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

Eamon McNelis & Friends feat. Steven Grant, John Scurry, Lachlan McLean & Howard Cairns

It's going to be great to play a bit of music with this band; we had a show late in 2025 and there was CHEMISTRY. It was lovely.

We're going to be playing mostly standards, plus a few originals here and there. Ellington up through to pre‑bebop kind of stuff. It'll be swinging, but restrained, a bit more on the sophisticated side, and it'll be pretty.

John and Howard have a beautiful rhythmic concept that's been developed over decades. Eamon and Lachie also have  decades of  experience playing together, and there's a depth to their interplay that comes from that. Steve of course, plays incredibly beautiful stuff, often strange and unexpected. 

It's gonna be good to get a few shows in row with these guys, we're looking for a band name if anyone has a suggestion?

Eamon McNelis ‑ Cornet & occasional singing
Lachlan McLean ‑ Tenor Saxophone
Howard Cairns ‑ Double Bass
John Scurry ‑ Guitar
Steven Grant ‑ Piano     

www.eamonmcnelis.com
www.uptownjazzcafe.com

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

More

Bookings- uptownjazzcafe@email.com

Trumpah giant Scott Tinkler leads this all star quartet through some of the best deconstructed/reconstructed jazz standards in the book.

One of the most incredible trumpet players in the world today, Scott Tinkler is a founding member and the Associate Artistic Director of the Australian Art Orchestra and plays regularly in Melbourne in trios and quartets with musicians such as Marc Hannaford, Sam Pankhurst, Alan Brown, Philip Rex, Harry Shaw-Reynolds, Paul Grabowsky Ken Eadie and Carl Dewhurst.

Current projects include Chiri with the Australian drummer Simon Barker and Korean Pansori singer Bae Il Dong. In 2011 at the invitation of the Australian Department of Foreign affairs, Chiri toured to Korea, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, Turkey, Cyprus, Jordan finishing with a performance at the Smithsonian in Washington USA and two 2012 tours to Korea.
ARIA Award and Australia Council fellowship winner, we are very proud to have him as a Melbourne icon and a leader of the local improvised music scene. 








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

More

bookings - uptownjazzcafe@email.com

New York pianist Brett Williams up this Saturday playing modern standards and ballads to blow your mind. Although well known as the keyboard player in the Marcus Miller Band, his love and proficiency in straight ahead jazz is outstanding and a joy to experience. Expect tunes by Thelonious Monk, Fats Waller, Charlie Parker and more....

Brett has performed with artists & musicians including Stevie Wonder, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Marcus Miller, Mumford & Sons, Billy Joel, Chris Thile, Mino Cinelu, Kevin Garrett, Snarky Puppy, Robert Glasper, Jose James, Sean Jones, Keyon Harrold, & Charles Haynes. He has also performed regularly with Jon Batiste on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Williams has already accomplished a significant level of experience on the bandstand & more recently in the studio as well. It is Williams’ openness to a wide range & myriad of musical styles & genres, his “old soul”, & his musical honesty that have helped him create & mold a dynamic sound & voice as a pianist & composer. He released his debut EP S3asons in 2019.

Tix $35/30 concession

doors 7.30pm

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

bookings - uptownjazzcafe@email.com

One of the world's leading improvised music guitar players

Guitarist and composer Stephen Magnusson is a musician at the height of his powers. From the precocious virtuoso who dazzled the music world when he crashed onto the scene, to a musician so mature, complete and respected that when people talk of an “Australian sound” of instrumental music, it is Magnusson’s influence – his tone, his touch, his compositional watermark and his deep sensitivity – that they hear.

founding member of SNAG, FESTA, Assumptions Trio (Julien Wilson and Will Guthrie) Julio and The Stevies (again with Julien and also Stephen Grant), his trio MAG (Frank DiSario and Dave Beck) and the latest quartet – Magnet (Carl Pannuzzo, Eugene Ball and Sergio Beresovsky) Steve is one of the most vital, musical and leading exponents in this music. Plus he's a sweetheart....

featuring everything from hard swinging Ornette Coleman tunes to delicate originals and distinctive ballads, sometimes even a cover of a Cold Chisel or The Police, Steve captivates and meserises with his incredible musicianship and openness....


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