Name: The Modern Ark - Album Launch
Start: 2026-05-08T10:00:00+10:00
Location: The Jazzlab

ARIA-nominated Jake Mason Trio will launch their acclaimed new album The Modern Ark with a special live performance at The Jazzlab, Brunswick, on Friday 8 May 2026. Led by Hammond organist, composer and bandleader Jake Mason, alongside James Sherlock on guitar and Danny Fischer on drums, the trio bring a modern edge to the classic soul-jazz tradition — vintage warmth, deep groove and improvisation.
Following their ARIA-nominated debut The Stranger in the Mirror, Jake Mason Trio have established themselves as one of Australia’s most vital contemporary jazz outfits. Their second album, The Modern Ark, released in February 2026, builds on that foundation with a richly groove-driven record that draws on the golden era of organ-jazz while speaking directly to the present moment. Recorded live to tape in Melbourne with vintage-style production, analogue grit and contemporary clarity, the album moves from simmering soul to widescreen jazz, balancing pocket, melody and improvisation.
Featuring standout collaborations with Kurt Elling and Kate Ceberano, The Modern Ark expands the Trio’s sound across ten tracks, from swinging instrumental burners to luminous late-night ballads. Echoes of Jimmy Smith, Brother Jack McDuff and Larry Young run through the music, but Mason’s writing pushes well beyond homage, giving the album a voice that is both timeless and distinctly contemporary.
At The Jazzlab, Jake Mason Trio will present The Modern Ark live in full, joined by special guests to realise key moments from the album’s expansive soul-jazz palette. With support from Victoriana Gaye Trio feat. Jeff Raglus, the evening promises a deeply grooving and memorable launch — a modern soul-jazz parable for uncertain times, brought vividly to life on stage.
“Pushing the boundaries of soul jazz... a scintillating killer of epic proportions”, �Blues & Soul, UK