News

On April 14 at The Retreat Hotel, Robert Bundle (Songlines), Leila Gurruwiwi (Agency Projects, 3KND), Fred Gesha (Festival Producer at City of Port Phillip) and Paul Gorrie (DJ PGZ) will explore how First Nations artists are creating spaces where wellbeing, cultural safety, and artistic integrity coexist. Local DJ PGZ joins Edd Fisher for a guest mix and to talk about this event, tune in to learn more about Yarning Strong - a panel event presented in partnership with Blak Stage.

Formed in Santiniketan, West Bengal, in 2009, The Three Seas grew out of an all-night jam between Australian saxophonist Matt Keegan and local musicians Raju Das Baul and Deo Ashis Mothey, alongside Kolkata-based drummer Gaurab 'Gaboo' Chatterjee. Joining Pradip on Tiger Beats Elephant Grooves, tune in to hear about their new album 'Antahkarana', a luminous meeting of Baul mysticism, Himalayan folk, rock and dub, which they'll be performing at Jazz Lab on April 11. 

Tune in to Blue Juice this weekend as Mohair Slim is joined by Ezra Lee and Jumpin Jethro Whittaker, who will be playing at The Rainbow Hotel on April 19. Lead singer and barrelhouse piano player Ezra Lee and his band The Moon Rockers, are a 1940s and 50s inspired combo playing only the wildest songs with the big boogie woogie beat featuring singer guitarist Jumpin' Jethro Whittaker and the red hot rhythm section of Big Ray West on bass and Danny Catalfi on drums.

Womaloya is an international musical collaboration between five female artists from the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific. Five artists from Réunion Island and Australia create new music together for the first time, blending the traditional Maloya of Réunion Island with contemporary Australian sounds. Tune in to Flight 1067 to Africa for an intimate live performance and interview with this remarkable collective of musicians.

Joining Greg Sher on Stars In The Static this Sunday are Dylan van der Schyff and Peggy Lee from Open Thread. Having formed in 2023 during a series of improvised performances at Bar 303, the band are celebrating the release of their second album, 'Waiting Music’. Melodically rich, sonically diverse and rhythmically compelling, the new record reveals an even deeper sense of collaboration and cohesion. Tune in to hear about their upcoming show at Jazzlab on April 26.

Richard Barrett's music is widely regarded around the world for its complexity of both musical and conceptual ideas, often informed by his own background and interests in genetics, microbiology, physics, astronomy, and philosophy. Now based in The Netherlands, Welsh-born Barrett has a long association with Australia having worked with Elision Ensemble and Speak Percussion. Richard Barrett joins Ian to talk about his newly recorded work, 'close-up' for electroacoustic ensemble.

Joining Brooke on Homebrew this Monday is Brigette from Monet's Pond - a locally based indie alt-R&B artist blending neo-soul, hip hop, and psychedelic pop into immersive sonic worlds. She'll be chatting about performing at 'Break The Tower: Love Thy Neighbour', which is a massive dayfest fundraiser generating proceeds to the U.S. based non-profit organisation: The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC). Tune in to hear more about the event happening at Bergy Bandroom on April 26.

Local musicians Patrick Ryan (Cantrips) and Lachlan Stuckey (Surprise Chef) have teamed up to form the new project Blademasters. Their debut release 'King’s Knight' and 'Live By The Blade' features delicate acoustic guitar arrangements in unison, set against a dramatic rhythm section, which is inspired by David Axelrod's bold cinematic jazz works of the 1960s and 1970s. Tune in to Mystic Brew as Mike Gurrieri catches up with the duo ahead of their launch at High Note on April 23.