drummer/composer Phil Collings releases his new recording Bright Angles- the very first release for Cross Street Recordings!! more info on that to come

opening set

Tom Stewart-Toner solo guitar

Bright Angles 

Phil Collings drums Cheryl Durongpisitkul Alto sax

Stephen Hornby - Bass Ben Carr tenor sax

Tix at the door $20/$10

SPACE JAM is committed to being a welcoming environment for women and nonbinary musicians of all skill levels, but all are welcome and encouraged to bring an instrument, take up space and make noise!

House band TBC!

Free Entry

An afternoon of games inspired music making- creativity and just plain games.Hosted by Maximum Anything with special guest Emily Bennett.All welcome and all invited to be a player..
https://fb.me/e/a9JDAprWk

tix at the door $20/$10

Duré Dara (percussion), Ren Walters (guitar) & Scott McConnachie (saxophone)

These three artists and long-term friends have collaborated in varied combinations, venues and lounge rooms. Each deeply dedicated to their practice of improvisational music making, Duré, Ren and Scott listen and create, with a genuine desire to share a unique, meaningful adventure in music with each other and with others. This special performance marks the launch of new local improvised music label - Tense Records.

Presented by Lounge Room, Tense Records

Everyone welcome
First Nations Peoples free entry, select ticket type or just come along
Tix Full Price $20 + booking fee presale, or $25 on the door
Tix Concession $10 + booking fee presale, or $15 on the door
Those with lack of funds, select ticket type or just come along

Venue is fully wheelchair accessible (excepting the stage)
Venue has both a carpark and on-street parking
Venue has gender neutral toilets
Drinks and tea are available at the bar

If you need further info, please email Lisa - info@lisasalvo.com

Fridays@ Cross Street is an ongoing series presenting the new in Jazz,
improvisation and experimental music. Shows in a relaxed and cosy setting-
in the Library space- an intimate 25 seat salon style venue, and in the main hall.
The new Friday night series features a roster of four curators shaping a diverse and exciting musical programme:   

Tickets at the door $20 $10 concession

Free Jam
Operation: Free Jam is an all-inclusive (bring your instrument) night of music-making. Jams are hosted by band Operation at Cross Street Music Hall. OPEN JAM FREE MUSIC IMPROVISED MUSIC.
Featuring new artists/ensembles/performers monthly.
OPERATION:
Hendrix Hamalainen - trumpet
Hugh Collins - saxophone
Liam Perry - bass
Paddy Walter – drums

Fridays@ Cross Street is an ongoing series presenting the new in Jazz,
improvisation and experimental music. Shows in a relaxed and cosy setting-
in the Library space- an intimate 25 seat salon style venue, and in the main hall.
The new Friday night series features a roster of four curators shaping a diverse and exciting musical programme:   

Tickets at the door $20 $10 concession

The Antripodean Collective  is an ever-changing group of the finest improvising musicians in Australia. The aim of this group is to explore improvised music from every angle and in every form, going beyond the boundaries of jazz. The musicians for this performance are Scott Tinkler, Erkki Veltheim, Scott McConnachie, Ren Walters and Simon Barker. 

Scott Tinkler acts as curator seeking to create situations that challenge the comfort zones of each musician in order for them to explore all possibilities. Each configuration creates differences, sparks a new dialogue and seeks out the collective spirit. The result is a music that reveals highs and lows, strengths and weaknesses, to reward the listener with its many moments of brilliance.

Fridays@ Cross Street is an ongoing series presenting the new wave in jazz,
experimental and new music. Shows in a relaxed and cosy setting-
in the Library - an intimate 25 seat salon style venue, and in the main hall.

