Is it too early to start reflecting on 2022? Hope not, because here goes… It’s been an invigorating year for me. 

I started off with an obsessive energy to resurrect an Australian work that I find deeply inspiring: Mark Simmonds’ Fire. Thanks to Foundry616 & brilliant musicians Thomas Avgenicos, Jonathan Zwartz and James Hauptmann, by the beginning of February I was humbled to have that vision see daylight – SMH Review.

Over the next two months, Mister Ott had an incredible journey, thanks to SIMA. We toured and played our brand of get-up-and-dance to thirsty audiences. 13 stops later, I had a newfound gratitude for the professionalism and skill of everyone on that tour: Ellen Kirkwood, Daniel Pliner, Freyja Garbett, Bueno Panucci, Dave Symes, Jani Bangs and Carlos Adura – Mister Ott 2022 tour video. We’ll be on the stage again at Lazybones on 2 December, this time with Eden Ottignon back from Berlin on stage with us, and again at Fillmore’s in Kiama, Dec 17 – come say hello! 

Java Quartet hit the road to launch Before, Now & After  It was again, for the fourth time, a privilege to be part of such thoughtful and moving work.  Java Quartet is at Foundry 616 this Thursday (Nov 10).

Alongside all this, Tim Minchin, Synthony and Baby et Lulu satisfied my hunger for the big audiences, theatrics and the company of incredible performers. But I needed some quiet this year to do something I’ve been wanting for a long time. I took time off in the later months of 2022. I booked in studio time. I revisited old thought bubbles and experiments. I indulged in works and creators that inspired me and I wrote. 

On 13 December, I’ll be testing out some new ideas at Jetsets (Tempe Jets) alongside Monica Brooks (piano), Holly Conner (drums) and Hannah James (bass). The night is one of a few new artist driven endeavours creating spaces for new music to be performed in Sydney. Please come along if you can. 

Lastly, it’s been an indulgence being in Sydney for so much of the second half of this year. I got to join the incredible community of musicians we have here in this unforgiving but thrilling city: Mingus Amongst Us, Geoff Bull & The Finer Cuts, Clayton Doley, The Glorious Sousaphonics, Nick Garbett, Ben Lerner, Lolo Lovina and Jade MacRae. 

With pandemics and natural disasters, the release of music is deeply needed right now. Here’s to 2023 – may it fill your cups. 

Love, Matt

Over the next two months, Mister Ott had an incredible journey, thanks to SIMA. We toured and played our brand of get-up-and-dance to thirsty audiences. 13 stops later we made a Mister Ott 2022 tour video. We’ll be on the stage again at Lazybones on 2 December, this time with Eden Ottignon back from Berlin on stage with us, and again at Fillmore’s in Kiama, Dec 17 – come say hello! 

We head to Armidale on Friday September 30th to perform at the Playhouse, and then head to Bellingen on Saturday October 1st to perform at Relish Music and Arts Festival. Great to be back out on the road again. Our last shows in Armidale and Bellingen were a highlight of the tour.

Tickets for Armidale:

https://events.humanitix.com/mister-ott-live-at-the-playhouse?_ga=2.237164354.357361161.1661835961-2011250174.1660561202

Tickets for Relish: use the discount code “Mister Ott” for a 10% discount.

https://www.relishbello.com.au/tickets

In April 2022, Mister Ott embarked on a 13 stop tour of NSW in support of the new album ‘In The Flow’.

Recorded live at Lazybones Lounge Marrickville, Sydney, Australia on April 29th, 2022.

Matthew Ottignon – tenor and baritone saxes, Ellen Kirkwood – trumpet, Daniel Pliner – keys, Freyja Garbett – keys, Ben Panucci – guitar, Dave Symes – bass, Carlos Adura – drums, Shot and edited by D.H. Norley for Shadow Cut Films.

This tour was made possible by: SIMA’s Regional Touring Program, Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund – an Australian Government initiative, Create NSW and Australia Council for the Arts.

Popping jazz/funk and hypnotic grooves

Acclaimed saxophonist Matthew Ottignon fronts Sydney outfit Mister Ott, merging mesmerising Eastern sounds, tasty horn melodies, tight and popping jazz/funk and hypnotic grooves that drift on the edge of psychedelica.

Mister Ott’s third release “In the Flow” features tripped out dubs by Richie B, Afro-Cuban bata drumming, and styles ranging from future disco, vintage voodoo funk to psychedelic Ethio-jazz. International flavoured jazz tailored for the dance floor.

“It truly is a lesson in how to build, layer and develop tension” – LOUD MOUTH

Matt Ottignon – Tenor, Baritone Sax, Ellen Kirkwood – Trumpet, Ben Panucci – Guitar, Dave Symes – Bass, Carlos Adura – Drums, Freyja Garbett – Keys+ Daniel Pliner – Keys

PlaneFace is not of this world. The universe is his playground and just like a shooting star across the midnight sky, if you look up and happen to witness the magic, he will fuel you to revel in the unknown with wander and curiosity. His production is richly esoteric, expansive, textured and deeply rooted in what he aptly describes as space fonk, asteroid jazz music.

$40 entry includes band and a meal 

7pm Doors
8:30pm PlaneFace
9:30-12am Mister Ott
12-2am late night band
3am close

Lazybones Lounge Restaurant & Bar is a  COVID Safe ✅. You must follow the conditions of entry.

This event is supported by SIMA’s Regional Touring Program, Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund – an Australian Government initiative, Create NSW and Australia Council for the Arts.

