Melbourne Jazz Co-Op

This special concert is a celebration of the 84th birthday – and ongoing career - of the highly regarded pianist/composer/educator Dr. Tony Gould. Gould is possibly the most ‘formally’ recognized figure to work in the Australian jazz scene (although he refers to his music as "post-jazz"), with an Australia Council Fellowship, the Don Banks Fellowship...

Guitarist/composer Stephen Magnusson is one of the most versatile and distinctive musicians in Australia. He will be performing with his STOZ trio (which released a self-titled CD), featuring bassist Sam Anning, and longtime collaborator, the highly respected drummer, Dave Beck. After spending much of the 1990s teaching in Switzerland, Magnusson returned to Australia and was...

On a visit from Italy, Diane Peters (harp and voice) reunites in a duo performance with Tamara Murphy (double bass) to perform a program of jazz-inspired originals and Afro American grooves and improvisations, inspired by the styles of Alice Coltrane and Anouar Brahem. When based in Melbourne in the late 1990s Peters recorded the self-titled...

Holly Moore brings together some of Melbourne’s finest ‘next gen’ improvising musicians in this quintet format. She was the recipient of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival’s “Take Note” award in 2020, culminating in a streamed performance of her quintet as part of “These Digital Times” series. After being awarded an ABC Jazz Composition Commission, in...

‘Lattices’ is Jordan Tarento’s debut offering as composer and bandleader, named after the dense, layered orchestration approach used in this collection of 8 original pieces. Detailed and intricate, these compositions blend elements of jazz, funk, chamber music, cinematic influences, Brazilian and Afro-Cuban music, and tie it all together with densely orchestrated harmony, tight, polyrhythmic grooves...

The Julien Wilson Trio was formed in 2004 and received glowing reviews in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age for their premier performances at Sydney’s Jazz:Now Festival and Melbourne’s Half Bent Winter Jazz Festival. They are featured on the albums while you were sleeping (2006) and Trio-Live (2007). They have performed sold out concerts...

Tenor saxophonist Anton Delecca’s music is soulful and passionate, drawing from a diverse range of influences including folk, gospel, spiritual jazz, 70s acid fusion and music from the current NYC jazz scene. Joining them tonight will be special guest Brett Williams on piano. Brett has recently moved to Melbourne from NYC and has performed with...

The Danish/Australian trio Number Junky from Perth combines exciting rhythms and odd-time signatures while retaining a focus on lyrical melodies and lush harmony. They play contemporary original jazz and re-workings of standards led by Danish guitarist and “post-bop wizard” (Vintage Guitars) Kristian Borring with the “hip and capable” (Ivan Rod) rhythm section of Zac Grafton...

Guitarist Nash Lee moved to Melbourne from Byron Bay with Twelve Tone Diamonds around two decades ago making a memorable impact with that band, other ensembles such as Murphy’s Law and Shannon Barnett Quartet, and his own groups (such as Dressage). He was also a finalist in the National Guitar Jazz Awards at the 2007...

SHAYAN is a forward-thinking, ever-changing jazz ensemble that blends jazz with Iranian folk melodies, pop, classical and electronic music. The group were one of 15 recipients of the 2021 ABC Jazz Composer Commission and composed a suite original music for a chord-less quintet, exploring the intersection between contemporary Jazz and Traditional Iranian rhythm and melody....

Electric guitars, jazz-school chord changes and bluesy alt-rock strut all living under the same roof; STAT from Naarm/Melbourne is made up of guitarist/vocalist Stella Anning, bassist Richard Rose and drummer Lewis Pierre. The trio released an EP at the end of 2022; from a gritty comedic jazz rock bop about Stella’s cat, to an introspective...