Violinist, composer and improviser Xani Kolac has spent more than a decade redefining the possibilities of the electric violin within contemporary and improvised music. Drawing on influences as diverse as Jimi Hendrix, Stuff Smith, Camille and Björk, alongside her deep roots in jazz and improvisation, she has forged a singular musical voice that continues to push the boundaries of her instrument.
KOŁACZ is Xani’s new work exploring identity, belonging and the ways names carry history across generations. Sparked by the restoration of the Polish diacritic to her family name, a small mark lost through migration, the work asks how movement across borders, culture and family history shape who we become.
Bringing together Australian and international collaborators performing together for the first time, KOŁACZ features renowned multi-instrumentalist Helen Svoboda (double bass, voice, electronics), long-time collaborator Justin Olsson (drums, percussion), and, in her Australian debut, Estonian-Swedish artist Tuulikki Bartosik (accordion, kannel, voice).
Commissioned by the Melbourne International Jazz Festival as part of its annual Take Note program, KOŁACZ is a bold and deeply personal new work from one of Australia’s most compelling creative voices.
OPENING ACT: ZÖJ
ZÖJ is an acclaimed experimental cross-cultural music duo based in regional Australia, bringing together Iranian-born musician Gelareh Pour (voice, kamancheh, qeychak alto) and Australian percussionist Brian O’Dwyer. Since forming in 2016, the duo has developed a distinctive musical language that exists at the confluence of worlds, blending traditional instrumentation with contemporary experimental soundscapes. Described as “hypnotic,” “incandescent,” and “one of the finest voices of the moment,” ZÖJ’s music explores migration, identity, memory, and belonging through deeply immersive performances that transcend cultural and linguistic boundaries.
Set Times:
8:00PM – Doors
8:30PM – ZÖJ
9:45PM – Xani: KOŁACZ
7-11 Dawson St, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia
Other events on in Melbourne around the same time
