Formed in 1984, Chris Ludowyk hand picked the cream of Melbourne’s jazz talent to form the ‘Society Syncopators’, now known as ‘The Syncopators’. Within a few short years, the band arrived at the pinnacle of Australian jazz. With their versatility (the guitarist plays banjo, the bassist plays tuba, the clarinetist plays alto and tenor sax and the trombonist plays bass and piano), they cover a wide range of styles and material. The vocal harmonising talent of the front-line also lends itself to the performance of ‘popular jazz’ material a la ‘Mills Brothers’ and ‘Boswell Sisters’.

Although their repertoire stems from the roots of traditional jazz, they play everything from classic jazz through mainstream to pre-rock rhythm and blues. This guarantees a much broader audience and wider appeal than that of a ‘straight’ jazz group. Arguably, few other groups are perceived to possess the range of material and individual talent of this group. The instrumentation also allows total flexibility for formats ranging from pin-drop concert to cabaret. At concerts, virtuoso solo spots highlight the talents of the individual artists.

The group has toured extensively, with fifteen very successful European tours between 1995 and 2013 adding to an already impressive list. By excelling at the music they love and loving the music they excel at, they are recognised as one of the leading classic/mainstream jazz groups in Australia by critics and jazz fans alike. Arguably they are regarded as the leaders in their field in the world. This, plus their superb musicianship, stage presence and keen sense of humour invariably draw standing ovations worldwide.