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Inspired by Allan Browne’s musical philosophy and collaborative spirit, Transients are a series of evolving trios devised by Andrea in 2016. The project has released multiple albums, including Transients Volume 1 & 2 (winning the Music Victoria Award for Best Jazz Album in 2019), and Andrea Keller Curates Monday Nights Live at the Jazzlab Volume...
Melbourne’s own Jazzlab Orchestra presses re-set on the big band tradition: creating visionary, original, genre-bending jazz music with a focus on diversity and inclusivity. Led by composer/arrangers Cheryl Durongpisitkul and Madison James Smith, the orchestra celebrates Melbourne’s next generation of instrumentalists. The Orchestra continues the tradition of the Bennetts Lane Big Band with a monthly...
Australian Music Prize-nominated composer Luke Howard has been described as “absolutely heavenly” (Mary Anne Hobbs, BBC Radio 6) and his music as “an ambient masterclass” (Musos’ Guide), but no words can fully capture the potency of Howard’s enthralling compositions. A pianist since childhood, Howard has scored films and performed with artists as diverse as Lior...
Barney McAll - piano Julien Wilson - saxophones Ben Hanlon - bass Danny Fischer - drums Introducing "Unforeseen," an improvising quartet reborn as a newborn's cry. They embark on a quest to reimagine the most obscure standard in any songbook, injecting them with hues of the toddler's crayola gesture. Like a riddle unravelling, their melodies...
Formed around the turn of the century by double bassist Steve Purcell as a Count Basie style dance band, The Pearly Shells Swing Orchestra has evolved over more than 15 years to become a unique Melbourne musical institution with an enormous repertoire of original charts and ties through out Melbourne's musical universe. The Pearly Shells mix their own...
SHE’S BACK! We are thrilled to announce the return of Fem Belling, making her Jazzlab return after 328 days of touring Australia in the land of Music Theatre (Cruel Intentions) and singing national anthems (Boxing Day Test). Fem will be returning to her roots in jazz music, bringing her a wealth of experience and a...
Callum G’Froerer is a trumpet player and composer who is active between many musical genres – improvisation, jazz, commissioning new contemporary repertoire, and electro-acoustic composition. In the jazz realm, he has performed widely across Australia and at the Wangaratta Jazz Festival, and internationally (Dizzy’s at the Lincoln Center, Monterey Jazz Festival, B-Flat Berlin). G’Froerer was...
Angela Davis (saxophone), Theo Carbo (guitar) & Andrea Keller (piano) Inspired by Allan Browne’s musical philosophy and collaborative spirit, Transients are a series of evolving trios devised by Andrea in 2016. The project has released multiple albums, including Transients Volume 1 & 2 (winning the Music Victoria Award for Best Jazz Album in 2019), and...
Designed to bring jazz musicians of all types into Australia's best jazz club every month for a night of music, fun, and community, The Lab Jams are a new initiative hosted by The JazzLab on the first Tuesday of every month. The night will begin with a set by the house band, led by pianisit/vibraphonist...
Tristan Wills returns to Melbourne for the second time, performing his original music with Julien Wilson on the Saxophone, Danny Fischer on the Drums and Ben Robertson on the Bass. Tristan’s first album, ‘The Genesis Project’ endeavors to explore the biblical narrative of Genesis through instrumental jazz. This next project, ‘Internal Dialogue’, ventures into a...
"Feist's 2004 breakthrough album Let It Die lures you into a more charmed dimension, one that's alternately soaked in the glow of sunshine-pop, shrouded in folky mystique, lit up in disco-ball glimmer". (Elizabeth Barker, Vinyl Me Please). This album by Canadian singer-songwriter Feist (her song ‘1, 2, 3, 4 went viral on one of the...
STELLA: The Miles Franklin Story is a new Australian musical by Melbourne composer/lyricist Monique diMattina. Starring ALMA ZYGIER as Stella and an all-star troupe including Xani Kolac, Fem Belling, Esther Henderson, Sam Lemann, Cat Canteri, Ben Robertson, Adrian Perger, Kalina Krusteva, Zara Giacobello, Darcy Kent, and Monique diMattina, this workshop performance will air the music...
