Jazz Sessions in The Rocks

Experience the Harley Coleman Trio live in Sydney, a dynamic jazz performance featuring original music, improvisation and contemporary sounds. Led by guitarist and composer Harley Coleman, the trio brings together three of Australia’s most expressive musicians, blending lyrical melodies with spontaneous, exploratory interplay. Joined by Jacques Emery on bass and Ronny Ferella on drums, the group delivers an intimate and immersive performance that showcases the energy and depth of Australia’s modern jazz scene.

Funny, fearless and born to sing, Billie McCarthy is an unapologetic storyteller whose performances cut straight to the emotional core. Her music is soulful, edgy and intimate — a compelling blend of poetry, presence and disarming honesty — with a musical sensibility that evokes the spirit of Billie Holiday, Joni Mitchell, Blossom Dearie and Jill Scott. A prolific and globally recognised artist, she has shared stages and collaborations with Jimmy Barnes, Neil and Tim Finn, Paul Mac, Lanie Lane, Ngaiire, Thundamentals, Chet Faker, Omar and Charli 2na — bringing her distinctive voice to audiences across the world. 

Among the most talked-about young ensembles emerging from Sydney’s new music scene, Heaps Grass is Ebony Tait, Lachlan Mills and Jack Rosenzweig — three artists whose broad musical language draws from their involvement in Sydney’s diverse underground music community. Drifting effortlessly between dream-like textures, rich harmony, simmering grooves and soaring melody, their experimental folk sound is shaped by a deep sensitivity to atmosphere and an openness that gives their music both intimacy and expansive emotional reach.  Evoking the nostalgia and quiet vastness of the Australian coastline where they each grew up, their songs unfold with a cinematic warmth — immersive, reflective and quietly transportive.  

 

A powerhouse ensemble of rare intimacy, flexibility and intensity, BELIEVE inhabits the exhilarating space where contemporary creative music meets the boundless momentum of free jazz. Fluid, searching and deeply committed to the moment, BELIEVE’s sound is shaped through a process of continual exploration that unfolds live, in real time.  

A powerhouse ensemble of rare intimacy, flexibility and intensity, BELIEVE inhabits the exhilarating space where contemporary creative music meets the boundless momentum of free jazz. Fluid, searching and deeply committed to the moment, BELIEVE’s sound is shaped through a process of continual exploration that unfolds live, in real time.  

Chilean-born vocalist Magdalena Mira brings a rare blend of warmth, depth, and elegance to the stage. She weaves a rich tapestry of sound that draws from the soulful traditions of Latin America, jazz, and beyond.

Magdalena is joined by two of Australia’s finest: guitarist Ben Hauptmann and percussionist Ben Kidson. Together, they create a dynamic interplay of rhythm and harmony, blending modern textures with traditional roots. For this special performance, the trio expands into a quartet with the addition of the extraordinary Jonathan Zwartz on double bass—adding depth, gravitas, and a touch of magic to the ensemble.

Expect a night of evocative melodies, intricate grooves, and music that speaks to the soul.

Murmurations is a rising Sydney-based jazz trio featuring Sabine Tapia, Thomas Odell and Matt Simmonds, redefining contemporary Australian jazz through a deeply collaborative sound. Blending influences from folk, improvisation and modern jazz, the group moves beyond traditional piano trio roles to create rich, textured music shaped by collective artistry. All graduates of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, they bring technical excellence and a distinctly Australian voice to their work. Following the recording of their debut album in 2025, Murmurations is quickly becoming one of the most exciting new jazz acts to watch.

Driftwood is an innovative Australian experimental duo featuring Nick Ashwood and Aviva Endean, creating immersive, boundary-pushing soundscapes within the contemporary new music scene. Using re-tuned antique pump organs alongside woodwinds and guitar, they craft hypnotic textures shaped by microtones and shifting harmonic colour. Their music offers a deeply atmospheric and transformative listening experience, blending elements of experimental, ambient and folk-inspired sound worlds. Following their acclaimed debut release on Room40, Driftwood is fast emerging as a standout voice in Australia’s experimental music landscape.

Lisathe is a Sydney-based instrumental trio featuring Brendan Clark, Oliver Thorpe and Miles Thomas, known for crafting cinematic, atmospheric soundscapes within Australia’s contemporary jazz and ambient music scene. Blending jazz, blues, country and folk influences, their music unfolds with quiet intensity, guided by a shared focus on texture, space and emotional storytelling. Drawing inspiration from artists like Bill Frisell, Daniel Lanois and Icelandic composers, Lisathe creates immersive performances that feel both intimate and expansive. With a sound defined by restraint and subtle power, Lisathe is an emerging act to watch in Australian instrumental and experimental music.

Sweet Tooth is a bold and captivating jazz trio formed in April 2023 by acclaimed bassist Jonathan Zwartz, alongside guitarist Hilary Geddes and drummer Chloe Kim. With years of shared musical experience, the trio is grounded in deep friendship, creative trust, and intuitive collaboration. Blending original compositions with fearless improvisation, Sweet Tooth explores fresh sonic landscapes with a spirit of curiosity and connection.

Cameron Undy’s Ghost Frequency project is born from a fascination with ancient African rhythms. Developed over thousands of years through dance, ceremony and ritual these forms connect us to ancient civilisations. Like the light from a star that burnt out millions of years ago they are as real and present as a footprint in the sand, yet the source of each just as intangible in the present. This music embodies reflections, shadows and distortions of these ghostly artefacts. The compositions have emerged through extensive musical meditation and evolve with every performance. Their original solo guitar recordings can be heard on all streaming platforms but this performance will feature two spectacular collaborating artists, Tully Ryan on drums and Jacques Emery on bass.

The Truffle Boils is a group of exciting players exploring some lesser known gems from the works of the jazz genre's masters like Monk, Mingus, Sun Ra, Marion Brown & others. Expect intricate, unexpected melodies and boisterous improvisations.

Thibaud Kessell is a pianist and composer with an eclectic interest in art-making. His album Badlands (2020) was a culmination of his experience being immersed in Sydney’s exceptional creative community. The album was released by People Sound, a new Sydney-based label run by Jacques Emery.

Tilly Street is an emerging voice in Sydney jazz, known for her deep, velvety tone and natural sense of phrasing. Performing regularly with top-tier musicians, Street brings fresh depth and elegance to swing, ballads, bossa and blues. Joined by the masterful Barney Wakeford on keys, the duo will venture to the heart of the music, bringing it to life with nuance, soul and spontaneity.

Theo Carbo is a guitarist, composer, electronic musician, producer and sound engineer. Growing up as an astute student of jazz, Theo’s proficiency as a guitarist has seen him working in groups of Australia’s most important improvising musicians including Barney Mcall, Andrea Keller, Sam Anning, Nadje Noordhuis, Joseph O’Connor and Paul Williamson.

Sarah Purdon is an active trumpet player in the Australian jazz scene, who recently finished her Bachelors of Music Performance in Jazz at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2023. She is an improviser, composer, a band leader and is an active perfo