
Narooma, NSW, Australia
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Melbourne, Australia in 1958. Casey picked up his first flute at the age of 18 and one year later started on the saxophone.
He studied at The Sydney Conservatorium of Music under the direction of Mr. Don Burrows and graduated with a Diploma in Jazz Studies in 1985.
Instruments played: Tenor, Alto, Soprano, Baritone Saxophones. Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and Piano.
As a multi-instrumentalist Casey performed in various musical theatre productions between 1986 - 2003, working for both Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Really Useful Company and Cameron McKintosh Ltd. Some of the musicals he performed in are Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Cats, Chicago, Crazy for You, West Side Story and Show Boat.
In 1997 Casey recorded the Urban Habits CD with his Jazz sextet on La Brava Music.
In 1999 Casey toured with The Olivia Newton John Show and Ray Charles and The Sydney Orchestra.
Between 1986 and 2004 Casey appeared as a freelance musician in Sydney, Australia and headed up the first incarnation of his band Quiver in 1998. At this time he also performed with Julian Lee, James Morrison, Don Radar, John Harkins, Hamish Stewart, Don Burrows, Jonathan Zwartz, Craig Scott, Steve Brian, Jim Pennell, Bill Risby, Emile Nelson, Sandy Evans, Bonnie J. Jensen, Descarga, The All Star Cubano Band, Candella, Bandema and Charanga Libre. He also performed as a leader with his own trio, quartet, quintet and sextet and of course Quiver. Performance venues at this time included the Manley Jazz Festival, Darling Harbour Festival, Bellingen Jazz and the Basement in Sydney.
Casey has also toured extensively travelling to The Monterey Jazz Festival, venues in the U.S.A., Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, The Middle East, New Zealand, Ireland, Switzerland and Spain.
In April 2004 Casey emigrated to the UK and imediately started performing on a professional freelance basis. Musicians that he has worked with since include, Simon King, Edgar Macias, Roger Inniss, Chris Bowden, Ben Markland, Maria Vincent, Wilmer Sinfontes, Esmond Selwyn, Tom Hill, Paul Sawtell and Neil Bullock to name a few.
In 2005 Quiver (the U.K. version) was formed and in 2007 they released their first CD 'Cous Cous' on Rehab Records.
He cites his main musical influences as classical flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal, Jazz saxophonists John Coltrane and Dexter Gordon and Latin players David Sanchez and Maraca.
Having emigrated to the UK in 2004 Casey was busy performing as a Jazz soloist in and around Shropshire, Wales, Birmingham and London, impressing audiences with his scope and versatility. He also ran a variety of bands and ensembles from a solo act right up to an 8 piece band.
His Jazz Quartet plays a classic 1950s post-bop repertoire, while his Latin groups draw primarily from the sounds of Cuba: Mambo, Salsa and Cha Cha Cha.
His most recent project is dedicated to bringing the music of legendary Vibraphone player, Cal Tjader to a much wider audience, & for this he has collaborated with top British Vibraphone player, Paul Sawtell.
The two of them have successfully brought to life the music of this wonderful Californian Vibes player, who helped pioneer the Latin/Jazz genre from the 1950s to the late 1980s.
2020 is a devastating year for performing musicians as Covid 19 closed most venues for live entertainment. Casey is now back in Australia and he has now shifted his focus to online saxophone lessons