Some of Our Best Friends Are Jazz Musicians
Image Credit: Luke Monsour
Strings meet reeds. Rules get bent.
Martin Kay (saxophone and clarinet) joins the Black Square Quartet for a program featuring folk, jazz and contemporary experimentation. The collaboration reveals conversations, collisions, and the occasional raised eyebrow.
Martin Kay is a prominent figure in Australian music, celebrated for his adventurous approach to classical and cross-genre saxophone studies. His career spans classical, jazz and experimental work, with performances alongside the Sydney Symphony, Opera Australia Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic, Tasmanian Symphony and Auckland Philharmonic. He has been a key member of ensembles including Continuum Saxophone Quartet, Song Fwaa, The Fantastic Terrific Munkle and Forage. A Churchill Fellow, he studied in New York and later completed a Doctor of Musical Arts in composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, focusing on the interaction between notation and improvisation.
Formed in 2018, the beautifully haunting Black Square Quartet takes its name from Kasimir Malevich’s influential minimalist painting. The quartet is known for championing new and Australian works, having premiered music by Thomas Green, Cathy Likhuta, Brenda Gifford and others, and collaborating with artists such as Trichotomy, Sarah Curro and Steve Newcomb.
Their collaboration offers a compelling exploration of sound, style and contemporary expression.
Tour Dates 2026
Coolum Civic Centre
Saturday 11 July | Time: 7pm | Location: 2-4 Park St, Coolum Beach | Tickets: events.humanitix.com
Maleny Community Centre
Sunday 12 July | Time: 4pm | Location: 23 Maple St, Maleny | Tickets: events.humanitix.com
Redland Performing Arts Centre
Friday 24 July | Time: 7pm | Location: 2/16 Middle St, Cleveland | Tickets: TBA
Majestic Theatre
Saturday 25 July | Time: 7pm | Location: 3 Factory St, Pomona | Tickets: TBA
Eudlo Hall
Sunday 26 July | Time: 4pm | Location: 19 Rosebed St, Eudlo | Tickets: events.humanitix.com
This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland. Supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund - a partnership between Queensland Government, through Arts Queensland, and Sunshine Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
