), release late 2025

‘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.

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 2025: To launch her new album, 'All in the one room'. Unfortunately, due to O'Hara's sudden illness, her tour dates have been cancelled while she focuses on her recovery. 

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)

Pearly Shells play Kindred Studios in Yarraville

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