Andrew Butt

Andrew Butt has been prominent on the Australian Music scene for over 30 years, being a winner and multiple finalist of the Queensland Music Awards. Other accolades include a Churchill Fellowship and performing as a soloist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Andrew Butt Trio + has been regularly featured on radio, major venues and festivals across the world including the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz, Le Baiser Salé & Sunset – Sunside Paris, the Brisbane International Jazz Festival, iF Jazz Café Budapest, U Malého Glena Jazz Prague, Tanks Arts Centre Cairns , Bennetts Lane and the Paris Cat Jazz Club Melbourne.

Andrew’s compositions have been performed and recorded by a variety of artists including his own groups and the Enthusiastic Musicians Orchestra (EMO) a Brisbane based collective of musicians, composers, and arrangers who are predominantly dedicated to performing new Australian works. In 2014 Andrew was commissioned by Jazz Queensland with sponsorship support from the Queensland Government to create a new work that was premiered at the Brisbane International Jazz Festival . Following this in 2015 Andrew was invited to return as a featured artist for the festival in collaboration with international vocalist Wilma Reading. He has led the Andrew Butt Trio + at venues across Australia including Bennetts Lane, Brisbane Powerhouse, The Paris Cat, JMI Live, Brisbane Jazz Club, Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre, Bernie's Jazz & Piano Café, Tanks Arts Centre Cairns and at multiple festivals including Easter Jazz, the Valley Jazz Festival and the Brisbane International Jazz Festival. Andrew has also performed as a sideman for many of Australia’s leading jazz artists including James Morrison, Emma Pask, Tom Burlinson, Dan Barnett, Rhonda Burchmore and David Campbell and has collaborated as a soloist in a variety of classical and contemporary ensembles including the Musica Antiqua Collegii Sinphonia. Other career highlights have included being featured as a jazz soloist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and performing with John Riley, resident drummer from the Vanguard Orchestra based at the Village Vanguard Jazz Club in New York and also multi award winning vocalist Kristin Berardi as a member of The Enthusiastic Musicians Orchestra. Andrew is also a member of "The Francis Wolves" a Brisbane based 8-piece instrumental funk juggernaut!

In 2011 Andrew was awarded a Special Commendation award at the Australian Society of Music Educators (ASME) National Conference by the Hon Peter Garrett AM, MP, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth for his contribution to Music Education as part of the Australian Governments Quality Teacher Program. Many of his students have gone on to forge successful careers in music performance and composing with a diverse range of artists including the Berliner Philharmoniker, Opéra National de Paris, Nigel Kennedy, The Queensland Orchestra, The James Morrison Quartet, Trichotomy (formerly Misinterprotato), Ben Carr Trio, West End Composers Collective, Ball Park Music and the John Steel Singers.

Andrew holds qualifications in both Education and Music including a Masters Degree from Griffith University – Queensland Conservatorium and a PhD in performance from the University of Queensland. He has studied with and been mentored by a diverse range of saxophonists in Australia and the US including Tony Hobbs, George Garzone (@ Berklee College of Music), Chris Cheek, Bill McHenry and Branford Marsalis. Andrew has toured extensively as a performer, educator and director of ensembles throughout Australia and internationally to Indonesia, Fiji, New Zealand, China, Europe and North America. Andrew is currently the Head of Music at Marist College Ashgrove in Brisbane and a Honorary Lecturer at the University of Queensland.

Awards

Winner 2013/2014 Queensland Music Awards jazz category 2013 Churchill Fellowship Highly Commended Queensland Music Awards 2015 & 2016 Finalist 2017 Queensland Music Awards 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019 2011 Awarded a "Special Commendation Award" by the Hon Peter Garrett AM, MP, Minister for Education for contribution to Australian Music Education.