High school friends and musicians Nick Garbett from Otford and Alan Hicks from Tarrawanna are returning to their roots after enjoying much success overseas.

Interview Kate O’Mealley Words Emily Perkins Images Chris Frape

Between the two talented instrumentalists, they have formed multiple bands, performed alongside pinnacles of the jazz world, co-ordinated festivals, and directed highly acclaimed documentaries. Now, this March they will play big parts in local events, Get Together and the Kiama Blues & Jazz Festival to do what they do best… share their passion for music.

Alan and Nick first met in Year 7 at Wollongong High School of Performing Arts and have been mates ever since. They bonded over a love of music, and this shared passion has remained true throughout their friendship. It’s when Alan and Nick started playing at the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music – Alan on drums and Nick on trumpet – that a teacher they admire introduced them to jazz, and ultimately helped them fall in love with the musical genre.

“That’s kind of when we started playing jazz – we were about 15,” Nick says. “My dad also got us into it, he was always listening to blues, and pushing us into it.”

After school, Nick and Alan ended up on different paths. They both auditioned to study at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, but only Nick got in. Laughing, Nick says the reason his mate Al missed out was because of Schoolies.

“I had to fly home in the middle of Schoolies to do the audition… it wasn't pretty – I dropped my drumsticks,” Alan remembers. “I was pretty devastated because I just saw Nick and I on this trajectory together, and a lot of our friends had gotten in as well.”

But Alan didn’t let this small kink in the road stop him. He signed up for a two-week jazz camp at William Patterson University in New Jersey, USA, which resulted in him being accepted into their university program. “I guess there wasn't Schoolies over there, so I just got my focus together,” Alan jokes.

Fortuitously, while in the US studying, Alan met jazz icon Clark Terry, and became part of one of his music ensembles, with whom he travelled the world. Alan also went on to consider Clark a good friend. Such good friends, in fact, that he would soon create an award-winning film about the legendary trumpeter.

During this time, Nick was also travelling back and forth to New York to study and be mentored by Clark. “Al would take me out to his house in New Jersey and then out to Arkansas,” Nick says.

In 2008, Alan moved home and lived in Stanwell Park with Nick, and mutual friend, saxophonist Jeremy Rose. During this time together, the muso mates began writing Afro-beat compositions. Having all spent time overseas, they were creating music inspired by their travels and experiences. From these jam sessions, much-loved reggae band The Strides was formed. And the now nine-piece band has three studio albums, and countless east coast tours under their belt.

A couple of years after The Strides took shape, Alan returned to the States and was out surfing with photographer friend, Adam Hart, who was visiting from Wollongong. The pair struck up a conversation about filming Clark Terry and things escalated quickly. With both pals up for a challenge, it took off and soon evolved into the planning of full-fledged feature documentary.

“I guess it was kind of risky as far as our careers went, with all of a sudden investing all of our time and money into filming, when we both didn't know how to do it,” Alan says.

The film Keep On, Keepin’ On depicts the friendship and mentorship between music pioneer and teacher, Clark, and a young blind piano prodigy, Justin Kauflin. Alan witnessed true magic not only in the way Clark mentored this young up-and-comer, but also as Justin helped Clark cope when his own sight was affected by diabetes. It was a special bond the two shared captured beautifully on camera by Alan and his team.

“That was really nice,” says Alan. “This young kid encouraging an 85-year-old man to be like, ‘It’s actually going to be all right’. Clark was worried about the darkness, but Justin was explaining that, once you do go completely blind, it's not dark, your brain goes into fill in the colour.”

Sadly, Clark passed away in 2015 – and while Alan misses him, he’s happy that a piece of the pioneer trumpeter lives on through the film, “I feel good that we were able to capture his essence and a bit of his spirit that people can enjoy now,” says Alan.

Nick was equally busy throughout these years, and after graduating from his Bachelor in Jazz Studies at the Conservatorium, he played in a bunch of bands. “I'm right into putting groups together and touring,” he says.

Nick holds multiple accolades as a band leader, trumpeter and composer. As well as The Strides, he is also a founding member of the Australian quartet, The Vampires, who he will be touring with this April, and leads his own bands, Garfish and The Nick Garbett Quintet.

In 2018, he was the recipient of Australia’s most prestigious jazz award, the Freedman Jazz Fellowship, and has performed, toured, written and recorded alongside well-known artists, including Don Henley from The Eagles, Noel Gallagher, Jimmy Barnes, Bernard Fanning, and The Presets.

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Meanwhile, after the success of Alan’s first movie, an opportunity arose to co-direct the now Grammy award-winning documentary, Quincy – a film that follows the life of multi-talented musician and producer, Quincy Jones. Alan met Quincy while he was filming Keep On, Keepin’ On – Quincy was a producer on the film – and travelled the world with him during the awards campaign.

“I was pretty awestruck about being in that guy’s presence,” Alan reflects. “But we also had common ground – we shared the same teacher as well. Quincy was taught by Clark in the 1940s and I was taught by Clark in the 2000s.”

Quincy and his daughter, Hollywood actress Rashida Jones, asked Alan if he would co-direct his film, which of course he immediately agreed to.

“When you're in his world, you don't have much control of who’s going to walk into the room – it scared the hell out of me,” Alan laughs. Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Paul McCartney, and Samuel L. Jackson are just a few of the star-studded cast to feature in the documentary.

Alan says that working on the film was a highly pressured environment where he was constantly on his toes, but it was incredible experience and one where he was able to share the story of an inspirational man. “Somebody like Quincy and Clark… you can just learn a lot from being in the room with them for five minutes,” says Alan. “Those films were about capturing that feeling for a wider audience to experience.”

Since the 2018 release of the highly praised doco, Alan has now teamed up with FINCH Entertainment to create FINCH X No Worries – a production company cultivating creative-driven, culturally significant entertainment. “I also really hope to be playing more music,” says Alan, who getting his wish, and along with Nick part of two big music festivals set for the coast this March.

Nick’s latest venture with his friend, Col Renton, is the Get Together Music Festival back for its second year at Wombarra Bowlo. “I'm basically just drawing on all my contacts over the years and there's lots of great musicians and great bands,” Nick says excitedly.

There will be three stages and three bars running over the weekend, with local bands launching the festivities on the Friday night, and great acts including Watussi, Steph Strings, Godtet, The Doonooch Dancers and The Strides continuing the party through until Sunday.

The Get Together Festival first kicked off last year at Wombarra, and Nick’s hope is that eventually the gig will fill a bigger venue, and include even more diverse, creative, and quality artists. “We're talking about trying to tour it as a regional small festival around New South Wales and potentially Australia,” says Nick.

A week after Get Together, Nick and Alan will unite for the Kiama Jazz & Blues Festival, held from March 10-12. A rare screening of Alan’s Keep On, Keepin’ On will be aired on opening night, featuring a Q&A with Alan, and a Clark Terry musical tribute to follow, where Nick and Allan will perform together alongside a stellar line-up of jazz musicians.

The three-day musical festival will take place at venues across Kiama, Gerringong and Minnamurra, and is set to star some huge names in Australian jazz, like pianist Barney McAll, who both Nick and Alan are excited to see.

“It’s a great festival, and mostly free to come and watch,” says Nick. “We’re really looking forward to it.”

Catch Al Hicks and Nick Garbett at the kiamajazzandbluesfestival.com.au and gettogetherfestival.com.au