Cross Street aims to connect the local community with new and exciting musical ideas- creating an inviting, fun and enriching listening experience.
Cross Street are pleased & excited to share this night with the BMF 2024

8:pm-8:50 Loose Leaf Trio (Library)
9.15pm-10:15pm Gemma Horbury; “The Story of The Earth” (Main Hall)
10:45-11:30 pm Blah Blah Bley-play the music of Carla Bley (Library)

Loose Leaf: Saragossi/Svoboda/van der Schyff

Led by award-winning saxophonist Andrew Saragossi and featuring two of Australia's most idiosyncratic and exciting improvisers Helen Svoboda (d.bass) and Dylan van der Schyff (drums), Loose Leaf (MEL/CAN), are an adventurous trio who thrive in the penumbra of jazz and improvised music. The group employ a captivating blend of individual expression and collective exploration to cultivate moments of profound beauty, fierce intensity, deep groove and pure spontaneous ecstasy. “I don’t know much but I do know this – music is about feelings and communication and the trio Loose Leaf have both in spades.” - Ian Muldoon, The Music Trust Each member brings a deeply personal and fearless approach to their instrument and music in general, employing extended techniques and textural improvisation, alongside expressive lyricism to create a truly unique listening experience every time. "...Andrew’s thumbprint of inventiveness on the page and on the horn is perceptible. Alongside his lilting and explosive expression, Dylan’s effervescent kit stylings and Helen’s impressive bowing technique and commanding voice on the bass come together to provide, on each measure, intrigue, delight and wonderment to the ear." - Josh Underhill, Hot Cup of Jazz The trio released their debut album “How We Cope” in April 2023 through the Brisbane-based independent label MADE NOW MUSIC. After concluding a national tour in support of the release in May & June 2023, the trio are now looking forward to returning to Brisbane in November to perform at the Brisbane International Jazz Festival.

Gemma Horbury-The Story of Earth

This is the story of Earth, from its beginnings in a cloud of stardust, 4.6 billion years ago. A trek through time from the first oceans and the formation of the moon, to finding the “just right” balance of oxygen in the atmosphere. 

Tumble back to the present at 100 million years a minute, in a story shared through words, gestures and music.

Gemma Horbury is an artist, performer and community collaborator working across sound, music, video and installation.

She curates Melbourne’s iconic exploratory music and sound night La Mama Musica, and performs regularly with ensembles including Lo-res and the JazzLab Orcheztra. In 2019, her group ThunderGrass won the Melbourne International Women’s Jazz Festival Recording Prize.

Gem uses art to imagine radical futures: new ways to live together in the time of climate emergency. From the site-specific aeonium installation “grow” (Thornbury Station), to the animation “Things With Holes In” (SeenSound), and “Ritual for Plastic and Everlastings” (with Emily Bennett at Make it Up Club), Gemma plays with notions of ugly/beautiful, dead/alive, and trash/treasure to draw attention to the dissociative state humanity so readily accepts. #ListenForTheFuture, begun during Melbourne’s second lockdown in 2020, invites people to share their vision for tomorrow through short audio-visual artworks. Listening is also at the heart of her recent work creating rituals for connection, slowing down and exploring interspecies relationships.

Blah Blah Bley- Play the Music Of Carla Bley

Matt Sheen piano Stephen Hornby bass Ronny Ferella drums

Blah Blah Blah- a conventional jazz piano trio setting that moves from the sublime to the absurd. Powered by the music, spirit & creativity of the American composer/pianist Carla Blay. One of the true originals from the jazz tradition. Bley’s music can be sweet, funny, dreamy and just simply beautiful.

This is old music played new- by three of Melbourne’s forward thinking jazz & beyond musicians.

Fridays@ Cross Street is an ongoing series presenting the new in Jazz,
improvisation and experimental music. Shows in a relaxed and cosy setting-
in the Library space- an intimate 25 seat salon style venue, and in the main hall.
The new Friday night series features a roster of four curators shaping a diverse and exciting musical programme:                              
March 1st
Phil Noy Presents- A Melbourne icon with a unique take on the jazz tradition, saxophonist Phil Noy presents an ever changing lineup of small group jazz.
Griffin Youngs Trombone
Phil Noy saxophone
Nick Haywood bass
Ronny Ferella drums

Tickets at the door $20 $10 concession

“A joyous carousel of music for piano, performed by award-winning

pianist Adam McMillan. Featuring beloved Gershwin melodies and jazz-influenced Ravel, alongside the nostalgic film music of Joe Hisaishi, and more. Join Adam for an evening ofmusical enchantment.”

