Show Details
Variously described as “ethno-jazz”, “world-jazz”, and “folk-jazz fusion”, Zela Margossian’s music rises above all these labels as a product of her own unique constellation of influences and lived experiences.
Raised in Beirut of Armenian heritage, her childhood years were marked by the conflict and political instability of the region; themes she would later explore in her music. In her early twenties, Margossian moved to Yerevan, Armenia to study classical piano at the Komitas Conservatorium. But it was after class, in the local jazz-clubs listening to artists of the likes of Arto Tunçboyacıyan and Vahagn and the Cats, that her love for jazz was stoked. A move to Australia some years later saw her take the bold step to fully transition from her classical roots and find recognition among her jazz peers, as a composer and improviser of note.
In 2017, the Zela Margossian Quintet (ZMQ) was formed and quickly found a warm embrace in the Sydney jazz scene. Comprising of renowned, versatile performers: Stuart Vandegraaff (woodwinds), Jacques Emery (double bass), Adem Yilmaz (percussion) and Alexander Inman-Hislop (drum kit), the band has appeared on Australia’s mainstages and internationally including at: the Beirut International Jazz Festival (2018), SIMA’s Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival (2017, 2019 and 2020), Wangaratta Festival of Jazz & Blues (2020), the Sydney Opera House (2020), and Sydney Festival (2021).
In 2019 the band’s debut album, Transition, was released by Art As Catharsis to critical acclaim, also receiving an ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) nomination for Best World Music album.
In 2021, ZMQ signed a record deal with the American Label, Ropeadope. The album was released internationally on the 25th of February 2022 with an album launch event on the same day in Sydney. The album had positive reception from audiences worldwide as well as positive reviews from different sources around the world.
In October 2023, ZMQ had their debut performances at the Wellington Jazz Festival in New Zealand and at Perth International Jazz Festival in November. A highlight in 2023 was a performance for EFG London Jazz Festival at The Barbican in London as Zela Margossian Trio on the 11th of November.
Currently, ZMQ is working on recording their third album, set to be released on Ropeadope towards the end of 2025.
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Price Range:
From $30 + booking fee.
Early Doors Open: 6:00 pm
Early Show Starts: 7:30 pm
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