They ride, white knuckled, into testing, dramatic terrain, and do so with a pungency you can taste…this is one of the finest working bands in the land. Their art is dense, black and majestic. But so is it thrillingly lyrical.' Craig N. Pierce, The Drum Media, 16 Feb, '99, review of Fridays, Late

' The seamless way they combine, whichever member is taking the lead, reflects the benefits of the regular work so many local bands find elusive. Saarelaht's piano playing is brilliant…' Adrian Jackson, The Age

'…some world class jazz piano providing a solid basis for the band…' The Guardian, London, re Kate Ceberano and her Sextet

In 1986 Jex formed his own six-piece band, the Jextet, which played a year long residency at the Baden Powell Hotel, supported Dizzy Gillespie at Melbourne's Dallas Brookes Hall, and recorded a forty minute feature for ABC Television's Rock Arena, the first, and possibly only jazz band to do so.

One of three regulars, Jex played solo piano on an average of two nights a week for over four years at Mietta's, Melbourne. At Mietta's instigation he also presented a number of concerts dubbed "Jex and Friends", (an idea later taken up by the Age Melbourne International Jazz Festival), and his trio was selected to be the support act for legendary jazz vocalist Betty Carter's performance there in June '95.

Residing in London, June '87 to July '88, Jex played a year long solo piano residency, as well as presenting his trio with Steve Rose, bass, and Winston Clifford, drums, at the original Jazz Café, Newington Green. Spending the last three months of 1995 in New York, Jex took formal lessons with Joanne Brackeen and Don Friedman, among others, and lessons by way of example from Geri Allen, Kenny Barron, John Hicks, Cedar Walton, Marilyn Crispell, Bobby Hutcherson, Dr. John, the Meters, the Skatalites.

In addition to many and various festivals and venues all around Australia, Jex has performed at: Ronnie Scotts, London, The Marquee Club, London, The North Sea Jazz Festival, The Edinburgh Festival, The Jazz Café, London, Southbank, London, The Aarhus International Jazz Festival, Denmark, Quasimodo Jazz Club, Berlin, The Four Seasons, Crete, The Birmingham International Jazz Festival, Midem, the international music trade fair held in Cannes and other venues in England, Germany, Holland, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Noumea, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.

Jex Saarelaht Trio

1 Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry (Jex Saarelaht)

2 Threeways (Jex Saarelaht)

3 Closing (Jex Saarelaht)

4 Then Again (Jex Saarelaht)

5 Ivory Cutlery (Jex Saarelaht)

6 Fug (Niko Schäuble)

7 Poorly (Jex Saarelaht)

8 TBP (the bad philip) (Jex Saarelaht)

Double Bass - Phil Rex Drums - Nick Schauble

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