BEFORE NIGHTFALL: SPEAK PERCUSSION & WILL GUTHRIE (MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL)

An evening of spontaneous creation and boundary-pushing sound, as two adventurous musical forces meet for the very first time. Before Nightfall is an ongoing series of surprising musical encounters presented by local trailblazers, Speak Percussion.

Each edition invites artists who have never previously worked together to engage in a single day of intensive creative collaboration — exploring new ideas and creating original music in real time. After a day of artistic dialogue, experimentation, and risk-taking, the results are revealed to audiences in an intimate, one-night-only performance.

For this special Jazz Fest edition, Speak Percussion is joined by Nantes-based Australian drummer and percussionist Will Guthrie, renowned for his singular approach to percussion, spanning solo drumming, electro-acoustic performance and free improvisation.

Before Nightfall offers a unique opportunity to experience the spontaneity and innovation that emerge when artists meet, experiment and perform, all within a single day.