Crossfire was an Australian jazz-fusion band active from 1974-1991 that recorded 5 studio albums. The band was formed in Sydney in 1974 and was led by founders Jim Kelly and Michael Kenny. Over its career, Crossfire recorded several albums, toured internationally, and backed other musicians live before disbanding in 1982 and briefly reuniting in 1991 for one final album.

1. Crossfire (band) - dissertation
This dissertation written by Mr. Peter Grant
Crossfire was an Australian jazz-fusion band active from 1974 to 1991, which recorded five
studio albums. The primary composers of the group were founding members Jim Kelly and
Michael Kenny. Other members of Crossfire included Ian Bloxsom, Greg Lyon and Phil Scorgie,
Don Reid and Tony Buchanan, John Proud, Doug Gallacher, Steve Hopes, and Mark Riley.
History
Crossfire was a jazz-fusion band formed in Sydney in 1974 with a line-up of Ian Bloxsom on
percussion, Tony Buchanan on saxophone, Steve Hopes on drums, Jim Kelly on guitar, Michael
Kenny on piano and Greg Lyon on bass guitar. Bloxsom, Kelly and Kenny had been band mates in
Southern Contemporary Rock Assembly. The ensemble issued a self-titled debut album late in
1975, with a line-up of Bloxsom; Kelly; Kenny on keyboards and trumpet; Lyon on bass guitar
and vocals; John Proud on drums and Don Reid on reeds. Rock Australia Magazines Felicity
Surtees found that the group had "gone past the stage of being just a creative outlet and has
become a major part of their lives." Lyon described their style, "what we play is contemporary
music. We're influenced by everyone really... It allows everyone to be creative."
Crossfire were the first Australian artists to use direct-to-disc recording for their aptly titled

2. second album, ''Direct to Disc, in late 1978. It was produced and engineered by Alan Thorne and
issued by Trafalgar Records/RCA. For the album, the line-up was Bloxsom; Kenny on Wurlitzer
piano and flugelhorn; Lyon; Kelly on guitar; and Don Reid on saxophones and flute; joined by
Doug Gallacher on drums. Michael Foster of the Canberra Times felt "their music displays many
moods — playful and joyous, eerie and sombre — always sensitive, reflecting the influences and
experiences of each player." He emphasised "the effect gained by the horns, which seem to
hang suspended a lot of the time against a backdrop of the instruments which normally carry
rhythm, and the percussion group. The rhythm and percussion instruments often, as is the way
since bop, step outside their roles as custodians of time and measure, and establish their own
rights to individual actions."
The group's third album, East of Where, was issued on WEA and was co-produced by Kelly,
Kenny and Martin Benge. All the tracks were written by Kelly or Kenny. For this album Bloxsom,
Buchanan, Hopes, Kelly and Kenny were joined by Phil Scorgie bass guitar. Foster found there
was "more humour in this album than in the previous one. The music is of the same genre, but
there is a certain wryness in the approach to its work, by one of Australia's most exciting bands."
Although "there are times when it gets a little heavy, but generally the music lifts and soars, and
is fun to listen to."
Crossfire were the backing band for the American jazz singer Michael Franks on an Australian
tour, which provided a live album, Michael Franks with Crossfire Live. They were also the
backing band for American jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour during his 1981 Australian tour. Lee was
impressed when Michael Franks had played Lee his tapes of his live album back in L.A. In late
1982 they issued their fourth studio album, Hysterical Rochords, again with Kelly, Kenny and
Benge co-producing. The line-up was Bloxsom, Buchanan, Hope, Kelly, Kenny and Scorgie. The
Canberra Times W. L. Hoffman noticed that "there are six tunes, all of them interesting and,
again, all of them written by." Hoffman praised the title track, "it is a neatly structured, very
bluesy piece, with Ton Buchanan's saxophone threading through the tune, bringing it all
together" while "the sounds continue on the second side, smooth, singing music as is
characteristic of Crossfire."
During 1982 Crossfire undertook an international tour through India, Holland, England and the
United States. The group's performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival on 16 July 1982 was
recorded. It was released as their second live album, Live at Montreux. The ensemble were
Bloxsom on percussion and mallets, Buchanan on saxophones and shakers, Kelly, Kenny, Lyon
and Mark Riley on drums. Eric Myers declared, in the July–August edition of Jazz magazine, that
the gig showed the group "playing original music that is an outgrowth of our own culture, can
take their place on the international stage with the best of them... a great moment for Crossfire
and a high point for Australian music." The group disbanded later that year. Their performance
at the Basement in Sydney was broadcast on ABC radio's The Burrows Collection for the
episode, "Ten Years On – The Basement" in August 1984. The gig had included guest vocals from
Erana Clark and Barry Leaf.
Crossfire reunited briefly in 1991 and issued another album, Tension Release; with the line-up of
Bloxsom, Buchanan, Hopes, Kelly, Kenny and Lyon. In July that year they promoted its release
with a series of gigs in Sydney. They also did a backing band for the Randy Brecker tour at that

3. time
Discography
Studio albums
Live albums
References
General
Note: Archived copy has limited functionality.
Specific