Dick and Christa Hughes

Rowdy is the word reviewers have used to describe this father-daughter jazz act, to which Christa Hughes laughs. “Well, yes, the shows used to be quite rowdy,” she concedes, “but I don’t know if this one will be as the venue is quite sophisticated.” Considering this is a woman who used to get naked on stage with the band Machine Gun Fellatio and was the sexy Ring Mistress of acrobatic stunt show Circus Oz, one can’t help but wonder if her definition of rowdy isn’t a bit different from the average gal’s. Nevertheless, Christa Hughes is getting back to her roots by appearing with her dad in a one-off Sydney performance at Slide on Wednesday 18 November.

“I’ve had a real yearning to get back to what made me fall in love with singing and music in the first place, which was my dad’s collection of early jazz and blues records,” she says. “So it’s absolutely perfect timing to be working with my dad again.” Christa and her father Dick started performing together when she was 15 years old at the Shakespeare Hotel. After a four year residency she left to perform overseas, later returning to Sydney to become KK Juggy, frontwoman of alternative band Machine Gun Fellatio. Now that the risqué singer is revisiting the performance style that got her started, she seems relaxed and happy. “It’s come full circle.”

78-year-old Dick Hughes is a writer, journalist and musician, and was the first solo jazz pianist to play at the Sydney Opera House. The two have performed all over Australia at the celebrated Spiegeltent, Melbourne International Jazz Festival and various cabaret and live music venues. Featuring early jazz and blues classics, the show at Slide will include the songs of Bessie Smith, Memphis Slim, Lee Wiley, Jelly Roll Morton, WC Handy and more. Expect a toe-tapping good time! Michelle Lamont