Robbers Dog Jazz Band

Biography

	Location: New South Wales
	Contact: 02 9810 3956
	Email: Click here to send an email
	MySpace: Robbers Dog
	Members: Jack Wiard, clarinet; Majella Turner, vocals; Cliff Parsons, plectrum banjo; Tim Brosnan, double bass; Bill Haesler, leader -  washboard.

The Robbers Dogs, a name taken from an Australian colloquial expression, was formed as a trio by clarinetist Rod Lawlis in 1970. It became a quartet later that year and, until the early 1980s, entertained audiences in Sydney's inner-city area at pub residencies in The Rocks, the CBD, Balmain and Camperdown and for picnics, harbour cruises, dances, parties, weddings, wakes, clubs, corporate events and jazz club functions. In March 1984, Rod reformed the group and, with the addition of a singer, it re-entered the Sydney scene with a weekly Rozelle pub job, a long residency at the Riverview Hotel in Balmain, miscellaneous gigs, festival and concert appearances. In February - April 1996, the band played at the Fortune of War Hotel in The Rocks. It returned to the Fortune in April 1997, alternating fotnightly with the Balmain pub job until September 1998 when it became a Sudnay afternoon fixture, and is still entertaining the locals and passing tourists. When Rod Lawlis died in late 2000 Bill Haesler, a founder member of the 1970 quartet, took over and appointed Jack Wiard as musical director.