Uptown Jazz Cafe - Melbourne's newest jazz and improvised music venue

The 18th Birthday week kicks off with Saxophone colossus Carl Mackey and Quartet return to the Uptown stage this Wednesday to deliver a night of hard swinging jazz.

Melbourne based saxophonist, Carl Mackey has been a stalwart on the Australian jazz landscape for more than three decades. Renowned for his versatile and emotionally charged playing style, he has shared the stage with a diverse array of artists, including Lionel Hampton, Kurt Elling, Sammy Figueroa, Ben Wendel, James Morrison, Kate Ceberano, Boy and Bear, Blur, Noel Gallagher,
and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

He has supported international stars such as James Brown, Harry Connick Jnr, The Yellowjackets, Ray Charles and Dianne Reeves.
Co-leader of award-winning group Speedball, he is a member of the Sam Anning Sextet, Australian National Jazz Orchestra, lead alto in the Vanessa Perica Orchestra and can be heard in groups as diverse as Andrea Keller’s Composer’s Circle through to latin orchestra, La Influencia.
A two time James Morrison Scholarship finalist, and a Freedman Fellowship finalist in 2006, Mackey has toured extensively with appearances in the United States, UK, Italy, India, and is a regular fixture on the national jazz festival scene with regular performances at the Melbourne, Perth, Wangaratta, Brisbane and Sydney International Jazz Festivals.




Tix $30/25 concession - seats still available
Cash entry - cards fine at the bar

Doors open 7.30, music from 8pm.

bookings please email us - uptownjazzcafe@email.com

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Guitarist Nash Lee (12 Tone Diamonds, Rabid Hawk) leads a refined new quartet featuring acclaimed Australian saxophonist Julien Wilson, alongside local legends bassist Chris Hale and in-demand drummer Dave Beck. Together, they explore subtle rhythmic interplay and melodic dialogue — a sound that honours the jazz tradition while embracing open improvisation and forward motion.
Lee began his musical journey in the mid-to-late ’90s on the NSW North Coast, mentored by rhythm visionary Greg Sheehan and guitarist Jim Kelly.
Having spent most of his career in original improvised music, Lee has more recently turned his focus toward the jazz standard repertoire — refining his voice within the tradition while maintaining an adventurous, exploratory edge.

“Lee’s playing gripped me… tightening his lyrical sound until he seemed to meet resistance in the air.”
— John Clare, SIMA

“Guitarist Nash Lee is the wild card in the band. Whether soloing or accompanying, he constantly produces unexpected melodic and textural ideas. Not a bebop cliché in sight.”
— Adrian Jackson


Tix $30/25 concession - seats still available

Cash entry - cards fine at the bar

Doors open 7.30, music from 8pm.

bookings please email us - uptownjazzcafe@email.com

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bookings - uptownjazzcafe@email.com

The  beautiful trumpet player Paul Williamson leads an all-star group, playing swinging standards and beautiful ballads with a distinct, mellow trumpet sound.

Paul has established a reputation for producing distinctive recordings of outstanding ensemble performances. Williamson is the leading artist on ten commercially released CD releases.
 
Williamson has performed with international jazz artists at festivals and venues in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. He was active in the European jazz scene whilst based in Dublin and performed with Bill Carothers, Dave Liebman, Reggie Washington, Paul Wertico, Ronan Guilfoyle, Lindsay Horner, Michael Buckley ad Métier before returning to Melbourne in 2009.  His recent performances include collaborations with Eddie Palmieri, Tomasz StaÅ„ko, Charlie Haden, Kenny Werner, John Abercrombie, the Australian Art Orchestra, Hermeto Pascoal, Aaron Goldberg, Django Bates, Mike Nock, Tony Gould, Nasheet Waits, Mark Helias, and the Monash Art Ensemble.  In 2014 Williamson was invited by Dave Douglas to perform at the Festival for New Trumpet Music (FONT) in New York City where he premiered a program of new compositions. 
In addition to having a successful recording and performance career, Williamson is a faculty member and the Jazz and Honours coordinator at the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music at Monash University. 


Segue-ing between steaming, swinging standards and lyrical ballads, the quartet stretch the limit of interplay with a fresh modern take on some classic tunes....



Paul Williamson - trumpet
Sam Keevers - piano
Robbie Finch - double bass
Sam Bates - drums

Tix $35/30 concession - seats still available

Cash entry - cards fine at the bar

Doors open 7.30, music from 8pm.

bookings please email us - uptownjazzcafe@email.com

More

bookings - emailuptownjazzcafe@email.com and just pay for tickets on arrival

bookings - uptownjazzcafe@email.com 

Sam Keevers is one of the most amazing jazz pianists in the country. This week features him with a stellar line up playing swinging standards and lyrical songs by composers as diverse as, Fats Waller, Thelonious Monk and the Buena Vista Social Club.

Sam has performed and recorded with international artists such as Chris Potter, John Scofield, Ron Carter, Bobby Previte's Project and Joe Bataan. 

In 1996 he formed the 14 piece Latin Jazz group "Los Cabrones" which continues to perform around Melbourne and has performed at international festivals in China and New Caledonia. 

In 2004 Sam toured Europe with the Jamie Oehlers Quartet performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Jazz Festival, Galway Arts Festival, a tour of Ireland and a residency at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London. 

Sam was a finalist for the Freedman Jazz Fellowship in 2005 and was nominated for an ARIA award for the album "Grace", a duo recording with Jamie Oehlers. 

Long time member of the Vince Jones ensemble, founding member of Australia'a premier afro-cuban jazz orchestra "Los Cabrones," the Jamie Oehlers Quintet, the Sam Keevers Nonet featuring Bernie McGann, and the "Red Fish Blue," Sam's music is always joyful and inspired and a treat to be part of, whether playing swinging standards in the 60's Herbie Hancock vein or his heavily latin influenced originals, Uptown is very much looking forward to this performance....


Sam Keevers - piano
Chris Hale – bass
Danny Fischer – drums


Tix $35/30 concession - seats still available

Cash entry - cards fine at the bar

Doors open 7.30, music from 8pm.

bookings please email us - uptownjazzcafe@email.com

More

bookings - emailuptownjazzcafe@email.com and just pay for tickets on arrival