STELLA: The Miles Franklin Story is a new Australian musical by Melbourne composer/lyricist Monique diMattina. Starring ALMA ZYGIER as Stella and an all-star troupe including Xani Kolac, Fem Belling, Esther Henderson, Sam Lemann, Cat Canteri, Ben Robertson, Adrian Perger, Kalina Krusteva, Zara Giacobello, Darcy Kent, and Monique diMattina, this workshop performance will air the music...
STELLA: The Miles Franklin Story is a new Australian musical by Melbourne composer/lyricist Monique diMattina. Starring ALMA ZYGIER as Stella and an all-star troupe including Xani Kolac, Fem Belling, Esther Henderson, Sam Lemann, Cat Canteri, Ben Robertson, Adrian Perger, Kalina Krusteva, Zara Giacobello, Darcy Kent, and Monique diMattina, this workshop performance will air the music...
Helen Svoboda (double bass), Tim Bekavac Green (drums and cymbals) and Joe O'Connor (piano) celebrate the launch of 'Time Together, Time Apart' an album of improvisation released by New York label 577 Records in May. The album was recorded in 2019 at a time when the musicians lived in different cities, across two continents (with...
The CELEBRATING VOICE series began in January 2020 with the mission to showcase and connect Australian jazz vocalists with instrumentalists in intimate ensembles outside of their usual working groups. With two singers (per concert) performing with the ‘house band’, the evenings running sheet features original Australian music, spontaneous collaborations, and onstage conversations (Q&A).The iterations of...
Cinematic and dream-like, Spirograph Studies build a collective dialogue using influences from post-rock, minimalism and neo-classical musical styles to create their live, genre-bending soundtrack. They introduce themes which slowly build to fill out the space they perform in, drawing on different sonic influences for each track. They are playing an extended series of performances at...
Lee Jones is a British jazz guitarist and composer, combining influences from modern jazz, fusion, blues, avant-garde and rock styles. Lee has regularly performed throughout the UK scene and recorded/performed/studied alongside Larry Coryell, Martin Taylor and Mike Stern. Since graduating from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Jazz Course in 2007, he has released seven solo albums...
Barney McAll - piano Julien Wilson - saxophones Ben Robertson - bass Danny Fischer - drums Introducing "Unforeseen," an improvising quartet reborn as a newborn's cry. They embark on a quest to reimagine the most obscure standard in any songbook, injecting them with hues of the toddler's crayola gesture. Like a riddle unravelling, their melodies...
Young trumpeter, composer, producer, electronics and vocalist Felix Meredith takes you on an adventurous, sublime journey. With his disparate band of musicians, having fun, sometimes chaotically deconstructing and reconstructing the groove based music they love. Felix Meredith (trumpet/vocals/electronics), Phil Collings (drums), Michael Tortoni (bass), Billie Rafferty (vocal/effects), Monty Price (guitar)
Melbourne based sextet ‘Cannonball’ presents its take on the timeless works of jazz/groove/soul master Julian 'Cannonball' Adderley. Fronted by acclaimed vocalist Chantal Mitvalsky, and featuring some of Australia’s finest jazz musicians, Cannonball will captivate you with its blend of soulful classics, infused with jazz, blues & gospel, and cemented in a deep, infectious groove. The...
Troy Roberts - saxophone Brett Williams - piano Sam Anning - bass Andrew Fisenden - drums Embracing his love for a vast variety of stylistic genres, two-time GRAMMY nominated saxophonist, Troy Roberts is quickly becoming one of the most widely recorded touring artists of his time. As a go-to first call saxophonist, his name adorns several essential...
Featuring two duo sets: Ikigai: Niran Dasika (trumpet) & Ollie Hanane (drum set) Mortlake: Callum Mintzis (trombone) & Theo Carbo (guitar) IKIGAI is the duo project of trumpeter Niran Dasika and drummer Oliver Ledi Hanane. The duo explores the inherent qualities within their respective playing styles, adapting and translating the uniqueness of the other onto...
James began playing classical guitar at age 7. He attended the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, studying classical guitar, and graduated in 1992. He is now based in Melbourne, Australia. James was the winner of the Ike Isaacs International Jazz Guitar Award. As a bandleader, James has released six albums and appeared on many recordings for...