Tour Dates: 

Sun March 13th | Kiama Jazz Festival at Filmores, Kiama | Tickets 

Sat March 26th | Foundry 616, Ultimo | Tickets 

Fri April 1st | The Street Theatre, Canberra | Tickets 

Sat April 2nd | El Horses, Nowra | Tickets 

Sun April 3rd | Smokey Horse, Braidwood | Tickets 

Thur April 7th | Moruya Golf Club, Moruya | Tickets 

Fri April 8th | Murrah Hall, Murrah | Tickets 

Sat April 9th | Bulli Heritage Hotel, Bulli with Melting Mamas | Tickets 

April 16th – 17th | Leeton SunRice Festival | Tickets

Fri April 22nd | Bellingen Showgrounds, Bellingen | Tickets 

Sat 23rd | New England Regional Arts Museum, Armidale | Tickets 

Fri April 29th | Lazybones Lounge, Sydney | Tickets 

A glorious afro-funk celebration that crosses dub-funk hip-hop and Ethiopian jazz, Mister Ott are finally heading out to jazz rooms and dancehalls throughout NSW after realising their third album in 202. This is what you need to shake the last two years off. Their music merges mesmerising eastern sounds, tight jazz funk, hypnotic grooves with melismatic horn lines and high calibre ecstatic solos.  

Band leader Matthew Ottignon is a gun sax player/multi-instrumentalist with indisputable musical genes originally from Auckland, New Zealand, and now based in Sydney, Australia. With an enviably busy diary including a mix of performance, composition and education, Matthew is one of Australia’s hardest working musicians. He creates sounds that spring from everywhere he’s been and everything he’s seen… music that’s undoubtedly earning him a place among the key constituents of the contemporary scene. 

With a keen ear and an expansive range of musical experiences, Matthew’s original compositions comprise an amalgamation of melodies from many lands, in particular Ethiopian music, aligned with the free-form improvisation and syncopation for which African-pedigreed jazz is renowned. Mister Ott has three releases, the most recent being ‘In The Flow’ 2021. 

The band features the trumpet of award winning composer Ellen Kirkwood, the sought-after guitar of Ben Panucci, master keyboardist Daniel Pliner, the incredible bass playing of Dave Symes, and influential drummer Carlos Adura. 

Mister Ott will be touring regional NSW in 2022.

Stayed tuned for updates.

• Staring
• Miss Understood
• Feline Dion
• Luci Bamford
• Aurora Powers
• Matt Ottignon
• Ben Panucci
• Daniel Pliner
• Ellen Kirkwood
• Carlos Adura
• Director – Rae Ottignon
• Produced – Rae + Matt Ottignon
• Creative Director – Renee De Bono
• Assistant Creative Director – Kaptain Standley
• DOP – Barnabas Imre
• Assistant DOP – Gabriel Kintli
• Catering – Kirstin Ridley
• Studio – Read Made Works
• Created in Jan 2021
• Words from the director – Rae Ottignon “It was the psychedelic reverbs in the track ‘Steam’ that started the ideas behind the video. I knew I wanted to create something that was colourful and impactful and an excuse to showcase some of my beautiful and talented friends. I wanted to give the illusion of steam by throwing holi powder at the band members and performers. I chose Orange, Yellow, Blue and a touch of red to tie into the album artwork. I was excited by bringing two worlds together: The Mister Ott band and that world of jazz with the world of dance/burlesque/performance and Drag. Featured in the video are Aurora Murphy whose PHD in Theatre studies makes her expressive face one of the most stand out moments in the video. Feline Dion whom I met at a Vogue Ball brings their effortless grace, strength and style in a Barbarella-esque costume complete with silver gun. Luci Bamford’s back plays as a canvas, bookmarking the video from start to finish and Daniele Gianotti (AKA Miss Understood) a self identified Drag Queer slams you in the face with their beauty midway through the video in a vibrant red outfit. These stand out performances interwoven with Matt Ottignon on Sax, Ellen Kirkwood on Trumpet, Danny Pliner on Keys, Ben Panucci on Guitar and Carlos Adura on the drum creates a dreamy rhythmic montage. The result to me feels like the title sequence to a James Bond movie and I have definitely played with those familiar tropes. Matts insistent running symbolises a ‘man on a mission’ who is almost overcome with the onslaught of colour whereas our Femme Fatales stand powerfully on their own withstanding everything that is ‘literally’ thrown at them. Making the video was a huge amount of fun and we made a terrible mess! My creative director Renee De Bono with Kaptain Standley were invaluable coming up with creative solutions with all the materials (paint and powder) on the spot. DOP Barnabas Imre with Gabriel Kintli brought the ideas to life on screen. Behind the scenes on catering (thank goodness) Kirsten Ridley. Special thanks to Ready Made Works for hiring us the space. Again, so sorry about the mess! “

Thursday Feb 25th

Mary’s Underground, Circular Quay

6pm and 9pm

tickets here

Line up:

Matt Ottignon (tenor, baritone saxophone), Ellen Kirkwood (trumpet), Daniel Pliner (keys), Ben Panucci (guitar), Dave Symes (bass), Carlos Adura (drums) with special guests: Loretta Palmeiro (tenor saxophone), Shannon Stitt (keys) and Dom Kirk (percussion)

Special Support: Zaynab WilsonPassionate Canadian-Trinidadian globe-trotting multi-instrumentalist Zaynab Wilson draws on jazz, soul, R&B and Afro-Caribbean music to craft a unique and dynamic style.