AtmaSphere

AtmaSphere
Genres	Jazz
Years active	1991–2000
Past members	David Jones Daryl Pratt Adam Armstrong Dev Gopalasamy Carmen Warrington Evripides Evripidou Steve Hunter (fill-in)

AtmaSphere is an Australian jazz ensemble formed and led by drummer David Jones.

History

AtmaShere was founded by Jones in Sydney in 1991, with Daryl Pratt (vibraphone and effects), Adam Armstrong (electric and acoustic bass) and Dev Gopalasamy as founding members. The ensemble's music initially focused on polyrhythms, but later Carmen Warrington joined to add the spoken word.^[1]

The band played at jazz festivals as well as clubs in Sydney such as the Harbourside Brasserie, the Basement, and Strawberry Hills Hotel. They also presented a series of concerts titled "Lyrical Jumpcut" at the Pilgrim Theatre, featuring jazz pianist Roger Frampton and with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa in a guest performance. Steve Hunter filled in for Armstrong, who was abroad, for these concerts.^[1]

The group was nominated for the ARIA Award for Best Jazz Album in 1994 for their album Flying. Flying was released in 1993 and included guest appearances from Mike Nock and Don Burrows.^[2]

The band opened the original JazzLab in Bennetts Lane in Melbourne in 2000,^[3] in 2000, with Evripides Evripidou on bass, as Armstrong had permanently relocated to New York City.^[1]

The group disbanded after 2000, after Jones and Warrington had moved back to Melbourne. Jones later wrote that his time with the ensemble was "one of the most creative periods of my career".^[1]

Members

• David Jones (drums and percussion)
• Daryl Pratt (vibraphone and effects)
• Adam Armstrong (bass)
• Carmen Warrington (vocals)
• Dev Gopalasamy (guitar)

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with selected details

Title	Details
Flying	Released: 1993[4][5][6] Format: CD Label: Tall Poppies (TP038)
Seasons of the Heart	Released: September 1999[7] Format: CD Label:AtmaSphere

Awards and nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result	Ref.
1994	Flying	Best Jazz Album	Nominated	[8]

References

1. "AtmaSphere". David Jones Drummer. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
2. Kelman, John (15 April 2005), "AtmaSphere: Flying", All About Jazz
3. "About The JazzLab". Jazzlab. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
4. Atmasphere; Jones, David; Armstrong, Adam; Pratt, Daryl; Warrington, Carmen (1993), Flying [catalogue entry], Tall Poppies, retrieved 11 November 2023 – via Trove
5. Jackson, Adrian (2 December 1993), "`Wanderlust' Leads To Fresh Musical Journey", The Age
6. Brenan, Gail (6 December 1993), "The spaceman and the synthesiser", Sydney Morning Herald
7. Shand, John (4 October 1999), "Jazz", Sydney Morning Herald
8. ARIA Award previous winners. "ARIA Awards Best Jazz Album". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 25 June 2022.

External links

• AtmaSphere
• Atmasphere : programs and related material collected by the National Library of Australia