Julie O’Hara

Julie O’Hara began singing with bands in Melbourne, Australia in the late 80’s. A town known for it’s eclectic musical drive, it was a great place to be inspired by fantastic musicians and songwriters. Always something on, every night of the week.

Bands Julie is currently performing with include:

The B# Big Band (30’s,40’s swing), Bopkick (40’s,50’sR&B/jump blues), The Julie O’Hara quintet and with Sydney violinist and vocalist, George Washingmachine (swing, country & western swing).

In the past few years, Julie has been a regular guest with Melbourne’s; Virus (New Orlean’s trad jazz), The Shuffle Club (R&B swing), The Cat Empire (funk/ska/jazz/latin/hiphop fusion), guitarist, Stephen Magnusson, Blue Drag (jazz manouche), The Hoodangers, The Pearly Shells and the Paul Williamson’s Hammond Combo.

Recent festival performances include: Wangarratta Jazz Festival 2006, Queenscliffe Music Festival 2006, Noosa Jazz Festival 2006, Coolart Jazz. Julie has written original lyrics to songs and solos written or performed by some of her favourite horn players from the 40’s and 50’s including; Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, Blue Mitchell, Lee Morgan, Jimmy Heath, Cannonball Adderly and Charlie Parker to name a few. The band also performs original material.

Julie sings lyrically or scats in unison or harmony with the horns. In the tradition of Eddie Jefferson, Lambert, Hendrix and Ross, Mark Murphy, Carmen Macrae, Ella Fitzgerald and other vocalese greats, Julie attempts to interpret the mood of the horn, translating the sound into words. From boogaloos, to fast bebop, swing, latin and hip hop grooves, there is a strong theme of love and relationships in the lyrical repertoire. From a boogaloo “Spontaneous Combustion” by Cannonball Adderly to “Me and You” by Lee Morgan to an hip-hop original called ‘scatterbox’ to a waltz version of The Police’s, “King of Pain”.