Tickets at the door or at link below $25/$35

Program

GERSHWIN Jazz Preludes 6:00

GERSHWIN-WILD The Man I Love 3:00

GERSHWIN-WILD Embraceable You 3:00

RAVEL Pavane pour une infante défunte 6:00

RAVEL Valses nobles et senQmentales 15:30

HISAISHI One Summer’s Day (from Spirited Away) 4:00

HISAISHI Ashitaka and San (from Princess Mononoke) 4:00

HISAISHI Merry-Go-Round of Life (from Howl’s Moving Castle) 3:00

POULENC Toccata 2:00

DOHNANYI Rhapsody in C 5:00

(Encore) ~5:00

TOTAL TIME 56:30

Adam McMillan is a highly acclaimed Melbourne-based pianist known for his dynamic performances as a recitalist, chamber musician, and concerto soloist. With accolades including first prize in the Melbourne Recital Centre’s Great RomanQcs CompeQQon, and the Musica Viva Chamber Music Prize, Adam is carving out a unique path in the Australianmusical landscape. Recent highlights include performing Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto with the Bendigo Symphony Orchestra, a debut solo recital for Australian Digital Concert Hall, and duet recitals with concert pianist Garrick Ohlsson for Musica Viva Australia.

Adam enjoys performing alongside a variety of musical collaborators, including with award-winning violinist Kyla Matsuura-Miller together as Duo Piaggio.

Maximum Anything is a new initiative aimed at presenting new and exciting music, art, ideas, anything. Artists are free to be who they want, as is the audience. It also aims to create a place for our community to share, experience and enjoy with each other.

Maximum Anything in collaboration with Brisbane-based independent label MADE NOW MUSIC present a Mini-Festival at the Merri-Bek Bandroom (aka Cross St) celebrating another year of creative music and new releases (happy 5th birthday to MNM!), with food, drink, community activities and most importantly performances from the Melbourne contingent of the MADE NOW MUSIC family.

The festival features Melbourne based MNM artists who have released music on the label in 2023, as well as friends of the label. As a special treat, MNM founder/director Brodie McAllister will be presenting his latest work for large ensemble “Wattle” with a cross-city lineup featuring artists from Brisbane and Melbourne.

LINEUP:

I Hold the Lions Paw
Wattle (Bris/Melb) - large ensemble work by Brodie McAllister
The Rest is Silence
蛾 (Ga) - van der Schyff/Lee/Saragossi/Doo (Album Launch)
Franklin | Carter
Andrew Doo Trio
Mortlake
Ash Ballat (solo)
Pat Jaffe (solo)
Helen Svoboda (solo)

"MADE NOW MUSIC is a Brisbane-based independent music label, concert series and community of artists dedicated to music of quality and heart. We are committed to putting out art from artists that we believe in. MNM focusses on releasing music being created now from artists not categorised by genre, but by common ethos - quality, honest music, made now."

https://www.madenowmusic.com/
https://madenowmusic.bandcamp.com/

1:00pm - 9:00pm // $15 // social basketball, book/CD swap // drinks available

Bernie and The Baddies, led by Bernice Ramos, is a ten-piece band of improvising students based in South-East Melbourne. Drawing from their backgrounds in jazz, funk, pop and R&B, The Baddies are here to celebrate femininity (other Baddies!) and girlhood through original music and groovy, horn-heavy arrangements of Gen-Z classics. Bernie and The Baddies is a collaboration between a diverse range of young musicians exploring how live music can uplift the community.

Lu Yang (vocals)
Atharv Joshi (piano)
Bill Xue (keyboard/synths) 
Harsha Rajkumar (electric guitar)
Chezzarina Cinquegrana (electric bass)
Alan Nguyen (drums) 
Ashling O’Farrell (trombone)
Bradley Brückner (alto saxophone)
Akari Hirayama (alto saxophone)
Bernice Ramos (tenor saxophone)

9.30pm Old Country, New Country is the collaborative ensemble of Paul Williamson (trumpet), Peggy Lee (cello), and Dylan van der Schyff (drums). The group employs a wide range of extended instrumental techniques, diverse formal concepts, and stylistic boundary crossing to explore the intersections of composition, free improvisation, and experimental music. The group will release their first eponymously titled recording in December of 2023. 

