The Perth International Jazz Festival is an annual weekend long event that showcases over 40 jazz performers from all corners of the globe.

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What unites this disparate group of artists seems to be a common thread of the desire to tell stories through the medium of a musical language that to a novices ears can be difficult to decipher, yet its message has a universality that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries.

I caught up with three of the acts that performed at the pop-up jazz tent at Brookfield Place, a venue surrounded by cold corporate concrete and steel skyscrapers that provided an appropriate contrast to the warmth and intimacy inside.

Born and raised in New York with Indian roots Kavita Shah possesses the honeyed voice of an angel and her musical style combines themes of exile, migration and diaspora blended with influences from West Africa and Brazil. In her own words “I feel it’s my job as a global citizen to weave together those unique elements and translate that to an audience”. 

Hailing from Willunga, a small town just outside of Adelaide, Jo Lawry has traded her pitch perfect vocals and gift of telling bittersweet stories to take her from South Australia to New York where she has built a reputation as one of the contemporary NYC jazz scenes most preeminent finds.

Having performed backing vocals for Sting on some of his recent solo work, when Lawry was recording her current album Taking Pictures, Sting reciprocated the favour and teamed up with her for the duet Impossible.

Fusing elements of jazz, folk and even a little bit of country, Lawry states that “contentment is overrated, a mish mash of joy and heartbreak is where it’s at”. Her artistry is unquestionable but the pleasant surprise of the evening was not only is she musically talented, she’s also very a very funny and engaging performer. 

Swiss superhero themed trio Max Mantis draw from a rich heritage of traditional Swiss folk music and put a Marvel meets DC spin on it in a contemporary fashion that is as impressive as it is imaginative.

When asked what was the inspiration was for such an unusual musical jouney, bassist and composer Rafael Jerjen explained that they take the standard texture and interplay of the American songbook and apply it to their Swiss musical heritage.

“We have fun doing it and hopefully it translates to the audience”.

It doesn’t hurt even a little bit that these three guys while being extremely skilled musicians are also some serious man candy.

The festival is returning next year and is worth noting in your calendar if you want be exposed to some ear expanding musical culture slightly outside the mainstream but certainly worth exploring.

Clinton Little

Image:- Angelyne Wolfe