COAST (album launch) // Guy Strazz & Matt McMahon 2@1

"Monday Night Confessions" is a weekly show presenting original jazz/improvised music. Run out of Church Street Studios in Camperdown, Sydney, we acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, and pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging.

17th November 2025 - COAST (album launch) // Guy Strazz & Matt McMahon 2@1

COAST

Paul Derricott - drums
Peter Koopman - guitar
Shannon Stitt - keyboards
Michael Avgenicos - saxophones
Dave Quinn - bass

Wild, vibrant and engaging, COAST’s music echoes the textured progressions, spaciousness and ferocity, reflective of artists such as Sky Window, Jonathan Zwartz’s Anamarum, BadBadNotGood and Daniel Rossen’s You Belong There.

"The music on this album was written post-pandemic, feeling the heat from the ground with this concept in mind. The ember of the fire can be the hottest part," Derricott shares.. "This music was written and influenced directly by Gadigal lands, Marrickville, and the Cooks River. It comes at a time when burning brightly seems a bit silly, but something burns nevertheless. Ember is the feeling in my stomach when I don’t have the time to get it all done at once. I will, however, get it all done. Perhaps this is growing up."

The second single, opener and namesake of the album, Ember, opens cool and calm with delicately plucked chords bouncing off smooth drums and a warm bassline. As the song slowly evolves, the drums are tactfully choked to emphasise the rest of the composition and give breathing room to each instrument. The layering of each element makes for a soothing, yet captivating listen - the song is a delight that will surprise listeners again and again on each replay.

Guy Strazz & Matt McMahon 2@1

Guy Strazz - acoustic & flamenco guitars
Matt McMahon - piano

Master musicians and composers, Matt McMahon and Guy Strazz, have reunited in 2025. Their first recording - 2@1 - was released in 2009 on Birdland Records. It explored a musical pathway where the tradition of jazz engaged in a musical counterpoint with Brazilian music, Iberian western classical music as well as Indian music to create an album of appealing and artful music; 2@1 was nominated for ‘best jazz album of the year’ at the Australian Independent Recording Awards. Listen here: https://www.guystrazz.com/2-1-mcmahon-strazz

Between them, Guy and Matt have performed with artists such as Vince Jones, Sandy Evans, Dale Barlow, Don Burrows, Pt Ashok Roy, Ross Edwards, Bobby Previte, Wynton Marsalis, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Ashok Roy, Martin Taylor, Slava Grigoryan, Mike Stern, Steve Hunter and Katie Noonan.

"A radiant album from pianist Matt McMahon and guitarist Guy Strazz, amongst the most lyrical voices in the land" John Shand (SMH)

"Silk Road must be considered one of the most attractive crossover jazz guitar melodies this country has produced." Peter Wockner - Jazz & Beyond

Doors 7:30pm

Show 8:00pm

Tickets: $15 Student / $25 General Admission

BYO drinks