Upcoming performances.
Jemma Cher - Let's Do It Album Launch
Rising artist Jemma Cher is set to release her highly anticipated debut studio album, Let’s Do It, on March 27, 2025. This genre-blending collection features ten sophisticated tracks capturing Jemma’s dynamic versatility and the masterful artistry of her seasoned band.
Let’s Do It offers listeners a taste of Jemma’s creative range, highlighted by a captivating collaborations and originals with acclaimed Australian songwriter Lior.
Recorded in October 2023, the album captures the vibrant energy of Jemma’s live performances, showcasing the synergy and passion shared between her and her band.
Musical director, Simon Starr, helped shape the album. Starr’s sophisticated arrangements, production expertise, and musical contributions—on Bass and backup vocals With Let’s Do It, Jemma Cher invites jazz aficionados and new listeners alike to a captivating musical journey, solidifying her place as a fresh and innovative voice in modern Australian jazz.
Following her recent collaboration with MGM in Sydney, Jemma’s recordings and Vinyls will be available for purchase nationwide. Album Launch attendees have the exclusive opportunity to purchase autographed copies of Vinyls on the night!
The Band:
Simon Starr – Arranger, Bass, Guitar
Hue Blanes – Keys
Matt Jodrell – Trumpet
Joshua Moshe – Saxophones
Chris Rozakeas – Trombone
Daniel Farrugia – Drums
Special guests Gideon Cher – Piano
“This album encapsulates who I am as an artist—it’s versatile and transports you to unexpected places,” says Jemma. “After a year of performing sold-out shows across Melbourne’s jazz scene, I wanted to give my audience something complete, something that reflects the journey we’ve been on. Instead of just releasing singles, I’m giving you an entire body of work. Collaborating with such talented musicians, especially Lior, has been a real highlight.”
Joshua Moshe & Jonathan Skovron Duo
Joshua Moshe & Jonathan Skovron Duo
Traditional Jewish Music Reimagined: A Contemporary Jazz Exploration
In this exquisite duo project, award-winning saxophonist and clarinetist Joshua Moshe collaborates with the immensely talented guitarist Jonathan Skovron to breathe new life into traditional Jewish music. With deep roots in the rich heritage of Niggunim, Ladino melodies, and centuries-old Jewish folk traditions, the duo reimagines these timeless songs through the lens of contemporary jazz.
The pairing of Moshe's soulful, dynamic saxophone and clarinet with Skovron’s evocative, genre-fluid guitar creates a musical dialogue that is both deeply spiritual and thrillingly modern. In this stripped-back format, their arrangements explore the delicate interplay between improvisation and tradition, offering audiences an intimate and profound listening experience.
About Joshua Moshe & Jonathan Skovron
Joshua Moshe, based in Melbourne, draws on a diverse background shaped by the synagogue chanting of his South African-Jewish upbringing and the saxophone-driven rhythms of Marabi music. His work has garnered numerous accolades, including the PBS Young Elder of Jazz Award and Music Victoria Award for best Jazz album. Known for his innovative approach to Jewish music, Moshe has performed on some of Australia’s most celebrated stages, including the Melbourne Recital Centre and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival.
Jonathan Skovron is a versatile guitarist, composer, and arranger with a rich career spanning over two decades. A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, Skovron has collaborated with Australia’s finest musicians, including Lior, Paul Kelly, and Kate Ceberano. As a solo artist, his project SKOV has been praised for its unique blend of folk, jazz, and pop, described as “gracefully carrying the torch of 70s elegance and sophistication” by acclaimed singer-songwriter Lior.
Together, Moshe and Skovron combine their virtuosic talents and shared love of Jewish music to present a performance that journeys across centuries and continents. From the Chabad Niggunim of Eastern Europe to the Ladino folk traditions of Andalusia, their music connects the past and present in a deeply resonant celebration of Jewish cultural heritage.
4:00pm Doors for 4:30pm start.
Prepare to be transported by this unique collaboration, where tradition and innovation meet in a captivating musical dialogue.
Joshua Moshe Quartet Erez @ Southside
The Story
A meeting of Niggunim, Jazz, and Jewish Folk songs reimagined.
Erez, the cedar tree, stands tall and proud with its roots firmly planted. It provides shade and shelter from the wind whilst bearing witness to generations of stories and song.
About:
Joshua Moshe is a captivating award-winning saxophonist, composer, and producer based in Melbourne, Australia. His upbringing in a Jewish family in South Africa exposed him to the vibrant saxophone-led music of Marabi alongside the ancient spiritual chanting of the synagogue, which continue to influence his music today.
Through his project, Erez, Joshua reimagines Niggunim - the spiritual and meditative wordless song forms of Hassidic Judaism - and Traditional Jewish Folk songs from all over the world as vessels for improvisation. Instead of performing the songs in a standard form, they use the songs and melodies as vehicles for improvisation to explore and experiment between the familiar and novel, between the old and the new.
Joshua has made a significant impact on Melbourne's vibrant music scene, seeing him win the the prestigious PBS Young Elder of Jazz Award in 2019, and the Music Victoria Awards Best Jazz Release in 2023, with a string of nominations in between including an Australian Music Prize, Art Music Award, and another Best Jazz Release Nomination. He has performed at some of the country's most prestigious venues and festivals including The Melbourne International Jazz Festival, The National Gallery of Victoria and The Melbourne Recital Centre.
Joining Joshua are an exceptional group of collaborators who share his passion for pushing musical boundaries whilst staying rooted in tradition. Daniel Mougerman on piano, Simon Starr on double bass, and Daniel Farrugia on drum kit, each successful and celebrated musicians in their own right.
Prepare to be transported on a captivating musical journey as Joshua Moshe's 'Erez' combines the spiritual essence of Niggunim, the improvisational spirit of Jazz, and the time-honoured melodies of Jewish Songs in a celebration of the rich diversity of Jewish culture.
Joshua Moshe - Alto and Soprano Saxophone
Daniel Mougerman - Piano
Simon Starr - Double Bass
Daniel Farrugia - Drum Kit