The Sound of Music to Fill the Air at Mont Clare on International Jazz Day

Mercy Place Mont Clare resident Ross Nicholson’s love of music started at a young age when he was taken down to North Cottesloe Beach by his parents on Sunday mornings, where jazz was played in the open air over the beach broadcasting system.

“I instantly fell in love with the sound and was particularly captivated by the clarinet,” recalls Ross, who grew up in Nedlands, attending its local primary school before going to John Curtin College of the Arts and then studying psychology at the University of Western Australia.

“When I was around 14 I bought my first clarinet with the earnings I made at the local post office, and found a couple of fellow jazz lovers from Claremont High. Our first gig was at Scotch College’s dance in 1954, a year before Billy Haley rocked around the clock, two years before Elvis wiggled his pelvis, and three years before Jerry Lee Lewis had Great Balls of Fire,” Ross laughs.

Ross went on to develop a lifelong passion for music, also learning to play the saxophone and flute - but it was his love of the clarinet that always took precedent and saw him travel with three piece jazz bands around Europe, playing at Edinburgh twice with his band The Gumnut Stompers.

And as International Jazz Day approaches on Tuesday 30 April, residents at Mercy Place Mont Clare are readying themselves for a treat from Ross, who will be playing clarinet with a number of jazz loving friends, as part of a special afternoon concert featuring some of Ross’s favourite music.

Mercy Place Mont Clare Service Manager, Joan Lowney, said the not-for-profit home was honoured that Ross would be playing for residents on International Jazz Day.

“Ross often talks about how his mother handed down an appreciation of music, given she was a devoted pianist and had a love for classical composers, and his father also apparently had a wonderful singing voice,” says Ms Lowney.

“All of the residents here at Mont Clare are really looking forward to hearing Ross and his fellow band members play; as an organisation we are very focused on ensuring that our residents continue to spend time doing the things that they love, so it’s also important for us to enable Ross to continue to play his clarinet, which has been his absolute lifelong passion.”

International Jazz Day is an International Day declared by the United Nations to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe. It is celebrated annually on April 30.

Find out more about Mercy Health.