Doors open 7pm Music 7.30pm

Tickets $20/$10 at the door or online

Magic Lantern Sessions are back at Radio Springs Hotel in picturesque Lyonville (1hr 20mins out of Melbourne CBD)
Classic silent films projected on film in a 35 seat cinema with
realitime music score created by Robbie Melville & Ronny Ferella

The New Babylon is a 1929 silent historical drama film written and directed by Grigori Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg. The film deals with the 1871 Paris Commune and the events leading to it, and follows the encounter and tragic fate of two lovers separated by the barricades of the Commune.

Tickets at the door or here https://www.trybooking.com/CLPRA

Jam Session- with an all welcome attitude.  Stay tuned for more deets on this one.  

Fridays are back at Cross Street with music of all shape and colour.

Blah Blah Bley

is a new piano bass drums trio performing the music of the very wonderful Carla Bley. In the spirit and as a tribute to the great composer Blah Blah Bley will be navigating a new and personal expression through these compositions.

Matt Steele piano
Stephen Hornby bass
Ronny Ferella drums

Rare Earth Trio

is a newly formed ensemble featuring Rob Vincs on saxs and flute. Georgina Lewis  on Piano and Sam Price on drums, occasionally performing with interactive electronics. The Rare Earth Trio plays music that is intimate and evocative, exploring timbre, texture, melody, rhythm and extended techniques as pathways to immersive experience, healing and cajoling the soul to explore the deeper aspects of self. The Rare Earth Trio is an organic collaboration between three players that have performed in various ensembles together over a number of years now with the intention of making music that explores each others musical language.

$20 full $10 concession Tix at the door or here https://www.trybooking.com/CNBGS

Doors 8pm Music 8.30pm

PRIME is Scott McConnachie - saxophones + Ren Walters - guitars and have

been making music together for 13 years.

We play improvised music. The sound is a consequence of relation, receptivity to

transpersonal and superpersonal energetic emanations and forces. Vibrational

structures coalesce and disintegrate with and despite our efforts.

We will be joined for some or all of the evening’s music by percussionist Adam

King.

Fridays are back at Cross Street with music of all shape and colour.
8.30pm Robbie Melville Quartet
The Robbie Melville Quartet is the latest project from the guitarist and composer, winner of the Instrumental Category of the 2018 International Song Competition. With the sympathetic rhythm section of bassist Tamara Murphy and drummer Maddison Carter, and featuring Zoe Knighton on cello, the quartet explore a juxtaposition of heavily structured arrangements with free spirited extemporisation, informed in equal measure by contemporary jazz and Norwegian folk, the sparse and playful writings of Richard Brautigan, the photography of Viktor Kolář, the film soundtracks of Mark Orton. Delicate, humourous, ethereal, intimate and quirky.

“While subtly evading expectations, Robbie Melville loads his music with a restrained melancholy conveying innocence rather than knowingness, the upshot being an unusual emotional ambiguity blending resignation and contentment”. - John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald

Beautifully recorded, Tangled Trails faithfully captures Melville as poet and storyteller, spinning sonic fictions - Des Cowley, Rhythms Magazine

Robbie Melville

9.30pm +F:rst Sunn+
After releasing their debut album earlier this year +F:rst Sunn+ return to their spiritual home to begin their next chapter together. It has become abundantly clear over the last couple of years of working together that this group of musicians are onto something special and recognising that these types of connections are rare and fleeting Stephen Hornby has wasted no time writing some new material that digs deeper into and expands on what this band can be. Come hear us premiere some new pieces as well as a couple of classics!

 Stephen Hornby - Bass

Cheryl Durongpisitkul - Alto Saxophone

Andrew Saragossi - Tenor Saxophone

Tom Stewart-Toner - Guitar

Phil Collings - Drums

https://frstsunn.bandcamp.com/album/f-rst-sunn

https://youtu.be/qM9aPw5FP18?si=JT4CuCgEw7vHxBUJ

Doors at 8pm music 8.30pm

$20 full $10 concession Tix at the door or here

Maximum Anything is a new initiative aimed at presenting new and exciting music, art, ideas, anything. Artists are free to be who they want, as is the audience. It also aims to create a place for our community to share, experience and enjoy with each other.

