Toby Wren

Who is Toby Wren?

Toby Wren is an Australian jazz composer and performer. He is best known for his jazz ensemble 'The Toby Wren Trio/Quartet', and the 'Carnatic Jazz Experiment', which is a South Indian cross cultural musical project.

Toby graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium in 1998, and has since been selected for the Australian Composers Orchestral Forum twice, has been a Composer Affiliate of The Queensland Orchestra, and has had music performed by some of Australia's leading orchestras and ensembles, including arrangements for popular artists such as George, Rhubarb and Chris Pickering. In 1997, he also won the 1997 DIGF composition prize for his guitar piece 'Nebbish'

In 2006, Wren travelled to India to collaborate with, and learn from great musicians of the Carnatic musical system of Southern India. In 2008 he returned to India, with the intent of developing a cross cultural project for extensive touring. Also in 2006, The Toby Wren Trio released an album titled 'Umlaut', with launches at the Brisbane Powerhouse and The Brisbane Festival Spiegeltent. The 2008 release 'Everything Must Go' features Wren on guitar, Georgia Weber on bass, Joe Marchisella on drums, and world saxophone competition winner Jamie Oehlers on saxophone. This recording was reviewed by the Courier Mail newspaper, with the following comment: "A thrilling ride with some unexpected detours... Everything Must Go was recorded in a day. With a quartet this good, who needs longer?".