Sandy Evans is one of Australia’s most significant jazz musicians. She has a national and international reputation as a saxophonist, composer, band leader and educator. Her contribution to Australian music has been recognised in her award of the Order of Australia. Sandy has a long standing interest in Indian classical music, and completed a Doctorate on intercultural music bringing together jazz and the Carnatic music from South India. On August 24th she showcases her Indian musical interests in a programme of music titled Ahimsa- Meditations on Ghandi at the Sound Lounge in Sydney as part of the Sydney Improvised Music Association (SIMA) winter season. Eastside’s Mick Paddon had an opportunity to have a long chat with Sandy about where this interest in the Indian musical traditions came from, how it has influenced her own music, and the Ahimsa project. Before Sandy speaks, we hear a piece from one her recorded collaborations, Passive Resistance, No Regrets, from the CD Kapture. After she has told us about the Ahimsa performance, we hear the last few minutes of Beam, Arch, Suspension from the CD Bridge of Dreams, which premiered at the Sydney Festival to a standing ovation at the start of 2019. Two other tracks from the Kapture CD, Robben Island and Explosion of Memory, play while Sandy is talking. The music and the interview were first broadcast on Mick Paddon’s regular show Time and Space on Wednesday August 14th on Eastside Radio, 89.7fm
