Jazz nowadays.
Toby Wren has been an improvising guitarist and prolific composer in the Australian jazz scene since 2000. Eight albums of original compositions, including the recent Songs for Dead Sailors (MNM, 2025), and apparently no intention of slowing down.
Nowadays takes its name from the question that haunts every jazz musician who has tried to explain what they do at a dinner party: what does jazz sound like nowadays? The answer depends entirely on who you ask and how late it is. On this occasion it involves sophisticated improvisation, some hard swinging, a few tunes you may or may not recognise, and the warm acoustic glow of a guitar trio in a room built for exactly this.
Wren is joined by Nick Quigley on bass, a musician of such harmonic intelligence and immovable groove that scientists have proposed naming a time signature after him, and Aaron Jansz on drums, who continues to wring the nastiest swing grooves out of a kit this side of the river. He may or may not also be a runner and does not want to discuss it.
GIG DETAILS:
Thursday 16th July 2026
$20 Entry (+GST & BF)
Doors open from 7:30pm
Music starts at 8pm
ALL AGES (people under 18 need to be accompanied by a guardian)
LICENSED BAR
Head to our Humanitix to purchase limited seated tickets
How do I purchase a ticket?
Tickets are being sold through Humanitix. Purchase limited seated tickets here. Due to JMI Live being an intimate space, we have a maximum number of guests allowed in the venue. We highly recommend it is best to get in early before tickets sell out.
What is JMI Live?
JMI Live presents live jazz in Brisbane every Thursday night from 8pm and a jam session after each gig. JMI Live is renowned for its intimate setting, providing the best opportunity to listen to live jazz in Brisbane. Just like a jazz club in New York, this venue is the ideal location for great jazz music, acoustics and atmosphere.
Location
JMI Live is located at 10 Exhibition Street, Bowen Hills.
Live streaming
All JMI Live concerts are live streamed to JMI’s YouTube account. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to access our free live streams.
Ticket Refund Policy
If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms and are unable to attend after having purchased a ticket, please contact the JMI office (07 3216 1110 or email play@jazz.qld.edu.au) as soon as possible during business hours (10AM-4PM) to let us know you won’t be able to attend. A full refund will be given if we are contacted prior to a performance. Refunds will not be processed if we are contacted after the gig.