Joe Glaysher

Born and raised in London before moving to Newcastle-upon-Tyne to study Sociology. Then trained as an Art teacher. Further studies in art in Sydney (City Art Institute) and St Albans, Hertfordshire. Specialist in printmaking and photography.
After teaching in London and Sydney I now teach on the South Coast of New South Wales.

My work over the past 25 years has been largely concerned with performance photography, documenting the jazz scene in Sydney and more recently improvised music. I have also done related work in London, Amsterdam and in Italy.
Exhibitions in London, Sydney, Wollongong, at the Wangaratta and Kiama Jazz Festivals and at the NOWnow Festival of Improvised Music.

Looking back at my work, much of my music photography is about the places in which I felt comfortable. The Strawberry Hills Hotel (defunct), Space3 (defunct), The Vortex (moved), The Bimhuis (moved).
I think that there are perhaps buildings, spaces, in which, for a while, a new music grows naturally. Like mould in an untended fridge. Then someone opens the door and out comes the carbolic.
Of the new venues I particularly like the Red Rattler in Marrickville and the unique People’s Republic of Australasia in Camperdown. It is venues like these that give me at least a little hope for Australian culture.

On the wider, less physical scale there are the radio stations, programmes, lurking at the fringes of the dials.
Radio France’s “A L’Improviste”
http://sites.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/em/im...
A program on “French Radio London” (In English)
http://jazzbyassociation.tumblr.com/
London’s Resonance FM
http://resonancefm.com/
And Radio Lancashire’s threatened On The Wire
http://otwradio.blogspot.com/2003/11/about-on-w...
Like the mould in my fridge these spaces need to protected and treasured. It is in the nature of things that they will eventually disappear. We can only pray that some other likeminded bacillus will emerge in their stead.