Sassafras Trio

Lachlan Gear - Acoustic Guitar
Aaron Deacon - Acoustic Guitar
Pete Jeavons - Double Bass

Formed in late 2015, Sassafras has now established a reputation as one of Perth’s premier gypsy jazz groups.

The band performs in a range of different formats but is perhaps best known as a five-piece featuring vocalist Jessie Gordon and clarinetist Adrian Galante (“Sassafras”). The band also performs as an instrumental
quartet with Adrian Galante (“Sassafras Quartet”) and sometimes even as a sextet, adding pedal-steel
guitarist Lucky Oceans and violinist Emily Gelineau to the quartet line-up. All the different band formats do
however have one thing in common - the core rhythm section of string players Lachlan Gear, Aaron Deacon
and Pete Jeavons, otherwise known as Sassafras Trio.

Sassafras Trio combines toe-tapping swing, breakneck gypsy jazz and re-worked jazz standards in a vibrant and engaging mix of acoustic music, all performed with the dazzling virtuosity and passion that is intrinsic to the gypsy jazz tradition. Repertoire features classics from the likes of Django Reinhardt, Birelli Lagrene,
Gonzalo Bergara and Les Doigts Des L'Homme (to name a few) plus original arrangements of jazz standards and some original compositions too, all with a progressive leaning.

In their own right, Sassafras Trio have performed at numerous venues around Perth (such as P’tite Ardoise
Bistro, Freo Social, The Moon Cafe among others) and also at WA festivals including The Bonjour French Festival (2016), Jazz By The Bay (2017) and The King Street Corner Pocket Festival (2018). Later in 2021
Sassafras Trio will be also appearing at the York Jazz Festival, and the Strings Attached Festival in Margaret River.

Additionally the Trio has performed many sold out shows as a part of the larger Sassafras groups at venues
such as The Ellington Jazz Club, The Duke of George and The Kalamunda Performing Arts Centre and
festivals including Jazz By The Bay (2019), Perth International Jazz Festival (2017), The Oz Manouche
Festival (Brisbane, 2018) and The Perth Festival (2021).

“ The (Perth) International Jazz Festival is a serious affair... there was, however, a moment of joyous gypsystyle jazz from Sassafras, a local group who took the audience on a pleasure-filled journey, aided by brilliant
gypsy guitarists…”
Ron Banks, The West Australian Newspaper, June 2017