Come see the newest hardbop jazz quintet in Melbourne!

Inspired by Art Blakey, the band captures the iconic energy of the Jazz Messengers and conveys its rhythmic and soulful sensibilities to the Melbourne scene!

For a night featuring timeless tunes and beloved albums, be sure to catch them at the Paris Cat Jazz Club!

"We've tried to take a fresh approach and will be playing a set of really exciting tunes from some of our favourite Jazz Messenger albums."

"We can't wait to show you what we'll be opening with!"

Come see the newest hardbop jazz quintet in Melbourne!

Inspired by Art Blakey, the band captures the iconic energy of the Jazz Messengers and conveys its rhythmic and soulful sensibilities to the Melbourne scene!

For a night featuring timeless tunes and beloved albums, be sure to catch them at the Paris Cat Jazz Club!

"We've tried to take a fresh approach and will be playing a set of really exciting tunes from some of our favourite Jazz Messenger albums."

"We can't wait to show you what we'll be opening with!"

The Jazz Harbingers is a Melbourne-based hardbop band inspired by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Drawing heavily on influences from albums like Moanin', Indestructible, Free For All, and the Big Beat, the band seeks to capture the energy of the Jazz Messengers and convey its old school sensibilities to the Melbourne scene.

While the Jazz Harbingers often include originals and other tunes outside Blakey's multigenerational all-star band, they are always excited to revisit the iconic Messenger tunes like Moanin', Free For All and the Drum Thunder Suite.

Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop (or "bop") music. In the mid-1950s, the term was used to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from blues, rhythm and blues, and gospel music. Hard bop melodies tend to be simpler and more "soulful", and can be considered the bop of the 50's and 60's.

You may wonder what our name means. Harbinger is defined as: "something that announces or signals the approach of another." So we are bringers of Jazz, but also imparting the music of the original Messengers of Jazz."

Justin Foster: Tenor Saxophone
Jerry Li: Trumpet
Luke Drohan: Piano
Jonah Grant: Double Bass
TBA: Drums (replacing Benedict Saputra)