WAYJO - West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra

Musical Directors


	Musical Directors

Mace Francis
Michael Cartwright
Roger Garrood

Mace Francis- Musical Director and Artistic Team member WAYJO Composers Ensemble
Mace Francis is an arranger, composer and guitarist. He is the winner of the APRA Professional Development Award – Jazz. Mace formed MFO (Mace Francis Orchestra), a 12-piece ensemble, to experiment with composition and improvisation, and founded The Enthusiastic Musicians Union (EMU) – dedicated to promoting and encouraging original and improvised music.He was the winner of the international composition award Scrivere in Jazz 2004 – open age section, held in Sassari, Italy.
Mace has composed music for the short film Whipping Boy. Commissions include Visioni dall'australia (Visions from Australia) – a collaboration with Glenn Romanis (didgeridoo) - performed in Bra (Italy), Chinese Whispers, The Unpopular Song Book, WAYJO’s concert program in New York City 2006. Mace completed a Mace completed a Bachelor of Music – Jazz (Composition & Arranging) with First Class Honours at WAAPA.

Michael Cartwright - Musical Director WAYJO Big Band
Michael Cartwright has been teaching music since he graduated from the WA Conservatorium of Music in 1992. Michael has performance experience as a trombonist in both the classical and Jazz genres. He has toured with the Australian Wind Orchestra, Jazz West Big Band, Australian Youth Wind Orchestra, the WA Youth Orchestra and the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra.
He has conducted Concert bands of all levels as well as Stage and Jazz bands. Michael has been instrumental in writing a Jazz syllabus for the Education Department of WA and he has been the WA delegate to the International Association of Jazz Educators. He is currently working in the program of Certificate 4 Jazz Music that is run between Mount Lawley High School and the WA Academy of Performing Arts. As well as his WAYJO, performing and teaching workload, Michael works with Jazz Bands at local High Schools. Mike’s teaching skills are invaluable to WAYJO.

Roger Garrood - Musical Director WAYJO Swing Band
Roger began his performing career as a saxophonist and clarinettist with the band of the Border Regiment UK. He left army life in 1958 whereupon he embarked on a career as a freelance musician in London. From 1958-1971 Roger performed 1st tenor saxophone with many big bands in the UK, France, Germany and Spain and also toured extensively with several small jazz combinations.
In 1971 Roger moved to Perth where he played lead alto saxophone with the Will Upson Big Band for 15 years. During this time he was also active on the Perth music scene with the Roger Garrood Quartet and other jazz artists. He founded the West Australian Saxophone Quartet, which has given numerous recitals and live ABC broadcasts.
Roger also recorded three CDs for the Request Label,’ Reflections of Western Australia’, ‘I Mean You’ and ‘Play Back Shuffle’. Roger has worked with a number of International Artists. including Shirley Bassey, Ricky May, Henry Mancini, Sammy Davis Jr, Ronnie Scott, Ritchie Cole, Red Rodney, Nat Adderley, Dale Barlow, Bob Sedergreen and Ben Sidran.
Roger is currently working part time at Edith Cowan University lecturing in Jazz Saxophone.

Email: admin@wayjo.com