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James McLean

About

House band drummer James McLean is from Melbourne, Australia and works at the intersections of movement, rhythm, and improvisation. James’ practice sees him working as a solo artist, a bandleader, and an ensemble member in numerous ensembles and styles, spanning from modern jazz to experimental improvisation. In 2016 James was awarded the Freedman Jazz Fellowship, becoming the first and only drummer to receive the award. He is featured on recordings by artists such as Spirograph Studies, Andrea Keller’s Five Below, The Marc Hannaford Trio, The Eugene Ball 4tet, and the Nick Haywood Quintet with Petra Haden, and has been a finalist for the National Jazz Awards (2018) and the Young Australian Jazz Artist of the Year (2016). James has also released three solo drum set recordings: Counter Clockwork (2015), Oscillator (2018), and Interstitial (2021).

Past Events

Mixtape Memories: A Gala of Story and Song

Claire G. Coleman, Carly Findlay, Mawunyo Gbogbo, Paul Grabowsky, Jess Hitchcock, June Jones, Sam Keevers, James McLean, Loretta Miller, Tamara Murphy, Rhys Nicholson, Amy Remeikis, Em Rusciano, Cash Savage, Ben Shewry, Fran Swinn, Thndo, Myf Warhurst

Past event

6 Dec
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The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the land on which the Centre stands. We acknowledge and pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their Elders, past and present, as the custodians of the world’s oldest continuous living culture.