The Cope Street Parade

Sydney born and bred, The Parade does love songs like no others can.

In their 11th year The Cope Street Parade are considered one of Australia’s most established creative music ensembles. They blend spicy rhythms with unique song-writing that span the genres of jazz, folk, pop, gypsy and swing. With tender ballads and rollicking dance numbers they capture the spirit and warmth of early music styles and cheekily blur the lines between the contemporary and the classic. Influences include Louis Armstrong, Louis Prima, Father John Misty and Leadbelly.

The hot sounds of gypsy swing mixed with elements of New Orleans traditional jazz meld together in a melting-pot of cold beers and sunshine to create a style of music that sounds both new and old yet always uniquely Australian. Think if Django Reinhardt met Louis Armstrong in a good old country pub.

Formed in 2009, The Parade has performed at major music festivals and venues across Australia, such as the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz, Sydney Festival, Bellingen Winter Festival, Manly Jazz Festival, Jazzgroove Summer Festival. In 2018 and 2019 they toured Europe, each year performing 25 concerts in Italy as well as concerts in Germany. The band has also been lucky enough to collaborated with Lulo Reinhardt, Peter Horsfall, Christa Hughes, Dan Barnett, Geoff Bull, Bob Henderson and Bob Barnard. Their self-titled debut album was released in 2010 and since then they have released seven albums to rave reviews and captivated audiences across Australia and the world.

Poncha – Live in Venice on a Gondola https://www.facebook.com/copestreetparade/videos/1864795503562772/
Dancin’ All Night at the East Sydney Hotel – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOkxlKlde9I
Caffe Corretto – Live in Italy https://www.facebook.com/copestreetparade/videos/1909035749138747/
I’ll Dream of You – Live at Catapult (feat. Meklit) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCI-XlaOKEw

“This is ecstasy.” – John Clare, Sydney Morning Herald

“The tenor is Fermino’s instrument and he produced the romantic, rhapsodic elements and the dark, muscular drive characteristic of early Coleman Hawkins.” – Sydney Morning Herald

“It’s like Belle Epoque Paris decided – against the laws of space and time – to hold a luau in Redfern.” – Max Lavergne, Triple J

“A parallel in some ways to the Hoodangers in Melbourne. Here, the Cope Street Parade presents…the sentimental, the directly emotional and the downright funny and sometimes bawdy.” – Music Trust, Loud Mouth.

“…Fermino’s songwriting is too personal to be pretence, some of the elements border on farcical yet their heartfelt and impeccable performance carry them easily.” – Lucian McGuiness, Australian Jazz

Personel:
Justin Fermino – Saxophones/Voice
Aaron Flower – Guitar/Voice
Ben Panucci – Guitar/Voice
Sam Dobson – Double Bass/Voice