About Stars of Lyra
Revered Australian jazz musician and double bassist Jonathan Zwartz leads a uniquely intimate series of duo performances with the pianists that have illuminated his musical life: Mike Nock, Barney McAll, Andrea Keller, Novak Manojlovic and Chris Abrahams.

The five stars of the constellation Lyra – which in Greek mythology represents the Lyre of Orpheus — are both title and guiding metaphor.

Five performances, five pianists, each a guiding star of Australian music. 

These are years-long collaborations expressed in new music composed for the performance, each lighting a different side of the musicianship that has led Jonathan Zwartz to the centre of Australian jazz.

Performances will feature The Church’s Fazioli piano, as well as an appearance by one of five guest young artists: Martha Marlow, Leah Berry, Samantha Baxendale, Ruby Jackson and Arlo Sim.

About Jonathan Zwartz
As double bassist, Jonathan has played with Pharoah Sanders, Branford Marsalis, Lionel Loueke, Kurt Elling, Nigel Kennedy, Mark Murphy, Annie Ross, Larry Goldings, Johnny Griffin, Terri-Lynn Carrington, Genesis Owusu, and Katie Noonan.

Jonathan is also a composer, producer, songwriter, and live music advocate. 

He has released three award winning albums as composer and bandleader. His debut Album ‘The Sea’ was released in 2009 and won two Bell awards.

His follow up CD entitled ‘The Remembering and Forgetting of the Air’, won best jazz album in the Australian Recording Industry (AIR) awards.

His third Album ‘Animarum’ (2018) won the ARIA for best jazz album as well as the Bell and Air awards for that year.

In late 2019 recorded with Mike Nock, Julien Wilson and Hamish Stuart a composer’s collaborative album entitled ‘This World’ which was released in 2020 to critical acclaim, sold out a two-week National tour and was nominated for an ARIA award. In 2021 the follow up album ‘Another Dance’ was recorded and released in early 2022. It entered at no 2 on the ARIA Blues and Roots Charts.

In 2021 Jonathan was commissioned by SIMA to compose a concert work for the visiting Finnish Harpist and pianist Iro Haarla. After some delay due to the Covid epidemic, the suite was performed for the Melbourne International Jazz Festival and Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival in November 2022. The Melbourne concert was recorded and broadcast by the ABC.

He co-produced and wrote the orchestrations for singer/songwriter Martha Marlow’s debut album, Medicine Man released in May 2021. 

He curated a series of free concerts for City of Sydney in 2021 under the working title ‘Music and Architecture’. He is currently pursuing an initiative to reactivate bandstands and rotundas in NSW for Make Music Day.

Jonathan is a Writer Director Board member of APRA.

Jonathan has a Masters Degree in Music from the Australian National University, an Associate Diploma in Jazz Studies from the NSW Conservatorium and a diploma in screen composition at the Australian Film Television and Radio School in 2012.  

He has composed Music for documentaries - ‘To Spring From The Hand’ (2014) ‘Ka-Ching, a Pokies Nation’ (ABC, 2015), ‘Madhattan’, (2016), ‘The Scribe’ (ABC 2017) ‘Backtrack Boys’ (ABC 2018), ‘Richard Leplastrier – Framing the View’ (ABC 2020) and several short films also.

He is co-director of The Starfish Club, a monthly concert series now celebrating its 24th year, featuring artists such as Jon Cleary, Deb Conway and Willy Zygier, Don Walker, Tim Rogers, Amanda Brown and Lindy Morrison, Leah Flannagan, Rai Thistlethwayte, Reg Mombassa and Peter O’Doherty, Diana Rouvas, Steve Kilbey, Jade MacRae, Mahalia Barnes, Lucy Thorne and many more.

About Mike Nock
Mike Nock’s career has spanned a broad range of contemporary musical styles and he is widely recognised as an important voice in Australian modern music.

Based in Sydney since 1986, he previously spent 25 years in the USA, working with many of the world’s top jazz artists.

His compositions include orchestral music, woodwind / percussion ensembles, electronic / choral works etc., and have been recorded and performed by a range of jazz & non-jazz performers.

Attracting many awards and honours over his lengthy career in 2014 he was awarded the Don Banks Music Award, the most valuable individual music award in Australia.

In 2009 he was inducted into the Bell AwardsAustralian Jazz Hall of Fame and in 2003 presented with the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM).

In 2010 a biography of Mike’s life and career was published: Serious Fun: The Life and Music of Mike Nock. (Norman Meehan, Victoria University Press) As music director of Naxos Jazz from 1996 to 2002 he oversaw the production of more than 60 internationally released CDs.

“Nock’s ringing iconoclasm pervades all his music, taps a deep well of melody that transcends jazz and informs and ignites his every encounter.” – Fred Bouchard, Downbeat (USA)

Mike Nock’s career has spanned a broad range of contemporary musical styles and he is widely recognised as an important voice in Australian modern music.

Based in Sydney since 1986, he previously spent 25 years in the USA, working with many of the world’s top jazz artists.

His compositions include orchestral music, woodwind / percussion ensembles, electronic / choral works etc., and have been recorded and performed by a range of jazz & non-jazz performers.

Attracting many awards and honours over his lengthy career in 2014 he was awarded the Don Banks Music Award, the most valuable individual music award in Australia.

In 2009 he was inducted into the Bell Awards Australian Jazz Hall of Fame and in 2003 presented with the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM).

In 2010 a biography of Mike’s life and career was published: Serious Fun: The Life and Music of Mike Nock. (Norman Meehan, Victoria University Press) As music director of Naxos Jazz from 1996 to 2002 he oversaw the production of more than 60 internationally released CDs.

About Leah Berry
Leah Berry is quickly establishing herself as a notable emerging figure in the Sydney jazz scene. She is an impressive performer, improviser and lyricist, who captivates audiences with her storytelling, and velvety tone. Leah concluded her bachelor’s degree studying Jazz Vocal Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2024 and is eager to continue her growth as a musician in Sydney and Australia.

With the support of the Sydney Conservatorium, Leah attended the Siena Jazz International Summer Workshop in 2024 where she learnt from prestigious musicians such as Melissa Aldana, Theo Bleckmann, Ethan Iverson and many more.

As part of the Inner West Jazz Fest in late August 2025, Leah joined forces with jazz veteran Mike Nock, presenting a set of her lyrics to his compositions, solidifying her unique voice in the Australian jazz scene as a lyricist and performer.

In 2023, Leah recorded a mix of her arrangements and originals at 2MBS Fine Music on Emergent Jazz with Keith Pettigrew, who stated the recording features “…superb scatting and vocalising by Leah… This is a voice of our jazz future”.