Speedball

Prepare for a night of high octane, thrilling virtuosity as one of Australia’s most exciting ensembles, Speedball returns to the Melbourne International Jazz Festival for the first time in eight years to launch their highly-anticipated new album.

Formed in 2000, this all-star quintet unites five of the country’s most accomplished improvisers — trumpet master Mat Jodrell, saxophonist Carl Mackey, pianist Grant Windsor, bassist Sam Anning and drummer Daniel Susnjar. Individually, they’ve performed with jazz royalty including Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Gregory Porter, Ron Carter and Terrence Blanchard. Together, they deliver hard-hitting, high-octane jazz with a remarkable chemistry born out of decades of collaboration.

From the first moment Speedball played together, there was an undeniable electricity — a deep musical understanding that continues to ignite every performance. With five Australian jazz powerhouses on one stage, this will be an evening at the JazzLab you won’t want to miss.