Paul Grabowsky & Michelle Nicolle — Noir
Michelle Nicolle and Paul Grabowsky have known of each other’s work for many years. Michelle grew up watching Paul’s performances and admiring his collaborations with some of Australia’s great jazz artists, while Paul later recognised Michelle’s journey toward becoming, in his words, “one of the greatest jazz singers Australia has produced”. Their artistic conversation began around songs that moved them both — music shaped by melancholy, storytelling and the emotional depth of love’s complexities. During the Covid lockdowns, this connection developed into Noir, their acclaimed ABC Jazz album featuring timeless standards and original compositions.
Together, Michelle’s extraordinary voice and Paul’s masterful piano reveal beauty in the shadows: music filled with empathy, elegance and quiet intensity. As Paul describes it, “we have found a happy place in these sad songs, in which each shadow reveals new light.”
Place: The Uniting Church Williamstown
36 Electra St, 3016 VIC
Daytime: 9th October - 7pm
(opening concert)
Musicians:
Paul Grabowsky - Piano
Michelle Nicole - Voice
Umar Zakaria Trio (NZ)
Takkan Melayu Akan Hilang Di Dunia - (Never Will Malays Disappear From The Earth)
Award-winning New Zealand bassist and composer Umar Zakaria presents a trio demonstration of Malay community-in-action, realised through the collaborative language of jazz improvisation. Of Malay heritage and based in Aotearoa/New Zealand, Umar was named Best Jazz Artist by Recorded Music New Zealand in 2018 for his album Fearless Music.
Inspired by the Malay philosophy of gotong-royong — the spirit of collective contribution and mutual support — every sound and musical decision serves not only the trio, but the shared experience of the room as a whole. Through deep listening and spontaneous interaction, the music becomes a space for connection, transformation and collective expression.
Joined by Melbourne pianist and composer Joel Trigg and drummer/percussionist Paul Whitwood, Umar explores original and traditional compositions that carry forward past lineages while opening new pathways for Malay cultural expression through contemporary jazz.
Place: The Uniting Church Williamstown
36 Electra St, 3016 VIC
Daytime: 10th October - 6 pm
Musicians:
Umar Zakaria - Double Bass
Joel Trigg - Piano
Paul Withwood - drums
Gould Ball Haywood — Collective History
Three of Australia’s leading jazz artists — Tony Gould (piano), Eugene Ball (trumpet) and Nick Haywood (bass) — join forces for a special performance at the Williamstown International Jazz Festival.
The trio will present a mix of original compositions, jazz standards, and creative reworkings of classical pieces. Featuring the artistry of Tony Gould, one of Australia’s most respected and influential jazz pianists, this performance reflects a shared musical journey shaped by decades of creativity, collaboration and discovery.
Collective Histories brings together three distinctive voices, celebrating the individual experiences and musical connections that have shaped their artistry. With a shared love of lyrical playing and open musical conversation, Gould Ball Haywood promises an evening of compelling and finely crafted music.
The Uniting Church, Williamstown VIC
36 Electra St, 3016 VIC
Daytime: 10th October - 8pm
(Closing concert)
Musicians:
Tony Gould - Piano
Eugene Ball - Trumpet
Nick Haywood - Double Bass
About Us
Williamstown International Jazz Festival presents internationally curated jazz concerts as part of its Winter Series in Melbourne, set in an intimate environment where music becomes conversation and time dissolves into sound.
Rooted in an open, equal, and collaborative spirit, the festival embraces a non-profit vision dedicated to integration, education, and community engagement, positioning jazz as a space for artistic exchange and shared experience.
The program connects international musicians and Melbourne-based artists with local com- munity musicians, fostering collaboration and artistic exchange through contemporary jazz and improvisation, and reflecting diverse artistic trajectories.
More than a series of concerts, it is an evolving cultural platform where listening, spontaneity, and creative interaction shape each encounter between artists and audiences.
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