Australian Music Prize-nominated composer Luke Howard has been described as “absolutely heavenly” (Mary Anne Hobbs, BBC Radio 6) and his music as “an ambient masterclass” (Musos’ Guide), but no words can fully capture the potency of Howard’s enthralling compositions. A pianist since childhood, Howard has scored films and performed with artists as diverse as Lior...
Embracing a multicultural language, while investing in a variety of disciplines within the music itself, composer, bandleader, drummer, and lyricist Gustavo Cortiñas continues to surpass himself in the breadth of his work. “Cortiñas' music is uplifting, robust, melodic, and gets your body moving; it's an exciting blend of the artist's musical influences from jazz and...
We're back this year with another round of MIJF’s iconic Late Night Jams. Every night of the festival we shake loose and get down after hours, with spontaneous, all-improvised and unrepeatable festival-only sessions led by local legends The Rookies. Consistently a highlight of the festival, these jam sessions celebrate everything we love about jazz—with Melbourne’s...
Talented saxophonist, composer, and band leader Cheryl Durongpisitkul debuts a powerfully evocative suite for 12-piece improvising ensemble that channels experiences of loss and healing. A dynamic, boundary-pushing musician, Durongpisitkul fuses contemporary jazz, avant-garde and rock/pop aesthetics in this new work commissioned by MIJF as part of our annual Take Note program. Cheryl Durongpisitkul - alto...
We're back this year with another round of MIJF’s iconic Late Night Jams. Every night of the festival we shake loose and get down after hours, with spontaneous, all-improvised and unrepeatable festival-only sessions led by local legends The Rookies. Consistently a highlight of the festival, these jam sessions celebrate everything we love about jazz—with Melbourne’s...
Hailed as one of the most gifted jazz trumpeters of her generation, Canadian Ingrid Jensen takes over The JazzLab for two nights of musical alchemy. Showcasing her abundant technical facility, the Vancouver-based trumpeter, composer and bandleader draws from an eclectic blend of influences ranging from traditional and classical jazz to American folk and avant-garde. Described...
Hailed as one of the most gifted jazz trumpeters of her generation, Canadian Ingrid Jensen takes over The JazzLab for two nights of musical alchemy. Showcasing her abundant technical facility, the Vancouver-based trumpeter, composer and bandleader draws from an eclectic blend of influences ranging from traditional and classical jazz to American folk and avant-garde. Described...
We're back this year with another round of MIJF’s iconic Late Night Jams. Every night of the festival we shake loose and get down after hours, with spontaneous, all-improvised and unrepeatable festival-only sessions led by local legends The Rookies. Consistently a highlight of the festival, these jam sessions celebrate everything we love about jazz—with Melbourne’s...
Hailed as one of the most gifted jazz trumpeters of her generation, Canadian Ingrid Jensen takes over The JazzLab for two nights of musical alchemy. Showcasing her abundant technical facility, the Vancouver-based trumpeter, composer and bandleader draws from an eclectic blend of influences ranging from traditional and classical jazz to American folk and avant-garde. Described...
Hailed as one of the most gifted jazz trumpeters of her generation, Canadian Ingrid Jensen takes over The JazzLab for two nights of musical alchemy. Showcasing her abundant technical facility, the Vancouver-based trumpeter, composer and bandleader draws from an eclectic blend of influences ranging from traditional and classical jazz to American folk and avant-garde. Described...
We're back this year with another round of MIJF’s iconic Late Night Jams. Every night of the festival we shake loose and get down after hours, with spontaneous, all-improvised and unrepeatable festival-only sessions led by local legends The Rookies. Consistently a highlight of the festival, these jam sessions celebrate everything we love about jazz—with Melbourne’s...
From his beginnings as one of Chicago’s most thrilling young trumpeters—winning the prestigious Thelonious Monk award in 2014—to his current status as an internationally renowned musician, composer and bandleader, Marquis Hill has worked tirelessly to break down the barriers that divide musical genres. Contemporary and classic jazz, hip-hop, R&B, Chicago house, neo-soul—to Hill, they’re all...
