Noah Mejia's Abacá // Leo Marland Quartet

Leo Marland Quartet Leo Marland - Alto Saxophone + Compositions Louis Wishart - Trumpet + Piano Henry Hall - Double Bass Tom Vogel - Drum Set Leo Marland is an up and coming saxophonist based in Sydney interested in combining the improvised sensibilities of jazz music with a new textural and rhythmic approach inspired by musicians such as Igor Stravinsky, Kim Cass, Caroline Davis and György Ligeti. His group, the Leo Marland Quartet are a group of jazz musicians and improvisers aiming to explore juxtaposing textures and sound worlds. They will present a series of short compositions with dense rhythmic and harmonic material which, drawing from improvisers Matt Mitchell and Kate Gentile, are "decomposed," improvised in and around creating an unsettled sound world of unusual textures. At times the music is rowdy, loud and unsettled, and at other times soft, subdued and with a strong melodic focus. Noah Mejia's abacá Noah Mejia - Alto Saxophone + Compositions Aurelia Flores - Tenor Saxophone Leah Reinhardt - Vocals Miles Rooney - Trumpet Oscar Lubbock - Piano Henry Hall - Bass Tom Vogel - Drum Set Abacá is known as one of the strongest natural fibres in the world, and can be woven into things such as fabric and twine. In its raw, natural state it is coarse and stiff, yet in finer strands can be repurposed to become soft to the touch. The tightly-wound strength of abacá symbolises how our tendency to intertwine with each other can facilitate a beautiful fortification of human connection, but its variety of texture can symbolise an unexpected shift in self identity because of such a willingness to combine. Why do the ‘fibre strands’ cling together so tightly, in spite of the possibility that they will become something that will fundamentally change their purpose? In an attempt to answer this, Noah Mejia has compiled a series of his original works that aim to explore the emotional complexity of human connection. Like the ritualistic weaving of abacá, the project interweaves the repetitive simplicity in the lyrical storytelling of songwriting with the spontaneity of group improvisation, with the purpose of unveiling enduring truths about navigating human relationships. The ensemble will traverse a variety of acoustic textures and soundscapes, through a conscientious blend of inspiration from various contemporary jazz, folk and indie artists. Doors open at 6:30pm. Music at 7pm. No bar or food at venue. BYO permitted, but no food please.