George Washingmachine: The Man Who Puts the Swing in Everything
If the name doesn’t make you smile, the music certainly will. George Washingmachine is one of those rare artists who seems to radiate rhythm—whether he’s coaxing a plaintive wail from his violin, laying down a lazy blues riff on guitar, or launching into a scatting vocal line that sounds like pure joy bottled and let loose.
Based in Sydney but truly a citizen of the jazz world, George is a musician, vocalist, composer, actor, MC, and even a visual artist. He’s been performing for decades, yet he’s the sort of showman who still looks like he’s having the time of his life every time he steps on stage.
“I’ve never seen anyone enjoy their own playing so much,” a fellow musician once said. It’s true—George doesn’t just play music, he inhabits it. His style draws on the great traditions of swing and gypsy-jazz, nodding to legends like Stéphane Grappelli, but with his own Australian warmth and mischief woven through.
His performances are as varied as they are unpredictable. One night he might be fronting a tight quartet in an intimate club; the next, he’s hosting a sprawling outdoor jazz festival, charming thousands between songs. Over the years, he’s played everywhere from the Havana International Jazz Festival to the streets of Paris, from the Ascona Jazz Festival in Switzerland to the grand theatres of the UK.
George’s latest album, Blues Rinse, distills much of what makes him special. It’s a blend of swinging originals and soulful interpretations, where his violin and voice trade places as the storyteller. Standout tracks like All Roads and All the Time in the World show not only his musicianship but his gift for connection—those little moments where the listener feels like the song is speaking directly to them.
But his creativity doesn’t end when the music stops. George is also a painter, a composer for major advertising campaigns, and an actor who’s worked alongside some of Australia’s finest stage talent. That versatility feeds back into his music, giving his performances a theatricality and colour that’s unmistakably his own.
In an age when so much music is polished to perfection, George Washingmachine’s magic lies in his spontaneity. Every gig feels like a one-off moment—full of swing, humour, and heart. He’s the kind of artist who reminds you why live performance matters: because when it’s done right, it’s not just music. It’s an experience.
