Dec 7 ASHES + SOLUNE ‘Mad Vantage’

DOUBLE BILL

evening show 7.30PM

co-presented with the Melbourne Jazz Co-op

The Jazzlab Tuesday Dec 7 doors 7pm Show 7.30pm

Tickets HERE $30/$20 Bookings essential

Co-presented with The MELBOURNE Jazz Co-op

Ashes

Ashes is a newly formed band led by trumpeter Ashley Ballat. This ensemble plays freely improvised, conceptual pieces of music that are inspired by movie soundtracks from David Lynch, and the music of Kate Bush, The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation and Arve Henriksen. You can expect to hear mostly originals, with some of Ash’s favourite songs mixed in from a diverse range of genres. There will be some surprises so don’t miss this exciting new ensemble!

 Ash Ballat – Trumpet

Dan Waddingham – Guitar

Monty Shnier – Bass

Ollie Cox – Drums 

‘Her approach to music is characterized by lyrical and non-formulaic melodies, interacting with other musicians and expanding her collection of timbre manipulations’. 

-Paul Williamson

SOLUNE’S ‘Mad Vantage’

SOLUNE’s new instrumental project, Mad Vantage, presents new compositions exploring the sounds of prog-metal fused with nu-jazz and electronics: complex rhythmic designs, metric illusions and lush harmonic soundscapes. 

She has carefully curated a sound which exemplifies the contemporary quartet, with flexible melodic and rhythmic roles within the ensemble and the incorporation of synthesizers and electronic drum/ambient sounds. Described as intricate and unapologetic, she has been influenced by Animals as Leaders, Hiromi, Tigran Hamasyan and Avishai Cohen Trio to create a sound which is decidedly her own. Her compositions are also featured in the Australian Jazz Real Book. 

SOLUNE (Selene Messinis) - keyboards/synthesizers 

Kumar Shome – guitar/effects 

Matt Hayes - electric bass 

Tim Cox – drums/electronics 

Ashley Ballat 
(she/her) is a Melbourne/Naarm based artist working as a trumpet player, composer and educator with a musical passion that lies in exploring collective improvisation that builds upon sound manipulation, layered textures, and the collision of eclectic musical genres. Her compositions and ensemble approach are greatly influenced by the music of Arve Henriksen, Jan Bang, Björk, Andrea Keller and Bon Iver. After recently graduating from the Sir Zelman School of Music (Monash University), Ashley is now pursuing a career of performing the original music of her own and others.She has performed with a number of renowned musicians including The Vijay Iyer Trio with the Monash Art Ensemble (2019 Melbourne International Jazz Festival); Linda Oh and Terri Lyne Carrington (2018 Melbourne International Jazz Festival); MLive residency with Paul Grabowsky for the ‘New Grooves’ project (2019); Featured soloist on the MAE ‘Here Now Hear’ album (2019); and Dave Douglas on ‘The Dream’ album (2020).  

https://www.ashleyballat.com

SOLUNE 

SOLUNE is the moniker for Melbourne/Naarm-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, improviser and composer, Selene Messinis, who is known for her versatility and strength of sound. 

Graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2015, she now regularly performs in venues and at corporate events across Melbourne as a solo artist, session musician and collaborator with a number of different ensembles: co- founded contemporary trio, ISM, minimalist jazz-funk outfit RAMEN, and numerous other projects including Melbourne cult institution NO ZU, Australian-Punjabi artist Parvyn, Rnb soulstress Thando & jazzy house project Don Glori, among many others. 

Selene has also spent the last 2 years composing for and touring with acclaimed performance company, Circus Oz. Touring across Australia, Selene has presented workshops in remote Indigenous and disadvantaged communities through Circus Oz. She has also performed for projects with the Arts Centre, the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, the Victorian Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Stonnington Jazz Festival, the JazzLab Orchestra, the Melbourne Composers Big Band, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the St. Kilda Festival. 

Having been classically trained and initially inspired by quintessential ECM jazz records at a young age, her compositional style now fuses fiery rhythmic patterns, minimalist melodies and lush harmonic soundscapes to create a sound that is decidedly her own. This is particularly exemplified in her new outfit: ‘Mad Vantage’, which is a fusion of prog-metal, nu-jazz and electronics. She is also enjoying the recent successful release of her new electronic pop duo, LEFKADA, exploring sounds of RnB, neo-soul and house in her new compositions, propelling her into exciting, undiscovered musical territory and has already amassed streams of over 100,000 on Spotify alone.