Carlo Barbaro
He/Him
Also plays: Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Piccolo, Flute
30 years of professional experience
At a glance
About
Carlo Barbaro is a Melbourne-based saxophonist, multi-woodwind instrumentalist, bandleader and educator with more than 30 years of professional experience. Renowned for his versatility and distinctive musical voice, Carlo has built a diverse career spanning jazz, contemporary music, theatre, orchestral performance, touring, recording and education. Throughout his career, Carlo has performed and collaborated with an exceptional range of Australian and international artists, including Maceo Parker, Paul Kelly, Suzi Quatro, Michael Franti, Jackson Browne, Jimmy Barnes, Tina Arena, Thirsty Merc, The Black Arm Band, The Cat Empire, Xavier Rudd, Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, Shane Howard, John Butler, Gurrumul, Kate Ceberano, Vika & Linda Bull, The Black Sorrows and James Morrison. His extensive jazz credits include performances and collaborations with Michelle Nicolle, Tony Gould, Bob Sedergreen, Scott Tinkler, Jim Pugh, Allen Vizzutti, Jochen Rückert, Matt Penman, Mark Fitzgibbon, Aaron Choulai and Julie O’Hara, among many others. Carlo has toured extensively throughout Australia and internationally, performing at major festivals, concert venues and events around the world. From 2002 to 2007, he was a member of the Empire Horns with The Cat Empire, touring and performing with the band during a significant period in its international rise. An accomplished orchestral musician, Carlo also works regularly with Orchestra Victoria and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, further reflecting the breadth of his experience across contemporary, jazz, theatre and orchestral settings. Musical theatre has also become an important part of Carlo’s career. His credits include The Rocky Horror Show, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, TINA: The Tina Turner Musical—where he appeared on stage as a featured saxophone soloist—The Book of Mormon and A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical. Carlo is also a core member of Tim Finn’s band and has performed and toured with Tim since 2023, including sold-out performances throughout Australia and New Zealand. As a featured soloist, Carlo performs across a range of saxophones and flutes, bringing his distinctive multi-instrumental voice to Tim’s live shows. In a recent international recording highlight, Carlo recorded with Harry Connick Jr. on a brand-new work written for a premiere at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Alongside his busy performing and recording career, Carlo is an Associate Lecturer in Music (Jazz & Improvisation) at the University of Melbourne, where he brings decades of professional performance experience to his work with emerging musicians. Carlo also leads and performs with a number of his own projects, including the Carlo Barbaro Trio, Carlo Barbaro Quartet, Morphology and the Divide Trio, continuing to explore jazz, improvisation and contemporary music through a wide range of collaborations. Carlo Barbaro is a proud D’Addario Artist.
Credits
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