Maximum Anything events will occur monthly on Sunday afternoons at the newly refurbished Merri-bek City Bandhall (AKA Cross Street), featuring music, food, drink amongst other fun activities.

Maximum Anything #1
Sunday 12 November
2:30pm Social Basketball Game (if the weather is good)
3:00pm CD/Book Swap (bring a book/CD, take a book/CD - no $$ changing hands here folks)
4:00pm Music by Oliver Ledi Hanane's C.A.G.E Squares Project

Tickets $15 at https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1142323...

Oliver Ledi Hanane's C.A.G.E Squares Project: '4 Plus 2':

C.A.G.E Squares (Chance-Assisted Generative Exercise) is a method of generating stimulus for musical composition by incorporating a degree of chance within the creative process. It is comprised of several categories of pre-prepared prompts (squares), which participants blindly draw from prior to composing, directly informing the outcomes of the final composition. The ensemble convenes just prior to the performance and each member is allocated a 30-minute timed period to complete a playable piece of music using the this process. The compositions are then immediately performed to a live audience. The pieces are not rehearsed, only a verbal description accompanies the physical score. The concept aims to showcase the musical and compositional sensibilities of the musicians as they navigate new musical terrain and relationships without preparation.

The ‘4 Plus 2’ iteration brings together six improvisers; four voices and two rhythm players. The musicians will collaborate to write a suite of music in the aforementioned manner, that showcases the interconnected relationship between vocal expression and rhythmic instrumental playing within an improvisational setting.

Magic Lantern Sessions are back at Radio Springs Hotel in picturesque Lyonville (1hr 20mins out of Melbourne CBD)
Classic silent films projected on film in a 35 seat cinema with
realitime music score created by Robbie Melville & Ronny Ferella
Coming up Aelita: Queen of Mars-
A Soviet Sci Fi classic-Rocket ships to Mars- interstellar popular uprisings and love affairs.

Tickets at the door or here https://www.trybooking.com/CLPRA

One of the earliest full-length films about space travel, the most notable segment remains its remarkable constructivist Martian sets by Isaac Rabinovich and Victor Simov and costumes designed by Aleksandra Ekster. Their influence can be seen in a number of later films, including the Flash Gordon serials and probably Fritz Lang's Metropolis and Woman in the Moon and the more recent Liquid Sky.

Fridays are back at Cross Street with music of all shape and colour.
7.30pm The Merri-bek Quintet
Led by Howard Norsetter (trumpet) and Radha Claridge (saxophone), the Merri-bek Quintet plays a spicy blend of 1960’s Soul Jazz and Latin tunes with the occasional laid-back ballad. Drawing on the Blue Note catalogue of that era, the band presents a treasure trove of tasty tunes by Nat Adderley, Kenny Burrell, Lou Donaldson, Eddie Harris, Horace Silver, Jobim and others. The rhythm section, featuring Caleb Fortuin (piano), Sam Lindrea (bass) and James Fisher (drums), lay down the sophisticated funky grooves that give the Merri-bek Quintet a sweet party vibe.

8.30pm Trip
Trip is the world’s first unoffical Joey Baron tribute band. In the spirit of the great drummer Trip goes their own way, doing things in a not quite predictable fashion, embracing the fun, daring and sometimes the deep.

Shaun Rammers sax

Ellie Lamb trombone

Ronny Ferella drums

9.30pm Antifragile Things That Gain from Disorder- a collectivity of musical histories, bumping off each other, coalescing and coming apart. Antifragile is making it up as it is happenoing.

Ronny Ferella drums/samples
Emily Bennett vox/text

Cheryl Durongpisitkul sax

Stephen Hornby bass

Doors at 7pm music 7.30pm

$20 full $10 concession Tix at the door or here https://www.trybooking.com/CMZWO

Fridays are back at Cross Street with music of all shape and colour.

