Koi Kingdom: Live at The Count's

Koi Kingdom brings a big sound of detailed arrangements and intermittent improvisations that showcase their quirky, considered and unpredictable aesthetic - all in a trio setting.

Saxophonist Cheryl Durongpisitkul, guitarist Marcos Villalta and bassist Stephen Hornby are rarely seen standing still during their performances, constantly shifting position within the setting, reacting to each other’s ideas and phrases. This urgently modern jazz trio will have you questioning your idea of what modern jazz really is. Approaching music with a refreshing sense of freedom and irreverence, they play with forms, with melodic structures, with sonic textures, with genres and references. Their most recent album, Menagerie showcases this play with modern jazz.

Reflecting their experiences growing up in a multicultural and globally connected country, Koi Kingdom was founded in 2016 on a shared love of composing and performing original music as well as a mutual respect for each other’s craft. All three artists have proven themselves powerful composers, performers and bandleaders in their own right. Koi Kingdom is a place where all three members can freely express themselves, composing music for one another and working together to make highly personal, collective music. The group’s music lies outside genre boundaries while their distinctive sound is characterised by detailed compositions, instrumental virtuosity and fearless exploration.

Cheryl Durongpisitkul was guest composer for the Monash Art Ensemble’s 2022 performance as part of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, led by MPAC’s Artistic Director, Paul Grabowsky.