From his beginnings as one of Chicago’s most thrilling young trumpeters—winning the prestigious Thelonious Monk award in 2014—to his current status as an internationally renowned musician, composer and bandleader, Marquis Hill has worked tirelessly to break down the barriers that divide musical genres. Contemporary and classic jazz, hip-hop, R&B, Chicago house, neo-soul—to Hill, they’re all...
We're back this year with another round of MIJF’s iconic Late Night Jams. Every night of the festival we shake loose and get down after hours, with spontaneous, all-improvised and unrepeatable festival-only sessions led by local legends The Rookies. Consistently a highlight of the festival, these jam sessions celebrate everything we love about jazz—with Melbourne’s...
From his beginnings as one of Chicago’s most thrilling young trumpeters—winning the prestigious Thelonious Monk award in 2014—to his current status as an internationally renowned musician, composer and bandleader, Marquis Hill has worked tirelessly to break down the barriers that divide musical genres. Contemporary and classic jazz, hip-hop, R&B, Chicago house, neo-soul—to Hill, they’re all...
From his beginnings as one of Chicago’s most thrilling young trumpeters—winning the prestigious Thelonious Monk award in 2014—to his current status as an internationally renowned musician, composer and bandleader, Marquis Hill has worked tirelessly to break down the barriers that divide musical genres. Contemporary and classic jazz, hip-hop, R&B, Chicago house, neo-soul—to Hill, they’re all...
We're back this year with another round of MIJF’s iconic Late Night Jams. Every night of the festival we shake loose and get down after hours, with spontaneous, all-improvised and unrepeatable festival-only sessions led by local legends The Rookies. Consistently a highlight of the festival, these jam sessions celebrate everything we love about jazz—with Melbourne’s...
In recent years, pianist, composer and master improviser Nduduzo Makhathini has emerged from South Africa’s vibrant jazz scene to become one of the most in-demand musicians of our generation—performing across the globe at the world’s great jazz festivals and iconic venues. Following a series of intensive rehearsals, students from the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University...
“Strikingly exhilarating” - NYC Jazz Record Originally commissioned by the Netherlands' North Sea Jazz Festival, Dutch saxophonist and composer Marike van Dijk presents Stranded, an evocative work inspired by her experience of being unable to return home during the pandemic period. With a cinematic compositional style mixing influences from jazz, classical and indie rock, this...
We're back this year with another round of MIJF’s iconic Late Night Jams. Every night of the festival we shake loose and get down after hours, with spontaneous, all-improvised and unrepeatable festival-only sessions led by local legends The Rookies. Consistently a highlight of the festival, these jam sessions celebrate everything we love about jazz—with Melbourne’s...
"...a soul-meltingly communicative brass player" Free Jazz Collective Cologne-based Australian trombonist and composer Shannon Barnett and her German ensemble will hit the stage for a very special night at The JazzLab – their first Australian performances as a quartet in over seven years. After living and performing in NYC, Barnett moved to Germany to join...
"...a soul-meltingly communicative brass player" Free Jazz Collective Cologne-based Australian trombonist and composer Shannon Barnett and her German ensemble will hit the stage for a very special night at The JazzLab – their first Australian performances as a quartet in over seven years. After living and performing in NYC, Barnett moved to Germany to join...
We're back this year with another round of MIJF’s iconic Late Night Jams. Every night of the festival we shake loose and get down after hours, with spontaneous, all-improvised and unrepeatable festival-only sessions led by local legends The Rookies. Consistently a highlight of the festival, these jam sessions celebrate everything we love about jazz—with Melbourne’s...
Jazz vocalist and improviser extraordinaire Michelle Nicolle proved herself many years ago as one of Australia’s most gifted and expressive jazz vocalists. Warranting comparisons to the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter, and Mel Tormé, Nicolle is a singer in the true jazz tradition—a creative and masterful improviser with the technique to match any instrumentalist....
Since moving to France and forming his eponymous band in 2017, Melbourne-raised, Paris-based jazz pianist Daniel Gassin has gained major recognition in the European jazz world, distinguished by his clever fusion of diverse influences and deft melodic touch. Performing all-original material, the five-piece Daniel Gassin Crossover Band will present MIJF audiences with an energetic and...
