Nick Abbey

Well known for holding down the low end in many a Perth jazz group and for his contribution to the original music of TRISK and Abbey|Foster|Falle, upright/electric bassist and composer Nick Abbey has become an integral fixture of the jazz and contemporary music scenes in WA since arriving from Melbourne in 2006. Nick is a PhD recipient, current 2020 Freedman Jazz Fellowship nominee, and was a finalist at the 2015 National Jazz Awards. His compositions have also repeatedly drawn accolades, including the 2018/2019 WAM Jazz Song of the Year award for Song for The Days When as well as a further nomination in 2020 (for The Constant), which followed three consecutive wins of the same award in 2012 (Maelstrom), 2013 (Avina), and 2014/2015 (Charon).

As a performer, Nick has regularly featured with the likes of Troy Roberts, Paul Grabowsky, Jamie Oehlers, Tal Cohen, and Tom O’Halloran, and has performed with international luminaries Veronica Swift, Peter Bernstein, Vivian Sessoms, George Garzone, John Scofield, Paul Bollenback, Alex Norris, Jim Pugh, and Howard Levy. Nick has previously appeared on TRISK Speedrun (2015), Abbey|FosterlFalle Brotherhood (2013), Fiona-Lawe Davies Imaginary Grace (2016), Ryan Daunt Fragile Information (2016), Ecila (2012), Det Nopsus (2009), Glyn MacDonald Group Live (2011), ­_motion Presence (2009), ATM15 Big Band Reborn (2010) and the Johannes Luebbers Dectet’s The Exquisite Corpse of Beethoven (2010) and Make Some Noise (2008). Nick is lecturer at the WA Academy of Performing Arts, where he has recently completed his PhD research, which explored the challenges and processes facing the modern day Australian jazz bassist.