Scotch College

Gary Costello – 1952–2006

It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss Mr. Gary Costello who passed away on the 20th December 2006. His death at the age of 54 was very sudden and a great shock to his family, friends, staff, students, and Melbourne’s jazz community.

Garry was one of Australia’s greatest jazz musicians. We were lucky that his life-long friend and staff member, guitarist John Paine, mentioned one day that Gary would be interested in coming to Scotch to teach jazz bass. Gary impressed everyone with his gentlemanly quiet manner and diligent professionalism. He cared greatly about his students who held him in the highest esteem.

Gary was a very generous, compassionate and open-minded man who was greatly devoted to his family, friends and students. As a musician, he was one of Australia’s most highly regarded contemporary jazz bassists, winning two ARIA awards during a varied and highly successful career. He initially played with the Elizabethan Trust (now Orchestra Victoria) before turning his attention to jazz and improvisational music. He appeared with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and performed with highly respected groups such as The Browne, Costello, and Duggan Trio. Gary was also well known for his membership of the Steve Vizard Show band and was an active member of The Australian Art Orchestra.

Gary’s concert career included performing with international artists such as Milt Jackson, Herb Ellis, Warren Vache, Brandford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland, Ricki Ford, Johnny Griffin, Urbie Green, Al Cohn, and Ralph Sutton. Australian artists included Don Burrows, Kerrie Biddell, Paul Grabowsky, James Morrison, Anthony Warlow, Vince Jones and Dale Barlow. In 1988 Gary toured the United States with The Australian Jazz Orchestra which was formed for the Australian bicentennial and whose membership consisted of Australia’s premier jazz artists. In 1995 Gary toured Germany and England with the Paul Grabowsky Sextet and with the Australian Art Orchestra, which toured India in 1996 and Europe in 2000.