We're back this year with another round of MIJF’s iconic Late Night Jams. Every night of the festival we shake loose and get down after hours, with spontaneous, all-improvised and unrepeatable festival-only sessions led by local legends The Rookies. Consistently a highlight of the festival, these jam sessions celebrate everything we love about jazz—with Melbourne’s...
Nduduzo Makhathini - piano Zwelakhe-Duma Bell le Pere - double bass Francisco Mela - drums The first South African musician to be signed to Blue Note Records and a long-time collaborator with Shabaka Hutchings, pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini has carved a unique space for himself in the global jazz scene. Growing up in the...
Nduduzo Makhathini - piano Zwelakhe-Duma Bell le Pere - double bass Francisco Mela - drums The first South African musician to be signed to Blue Note Records and a long-time collaborator with Shabaka Hutchings, pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini has carved a unique space for himself in the global jazz scene. Growing up in the...
We're back this year with another round of MIJF’s iconic Late Night Jams. Every night of the festival we shake loose and get down after hours, with spontaneous, all-improvised and unrepeatable festival-only sessions led by local legends The Rookies. Consistently a highlight of the festival, these jam sessions celebrate everything we love about jazz—with Melbourne’s...
Nduduzo Makhathini - piano Zwelakhe-Duma Bell le Pere - double bass Francisco Mela - drums The first South African musician to be signed to Blue Note Records and a long-time collaborator with Shabaka Hutchings, pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini has carved a unique space for himself in the global jazz scene. Growing up in the...
Nduduzo Makhathini - piano Zwelakhe-Duma Bell le Pere - double bass Francisco Mela - drums The first South African musician to be signed to Blue Note Records and a long-time collaborator with Shabaka Hutchings, pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini has carved a unique space for himself in the global jazz scene. Growing up in the...
Sam Anning (Bass), Kyrie Anderson (drums) & Andrea Keller (piano) Inspired by Allan Browne’s musical philosophy and collaborative spirit, Transients are a series of evolving trios devised by Andrea in 2016. The project has released multiple albums, including Transients Volume 1 & 2 (winning the Music Victoria Award for Best Jazz Album in 2019), and...
Melbourne’s own Jazzlab Orchestra presses re-set on the big band tradition: creating visionary, original, genre-bending jazz music with a focus on diversity and inclusivity. Led by composer/arrangers Cheryl Durongpisitkul and Madison James Smith, the orchestra celebrates Melbourne’s next generation of instrumentalists. The Orchestra continues the tradition of the Bennetts Lane Big Band with a monthly...
Jazz boasts some very special saxophone and guitar collaborations. Think Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane, Pat Metheny & Ornette Coleman, Mike Stern & Michael Brecker, Kurt Rosenwinkel & Mark Turner. At this Jazzlab gig, Andy Sugg plays the best music to come from these collaborations with an old collaborator of his own, Carl Orr, while...
Led by Tamil Rogeon and Ryan Ritchie, The Raah Project takes new shots at the established ideas of Electronica Hip Hop, Pop, Contemporary, Dance and Soul music featuring a 17 piece jungle orchestra with strings, horns and song. The Raah Project is an original large ensemble, contemporary music project embracing both traditional and new principles...
What could go wrong when you bring together a group of musicians who haven’t played since the glory days of high school big band? The SKOB Big Band return to Jazzlab in 2023 to play the best jazz, funk, rock and Latin big band charts. Since forming in 2020, they are once again ready to...
SHE’S BACK! We are thrilled to announce the return of Fem Belling, making her Jazzlab return after 328 days of touring Australia in the land of Music Theatre (Cruel Intentions) and singing national anthems (Boxing Day Test). Fem will be returning to her roots in jazz music, bringing her a wealth of experience and a...
Melbourne Lawyers' Big Band is back again! Come along for a Sunday afternoon of classic jazz, sweet soul and super funky music.
Woodwind soloist Brennan Hamilton-Smith (clarinet & tenor saxophone) is probably best-known for his work on clarinet with ensembles such as “Reverse Swing”. However, he is equally adept in contemporary idioms, recording all-originals with his group Rhombus on their album, “Enter The Rats Nest”. For this performance he is joined by long-time collaborator Kade Brown (piano),...
