Tomeka Reid Quartet Ft. Mary Halvorson (USA)– Melbourne International Jazz Festival 2026

Tomeka Reid stands as one of the most boldly imaginative voices in contemporary music — a fiercely creative cellist, composer, and bandleader whose work blends Western classical tradition, modes rooted in the African diaspora, and the avant‑garde. A defining force in Chicago’s improvised‑music community, her boundary‑pushing artistry and sonic originality have earned major recognition, including a 2022 Herb Alpert Award and a MacArthur Fellowship. For this special residency at The JazzLab, Reid reunites her celebrated quartet: Mary Halvorson — touted by NPR as “the most forward thinking guitarist working right now” — alongside her dynamic rhythm section of bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Tomas Fujiwara. Together, the quartet takes the stage to perform their acclaimed 2026 release Dance! Skip! Hop! — a joyful, rhythm‑bending, harmonically rich album praised by The Guardian as “an early contender for jazz album of the year.” Audiences can expect four musicians at the top of their game, sharing a near‑telepathic interplay shaped by years of collaboration, in a display of fearless improvisation and a continual push into new musical territory. Renowned jazz critic Nate Chinen declared 2026 as “the year of Tomeka Reid” — the time to witness this extraordinary quartet is right now.