MARA! – In Essence

Following the long-awaited launches of their latest two albums MARTENITSA & MARA! Za Vas Ot Nas (2025) and MARA! BIG BAND Zashto? (2023), dual ARIA winning world/jazz band MARA! are going back to basics with a concert by the core quintet featuring Sandy Evans, Paul Cutlan, Lloyd Swanton, Llew Kiek and Mara Kiek. The program will feature treasures from the band’s eclectic repertoire of original and traditional music that has never failed to draw accolades from around the globe over the past 4 decades.

“All-star music line-up delivers a triumph and a treat (Mara! Big Band Zashto? premiere) Sydney Morning Herald 2022

“…Mara! …such a bright jewel in Australia's world-music crown." Sydney Morning Herald September 2016

“… The Dom Perignon of Australia's World Music Bands" - Sydney Morning Herald 2005

“… an extraordinary, fascinating performance.” Weser Kurier (Germany) 1997

"... a coup de charme which goes right to the heart." Le Telegramme (France) 1994

 "... there is a brilliant simplicity that reminds us at times (if one needed to make comparisons with the area of pop music) of the communicative urgence of Violent Femmes or certain strongly lyrical pages of the Cocteau Twins..." Tim Tam (Italy) 1991                                           

…“Beautiful, better than new... the music is more than the sum of its components... oblique, unexpected, witty... each musician interested in what the other players produced that night.” TAZ Bremen (Germany) 1990 

"... MARA! predate the current vogue for jazz and roots music. What they offered was a glorious melange of traditional and contemporary..." Glasgow Herald (Scotland) 1986

"... their virtuosity and unexpected instrumental manoeuvres are breathtaking..." Folk Roots (England) 1985

Photography by Grant Leslie 

Sandy Evans - saxophones

One of the leading saxophonists in contemporary jazz in Australia; Winner of Bell Jazz Award (2003), APRA award for composition, 2 Mo awards, 2 ARIA awards and an Order of Australia. Musician and composer with Australian Art Orchestra, Sandy Evans Trio, Clarion Fracture Zone and many others. Collaborator and composer with Indian musicians and dancers on numerous projects in Australia and India e.g Bridge of Dreams, Shakti Spirit.

Experienced collaborator with musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds including Japanese & Balkan. Sandy has been a core member of the Mara! Quintet since the early 1990s.

Lloyd Swanton – double bass

Lloyd's reputation precedes him as one of Australia's finest jazz, improvised and groove music exponents. Founding member of the Necks, he has a history of performing in a wide range of genres, with luminaries from around Australia and overseas including Bernie McGann, Alister Spence Trio, Dynamic Hepnotics, the Benders, Clarion Fracture Zone, Vince Jones, Tim Finn, Wendy Matthews and SSO.

Founder and director of 'The catholics', he has been a core member of the Mara! Quintet since 2013.

Paul Cutlan – saxophones & clarinets

Paul is a long-term member of the Mara! Band and one of Australia's finest multi-instrumentalists whose range of performance experience covers genres as diverse as classical, jazz (trad to BeBop and beyond) and world music. A consummate improviser and composer, Paul is dedicated to forging new paths in Australian music. Paul is a regular guest with ACO and former member of TSO. Paul has performed in many music theatre productions with companies such as Belvoir Theatre Co (eg. Diary of a Madman with Geoffrey Rush).

Llew Kiek – bouzouki, bağlama & guitars

Co-director MARA! and Martenitsa Choir; music & record producer (over 60 albums) composer and musical director for artists and companies such as Jeannie Lewis, Margret RoadKnight, Australian Theatre of the Deaf and Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust. Has performed with Bell Shakespeare, REM theatre and SA Theatre Co., dance works with Meryl Tankard and Sean Parker and on numerous motion picture soundtracks (e.g. Babe Pig in the City, Passion, Wog Boy 2, The December Boys etc.). Has collaborated, performed with and produced recordings for artists from a huge range of cultures e.g. Tibet, Turkiye, Bulgaria, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Ireland, France etc.

Mara Kiek – voice & percussion

Internationally acclaimed for her dual ARIA winning world/jazz ensemble MARA! which has toured, recorded & broadcast in Europe, Asia, Nth America and NZ - 30 international tours to 25 countries since 1984.

Founder/director/conductor of Sydney’s Bulgarian style choir Martenitsa, performing with Trio Bulgarka, MARA!, Clarion Fracture Zone, David Hobson & David Hirschfelder; Universal Pictures “Happy Feet”, NSW Art Gallery Alphonse Mucha Exhibition.

In Music/Dance/Theatre - Meryl Tankard collaborations include - Songs with Mara (8 Australian seasons 1991-8 & Europe 1997); Pearl (Sydney Opera Hse/New York); ‘Toulouse’ and ‘Mad with Meryl Tankard & Elena Kats-Chernin. Legs on the Wall - aerial spectacular ‘Homeland’; Shaun Parker ‘This Show Is About People’.

In Early Music - Founding member of Sinfonye, (Jury Prize Brugge Early Music Festival 1987), touring Europe, India, USA & Australia (1986 - 1991). Sydney's Renaissance Players from (1982 – 1996), recording 7 early music CDs.

Recordings and Film - over 30 CD titles and motion picture soundtracks including "Babe- Pig in the City", "Passion" and “The Navigator” (Winner NZ Film & TV award)

Devoiko Mari Hubava (excerpt) https://youtu.be/Xd8rQy_4v1I

Sorella  https://youtu.be/p7ejtbixYtE?si=HUgx6WmdD_tYLBQQ

Zhetva (excerpt) https://youtu.be/aTakfRE8Aiw?si=Pg6kDqWXbDDFcYec

Fair Kop http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QTDiGzl3Og

Povik Ot Iuk Dalechen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynVD_HYI4Rw

Travelling Light (excerpt) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q4iR-tXqyA

Sandansko Horo Mara! Live https://youtu.be/x1S3UrlZdvc?si=6n_mXlh3o0L9odai

Doors: 7:30pm
Music: 8:00pm
Tickets: $40/$30

21 Shepherd Street is more than a venue.

It is the home of The Living Room Theatre — a place for artists, audiences, and ideas that refuse to behave quietly.

Subscribe to hear about upcoming works and events.

Join our mailing list

"We are not a home for creativity.
We are a home for art that won't stay quiet."