Freshly Squeezed Live: Next Gen Jazz

We’re delighted to announce the first in a brand new series of LIVE radio shows, with the first instalment on Thurs 3rd Sept: ‘NEXT GEN JAZZ’ a showcase of the Freshest talent the Naarm scene has to offer. Expect raw, unfiltered performances from cutting-edge jazz collectives BANKSIA & GIRLS NIGHT IN, highlighting the immense talent rising to the surface in Naarm’s vibrant, thriving Nu-Jazz scene. + an eclectic DJ set from Wax Museum Records’ rising talent ESAI, hosted at the unique and intimate Wax Music Lounge. Live interviews with the bands will be conducted after their performances by AREA3000’s Freshly Squeezed Jazz presenter TOM ECLECT, before joining Esai on the decks to close the evening with a lively b2b. BANKSIA Banksia is a 5-piece instrumental band formed in 2024 in Melbourne Australia, creating vibrant nu-jazz that incorporates psychedelia, latin & house rhythms, and hip hop influences. Built around tight grooves, live improvisation, and infectious rhythms, Banksia invites listeners to dance, move, feel and connect in a soulful, nu-jazz soundscape. GIRLS NIGHT IN Girls Night In is an all-female jazz collective amplifying women in the Melbourne/Naarm scene. It creates a supportive, collaborative space for female musicians to write, jam, and perform with confidence. pushing back against the male-dominated culture that often defines jazz spaces. ESAI Esai is a DJ and vinyl collector originally from New Zealand, working at Wax Museum Records. Raised in a household immersed in music, his journey began through his father, a DJ, record shop owner and a dedicated collector for records, shaping his own deep connection to music. Esai moves across genres and eras, blending through nu-jazz, electronic, reggae, world, and soul.