Melbourne Jazz Co-Op
The Melbourne Jazz Co-operative is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and promoting original live jazz performance by established and emerging artists in Melbourne. Since 1983 our objectives have been to increase the exposure of contemporary jazz performance by making it accessible to audiences, and to provide award waged performance opportunities for emerging and established artists.
The Melbourne Jazz Co-Operative presents music here on Sunday nights.
MJC Presents: I Hold The Lion's Paw
Jon Hassell meets Ornette Coleman, meets Sun Ra. I Hold the Lion's Paw sounds familiar and, at the same time, like nothing else you’ve ever heard. It is the brainchild of trumpeter-composer-electronic artist Reuben Lewis, who navigates his team of longstanding collaborators into an immersive world of electro-acoustic ambience, slowly evolving soundtracks, grungy afro-beat grooves and psychedelic free jazz. This is music as assemblage, using the stage as a laboratory whilst practicing post-production sorcery in real-time.
MJC Presents: Robbie Melville's smallCHESTRA
Robbie Melville’s smallCHESTRA is the latest project from Melville, winner of the Instrumental Category of the 2018 International Song Competition. The six members of the smallCHESTRA explore the meeting point between folk melody, jazz harmony and textural improvisation through a series of compositions written by Melville that allow room for spontaneous interaction, introductions and endings as soloists, duos and trios.
Featuring Melbourne jazz veterans Ronny Ferella (drums), Tamara Murphy (bass), Robbie Melville (guitar), Gideon Brazil (tenor saxophone) and Adam Simmons (alto saxophone), with classical cellist Zoe Knighton, the smallCHESTRA creates a spectacular range of dynamic and timbral possibilities in a relatively small package, and blurs the lines between contemporary folk and modern jazz.