Humble beginnings at the ANU’s School of Music has since seen contemporary jazz vocalist and composer, Natalie Magee’s career flourish. From performing in Paris, New York and San Francisco, to our home town’s National Folk Festival, and alongside Matt Corby at one of his intimate ‘Secret Garden Gigs’ at a house in the city’s south, Natalie continues to promise big things and has worked extremely hard to ensure a fair representation of female musicians as they are so often overlooked in jazz.

We caught up with her to ask her five quick questions.

1. What is your musical background?

I come from a family who love music. My dad and I have been listening to Pearl Jam and Led Zeppelin since I can remember. My Mum loved Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra, and my little brother loved the Lion King, so it was an eclectic mix.

I went to a Steiner School so I was exposed to a great deal of music there, and I continued onto Narrabundah College and then to the ANU School of Music, so I’ve always been surrounded by it.

My Uncle really introduced me to jazz and performing and later mentored me when I first decided I wanted to be a musician. He was a great help in preparing me for my first gigs and for my audition at the School of Music, subsequently guiding me through the windy road of turning music into an academic pursuit for those 3 years of my degree.

2. Do you have a particular music style?

It’s a combination of my two great loves – jazz and singer-songwriter folk music. No one can ever put their finger on what it is, and I absolutely love it that way. My main focus is good storytelling, and I try to add beauty to the music by having great jazz players in my band, so that particular jazz progressions and tone colours and solos find their way into the music.

3. What do you do as a ‘day job’?

Just straight up music. Since I was 16 it’s always been music. My Mum said to me ‘If you’re going to go for it, you have to go for it with everything you’ve got.’ But to survive as a musician, you have to do everything! So as well as my original music gigs, I also sing with my full jazz band at weddings and functions, I play solo piano cocktail gigs at hotels, I sing the National Anthem at openings and special events, I do pop covers dance gigs, I teach song writing classes and courses, mentor a few contemporary school bands and teach singing as well. It’s exhausting, but I love it!

4. What are your views on the Canberra music scene – current state, opportunities, challenges, goals etc.?

Canberra has a beautiful music scene, there are a lot of music lovers and I find they make very passionate audiences, so a lot of bands have wonderful communities around them. Venues in Canberra tend to be very honest, like The Street Theatre, Smith’s Alternative and The Rum Bar, I have loved working with those venues.

It’s also been so exciting to see MusicACT become established and events like the MAMA’s, and areas like New Acton are doing so much for musicians and music lovers here. People like Gil Miller and Dave Caffery who have a passion for music and such good hearts, they are like angels in this industry and both have truly encouraged and supported me for which I am so grateful. You also have the fantastic BMA and all kinds of people setting up new blogs and magazines and websites, it’s inspiring.

5. What do you like to listen to when you’re not performing?

If I’m not playing I am listening to music. I love listening to full albums with the songs in the order the artist wanted you to hear them in. My friends joke that there is nowhere to sit in my car as it’s overflowing with CD’s, and it’s true! My all-time favourites are Amy Winehouse – her first album ‘Frank’; Gregory Porter – any of his three albums; Esperanza Spalding – her album Esperanza and my friend GOLDHEIST, I absolutely adore her music.

Natalie is currently touring with GOLDHEIST raising much needed funds for the NSW ‘We’re for the Bush’ Drought Appeal. You can catch her at Smiths Alternative tonight. More info below.

the essentials

What: Natalie Magee and GOLDHEIST
When: 8:30pm Saturday 24 May
Where: Smith’s Alternative Bookshop, Melbourne Building, 76 Alinga Street, Canberra City
How much: $15 adults, $10 concession. All proceeds from the concert will be donated to the “We’re For The Bush” NSW Drought Appeal.
Tickets: http://tinyurl.com/mumsvq3