East of West - Rasa Lila Arts, Newcastle, Vellela album launch tour 2026

Doors open 2:30pm for 3pm start.

Join ARIA-nominated Queensland instrumental trio East of West as they tour their latest album, Velella, to the north, south, and the centre of Australia.

East of West’s music draws from the rich cultural melting pot of the Balkan and Mediterranean regions, spicing it with a hint of contemporary European jazz. Comprising Bosnian-born composer Goran Gajić on double bass, Philip Griffin on oud and laouto, and Malindi Morris on percussion, East of West explores the borderlands between genres through their intricate compositions and improvisations. 

Over the eight years of their collaboration, the trio has developed an intuitive musical relationship, evident in their dynamic interplays, virtuosic unison melodies and expressive soloing. Gajić’s compositions explore gentle melodic motifs nested in uptempo passages set to Balkan-influenced rhythms, interspersed with moments of mesmerising musical sparseness.

“The splendid interactions between the musicians here suggest an affinity with the best traditions of European jazz."

THE AUSTRALIAN (Eric Myers) ★★★★

“Influences from the Balkans and Mediterranean meet jazz and contemporary classical.”

SONGLINES, UK (Christina M. Bauer) ★★★★

"Fans of world fusion will certainly resonate with East of West’s musical intuition and ethnic sophistication..." 

JAZZTRAIL, New York (Filipe Freitas)

“A true listening experience with impressive exotic sounds."

BERLIN ON AIR

"Some collaborations aren't simply a matter of adding talents: they create a shared language."

IGGY MAGAZINE, Paris

“Replete with storytelling and imagery”

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD (Eugene Ulman)

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.