Multi everything saxophonist Phil Noy coninues his fortnightly residency showcasing new ensembles, new tunes all in his Phil Noy way.

Doors 8pm Music 8.30pm
Phil Noy saxJames
Sherlock guitar
Robbie Finch bass
Sam bates drums

$20 full $10 concession Tix at the door or press the button

Fridays are back at Cross Street with music of all shape and colour.

Multi everything saxophonist Phil Noy coninues his fortnightly residency showcasing new ensembles, new tunes all in his Phil Noy way.

Doors 8pm Music 8.30pm
Line up TBC

$20 full $10 concession Tix at the door or press the button

Fridays are back at Cross Street with music of all shape and colour.

Multi everything saxophonist Phil Noy coninues his fortnightly residency showcasing new ensembles, new tunes all in his Phil Noy way.

$20 full $10 concession Tix at the door

Fridays are back at Cross Street with music of all shape and colour.
8.30pm Dave Brown
David Brown has been involved in the Melbourne avant-garde, art rock/punk rock scene since the mid-seventies. For this Library gig he will present his solo project “candlesnuffer"
9.30pm Loose Leaf
Loose Leaf: Saragossi/Svoboda/van der Schyff
Led by award-winning saxophonist Andrew Saragossi and featuring two of Australia's most idiosyncratic and exciting improvisers Helen Svoboda (d.bass) and Dylan van der Schyff (drums), Loose Leaf (MEL/CAN), are an adventurous trio who thrive in the penumbra of jazz and improvised music. The group employ a captivating blend of individual expression and collective exploration to cultivate moments of profound beauty, fierce intensity, deep groove and pure
spontaneous ecstasy.
“I don’t know much but I do know this – music is about feelings and communication and
the trio Loose Leaf have both in spades.”
- Ian Muldoon, The Music Trust

Doors at 8pm music 8.30pm

$20 full $10 concession Tix at the door or here

https://www.trybooking.com/CLVNY

Fundraiser to raise money for disaster relief for the people of Libya & Morocco. All money raised will be directly passed on to Unicef campaigns-
Morocco Earthquake | Children's Emergency Appeal
Libya Flood Crisis
All tix $10 (of course you can donate more)
Bands from the Merri Bek City Band family with special guests-
psych jazz explorers I Hold The Lion's Paw to close the show.
Line up:
The Ramblers 5pm
Hot Cross Seven 6pm
Phoenix Big Band 7pm

8pm Michelle Nicolle Solo piano/voice (Library)
I Hold The Lion's Paw 8.30pm with guests..

Fridays are back at Cross Street with music of all shape and colour.

Multi everything saxophonist Phil Noy kicks off his residency with two sets of trio tunes.

Phil Noy saxophone

Aaron Choulia piano

Danny Fischerdrums

Ben Hanlon bass

$20 full $10 concession Tix at the door or
here https://www.trybooking.com/CKPTY

Fridays are back at Cross Street with music of all shape and colour.

8.30 pm Sofia Carbonara and Pat Jaffe Duo

Sofia Carbonara (vibraphone) Pat Jaffe (piano)

9.30pm Ronny Ferella/Shaun Rammers duo -drums/sax/clarinets/looper/bells/whistles-the lot

Naarm-based American vibraphonist Sofia Carbonara is a virtuosic improviser and collaborator across mediums. Pat Jaffe is a pianist/composer from Melbourne who creates music that sits somewhere at the midpoint between the jazz and classical genres. Together this sonorous duo finds surprising forms across their complementary keyboards.

Ronny & Shuan have been performing in duo format for many years now and have developed a repertoire through a non verbal acknowledgement and recognition of what is that keeps them both making music together in this manner. It is a music based on friendship-curiosity and trust in the process.

Doors at 8pm music 8.30pm

$20 full $10 concession Tix at the door or
here https://www.trybooking.com/CKPTH

Fridays are back at Cross Street with music of all shape and colour.

Multi everything saxophonist Phil Noy kicks off his residency with two sets of trio tunes.

Phil Noy saxophone

Sam bates drums

Ben Hanlon bass

$20 full $10 concession Tix at the door or
here
https://www.trybooking.com/CKPTN