The Scornful Four

The Scornful Four is a multi-generational jazz quartet from Meanjin that features repertoire that is entrenched in the history of jazz with a uniquely Australian approach, evoking the incomparable vast landscapes and vistas of our home.

This group reveres the bleak counterpoints of the classic Mulligan-Baker Quartet, and the jazz hero-worship continues with nods to the legendary pianoless groups of Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane’s fiery 1960s ensembles. But the enigmatic beauty and undeniably Australian rasp of Bernie McGann, the intensity of Mark Simmonds and Scott Tinkler, and the genre-breaking excursions of Sandy Evans are the prevailing elemental sounds that drive the Scornful Four to bring you new explorations of the jazz vernacular. 

With a book full of COVID-era compositions that had yet to fall on any ears, saxophonist Andrew Garton convened a group of musical friends new and old to tackle the task of creating a setting to enrich what previously only existed in his imagination.

Meanjin jazz-royalty Helen Russell on bass (notably of the lauded ‘90s ensemble Good Bait), the wise-beyond-his-years journeyman drummer Aaron Jansz and young firebrand trumpeter Sharon Elaine all openly bring their dedication and ability to engage deeply with any music they perform and it shows in the freedom and nuance presented by The Scornful Four.

Andrew Garton is a Brisbane based saxophone player, composer and arranger. Andrew studied the saxophone and composition under the guidance of Tony Hobbs from 1999 to 2003. In 2017 he completed his Master of Music Research at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. He has composed extensively for small and large jazz ensembles, including commissioned work for the Abbreviations Orchestra, the Enthusiastic Musicians
Orchestra, and the Mace Francis Orchestra.

Andrew Garton currently performs regularly with Ghostwoods, Brunswick Street Parade, Funky Butt Club, The Wicked Messenger, the Trevor Hart Quartet, The Francis Wolves, Dual Dialect, and The Scornful Four.

Sharon Elaine is an up and coming trumpet player based in Brisbane. Since graduating with a bachelor of music in Jazz Performance from JMI, she has been working with many different projects including TYDE, Rosa Mack, The Unladylike Big Band, Brisbane Big Band, and many more. Her smooth sultry tone and laid back style is not one to miss.

Helen Russell is a bassist, vocalist, arranger, musical director and educator based in Brisbane, Australia. Her career has en­compassed many styles of music performance - music theatre (often as musical director), country, gospel, pop, classical - whilst always having jazz at its core. Helen has been a constant on the Brisbane jazz scene since the late ‘80s, performing with both the old guard and the-up-and-comers. Helen has taught in jazz programs at the Queensland Conservatorium, QCU, JMI, and is currently a full-time lecturer in Contemporary Music at USQ. In 2016 she completed a Master of Music Research at Griffith University, documenting and codifying her method of in­tegrating and internalising music theory in an a cappella setting.

Aaron Jansz is an in demand musician and educator based in Brisbane, Australia. Since completing a bachelor or Music at Jazz Music Institute Aaron has amassed a list of performance and recording credits that include local, national and international artists.

As an accompanying artist, Aaron has performed with Vincent Gardner, Barney McAll, Steve Barry, Tal Cohen, Grace Knight, Julien Wilson, Kristin Berardi, James Sherlock, Katie Noonan, and Zac Hurren among others.