JAZZ AT THE LOUNGE is a new series supported by Willoughby City Council in its Culture Bites progam, curated by and co-produced with Cinque Artist Management, bringing world-class live jazz to Sydney’s north shore, in the gorgeous new cabaret/jazz club/comedy space at the Concourse, The Lounge – giving anyone who loves jazz or is interested in hearing what it’s about a perfect way to spend an evening with some of Australia’s best jazz artists, who perform worldwide.
Just 3 minutes walk from Chatswood Metro and trains, Jazz At The Lounge is a guaranteed enjoyable night out for anyone who likes traditional and swinging jazz and jazz vocalists, big bands, and celebrations of legends of jazz such as Chet Baker, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Cole Porter, the Great American Songbook, and brilliant new interpretations of these. Easily accessible from the Concourse’s own carpark, and with ticket prices from just $40 to $75 for premium seating with antipasti at your table (and savings of up to 15% with subscription packs), along with the Bar, there are also plenty of food options right outside with Chatswood’s Thursday night street food markets. Tickets and information here: theconcourse.com.au/jazz-at-the-lounge-2025
Matinee show added for Thurs 21 August, 2pm – James Morrison Quartet (7:30pm show – sold out)
Upcoming shows – book now:
- Thursday 21 August, 2pm + 7:30pm [sold out]- An Evening with the James Morrison Quartet
- Thursday 4 September, 7:30pm – Emma Pask with her Jazz Trio Band
- Thursday 2 October, 7:30pm – Gregg Arthur: Up Close
- Thursday 13 November, 7:30pm – Hetty Kate Quintet: Spring
- Thursday 4 December, 7:30pm – Tedeschi – Jodrell – Undy: The Great American Songbook
Recent Reviews from Jazz At The Lounge concerts:
- 5 stars: “It’s revealing that the pristine conditions of The Lounge tend to bring out the best in those performers presented in its monthly concerts. Nicki Parrott, along with pianist Peter Locke and drummer Andrew Dickeson were no exception, giving a brilliant performance that was generously appreciated by a large audience in this 300-seater venue. To begin with, Parrott is an extremely accomplished double bassist, whose playing could be heard clearly, owing to the beautiful sound that is possible in this splendid venue.
As a vocalist Parrott has a sweet, laid-back sound, with lovely phrasing and clear articulation…. even if her demeanour is low-key and unassuming, Parrott herself showed that she has brought her own artistry as a cabaret performer to a very high level. Her ability to bring great songs to life was evident throughout the performance but this was more compellingly evident as the second set went on.
No better example was Parrott’s moving version of Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now, one of the 20th Century’s great masterpieces. This was palpably a high point of the evening’s presentation… A great moment”
– Sydney Arts Guide (live review, Nicki Parrott Trio, July 2025)
- “another excellent presentation by leading Sydney jazz musicians owing to the pristine conditions afforded by this unique venue: a 300-seater with tiered seating, so there’s not a bad seat in the house; an excellent grand piano; and highly competent sound and lighting technicians…. Willoughby Council has set a brilliant example for others to follow…. a high-quality, supremely professional rendition of very important music, which should be better known. This rhythm section included perhaps the most tasteful drummer currently playing in the Sydney scene, and Dickeson’s expertise and brilliance are widely admired…
This was a faultless performance, well-organised by Dickeson, who compered from behind the drums with understated humour and irony, giving interesting background information from time to time on the Messengers’ compositions and who wrote them. When we’re talking about musicians such as Wayne Shorter, Benny Golson, Cedar Walton, Horace Silver and 5 others who contributed to the Messengers’ repertoire over the years, we are talking about some of the most important composers in jazz history.
This was the first time the young saxophonist Justin Yeo, apparently a local boy who lives on the North Shore, played with this band in public. I found him mightily impressive. He has a biting sound on tenor saxophone, which cuts through and projects beautifully, and for a young man he has an already mature style which suggests a lucrative career ahead of him…
This is not the first time that I’ve ventured out to a jazz concert, expecting to hear what I thought to be emerging youngsters playing, but found myself unexpectedly hearing such relatively young musicians playing like brilliant veterans. [Pianist Hugh] Barrett is certainly a case in point, and also of course bassist Jacob Graham, who was a revelation, one of the most accomplished double bassists I’ve heard for some time.”
– Eric Myers (live review: Andrew Dickeson Quintet ‘Celebrating Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers’, June 2025)
- “Jazz concerts at the relatively new venue The Lounge in The Concourse at Chatswood, have so far been a tonic, enabling the presentation of jazz in pristine conditions… I cannot think of a jazz venue in Sydney which currently competes with The Lounge in terms of these excellent facilities. The current program, curated by Jackie Thomas-Piccardi with the support of Willoughby City Council, generally features leading jazz artists with proven drawing power (Gregg Arthur, James Morrison, Emma Pask and the like) plus other more unusual, but at the same time innovative, groups (Marsala World Music; Andrew Dickeson celebrating Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers; and Simon Tedeschi, Matt Jodrell & Cameron Undy playing The Great American Songbook). …
one’s hat has to go off to Dan Barnett himself, now a giant figure in Australian jazz with a distinguished record of experience. At The Lounge here was a jazz artist at the top of his game. …
brilliant trumpeter Ray Cassar [whose] playing was superb and distinctive… every time I hear [pianist Peter] Locke recently, he appears to have taken his mastery of the piano to a completely new level”
– Eric Myers (live review: Dan Barnett Big Band, April 2025)
Eric Myers is a co-founder of SIMA and longtime jazz advocate in Australia, reviewer of innumerable jazz concerts and albums by Australian and international touring jazz icons, in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, Limelight, Jazz Magazine, The Music Trust’s LoudMouth magazine, and most recently, Sydney Arts Guide.