This is virtuoso horn-writing
– John Hardaker, AustralianJazz.net
Cave writes with depth and maturity well beyond her years
– Jack Bowers, All About Jazz (USA)
Photo by Noni Carroll
Jenna Cave (b.1984) is an Australian composer, arranger, bandleader, vocalist and saxophonist. Raised in Canberra, she began performing professionally as jazz saxophonist at the age of 16, and went on to complete a BMus (jazz) Hons1 at the ANU School of Music (2006), specializing in jazz arranging and composition under the tuition of Miroslav Bukovsky. She went on to study a Master of Music (composition) at the Sydney Con (2010) with supervision from Bill Motizing, and received academic prizes and scholarships at both institutions.
She had just released her album Grief, Hope, Love (2024), a set of 6 songs for sextet commissioned and released by ABC Jazz featuring vocalist Kristin Berardi. Alongisde her composing Cave also performs intermittently as a vocalist and saxophonist, and is currently composing for and performing with her Heart Songs trio with Hannah James and Andrew Scott.
Cave directed the 19-piece Divergence Jazz Orchestra in Sydney as resident composer and arranger from 2012 to 2023, producing their three critically acclaimed albums Shadows and Light (2023), Fake it Until You Make It (2016) and The Opening Statement (2013), featuring her compositions and arrangements alongside music by other Australian composers. Having performed dozens of shows in jazz festivals, concert series and at Sydney venues; Divergence have featured numerous guest collaborators including Mirosalv Bukovsky, Nadje Noordhuis, Paul Cutlan, Chelsea McBride (Canada) and Judy Bailey.
As a composer and arranger Cave has been commissioned by international jazz festivals, ensembles, individuals, universities and schools. Commission highlights include: Greif, Hope, Love, (2023) for a set of six songs recorded by ABC Jazz featuring vocalist Kristin Berardi; Sleep, In My Arms (2019) for Paul Cutlan’s String Project album Living; and two works for the Sydney Women’s Jazz Collective (Pharos) featuring Sandy Evans for the 2016 Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival. Earlier commissions of note include a piece for sextet (featuring Norwegian saxophonist Froy Aagre and Australian luminaries Andrea Keller and Shannon Barnett) for the 2010 Melbourne International Women’s Jazz Festival, and three works for the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra as their 2011 composer-in-residence.
Other original projects Cave has led/co-led as a performer (saxophone and voice) have included The Truth Seekers (2018-2019); (with Hannah James, Andrew Scott, Will Gilbert and Mike Quigley) and improvised duo For This Moment with Keyna Wilkins (2017-2019).
In 2015 Cave was awarded full composer representation with the Australian Music Centre. In 2019 Cave was one of 17 jazz musicians nominated nationally for the prestigious Freedman Fellowship.
Music Qualifications
2008 to 2010: Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney. Master of Music (Composition)
2002 to 2006: Australian National University. Bachelor of Music (Jazz) with Honours (First Class)
2011: Australian Film Television and Radio School. Graduate Certificate in Screen Music
Commercial Album Releases
2024: ‘Jenna Cave: Grief, Hope, Love’ released on ABC jazz. A set of six songs for sextet that Cave composed in 12 months following the death of her husband by suicide. Performed by Kristin Berardi, Yutaro Okuda, Tom Avgenicos, Loretta Palmeiro, Hannah James and Chloe Kim
2023: Release of ‘Shadows and Light’, the third album from Divergence Jazz Orchestra. Produced and conducted by Cave, 4 compositions by Cave and two arrangements
2020: Cave’s cross-over chamber/jazz sextet Sleep In My Arms featured on Paul Cutlan’s String Project’s album Living
2016: Divergence Jazz Orchestra’s second album Fake It Until You Make It, 6 pieces by Cave and 5 by other composers, produced and conducted by Cave
2013: Divergence Jazz Orchestra’s debut album The Opening Statement, all music by Jenna Cave, produced and conducted by Cave
2012: Odd Time in Mali featured on the Sirens Big Band’s album release Kali and the Time of Change
2011: Cave’s Big band arrangement of Yekermo Sew included on the Sirens Big Band EP Universe
2006: Co-producer of album release Take it in Colour featuring Cave compositions Cardinal Lemoine, Journey and Through the Sky
Sheet Music Published
Full composer representation with the Australian Music Centre, music available for purchase
Composition Commissions
2023: ABC Jazz composer commission for the set of six songs “Grief, Hope, Love” for sextet
2021: Commissioned to compose a work for the big band at St Catherine’s College, Waverley
2019: Commissioned by leading Australian jazz reeds player/composer Paul Cutlan to compose a work for his contemporary improvising String Project Ensemble
2016: Two new works for ten-piece jazz ensemble to be premiered at the 2016 Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival
2016: Private commission to compose a new work for Divergence Jazz Orchestra
2011: Western Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra 2011 composer-in-residence. This included a commission for three new works, mentorship with four established composers and a concert premiere of the new works.
2010: Commissioned to compose a work for jazz sextet for premiere at the 2010 Melbourne International Women’s Jazz Festival
Awards, Grants and Professional Recognition
2022: Awarded and ABC Jazz Composer Commission to write and record “Grief, Hope, Love”
2019: Announced as one of 18 official nominees nation-wide for the prestigious Freedman Fellowship Award (Jazz)
2015: Awarded full composer representation with the Australian Music Centre
2013: Jenna Cave and Paul Weber recipients of a Contemporary Music Performance Grant from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
2012: Awarded a Women in Film in Television/APRA mentorship with leading Australian screen composer Guy Gross
2010: Dear Miss Upstill awarded the runner’s up prize in the Sprogis Woods Jazz Composition Competition at the 2010 Canberra International Music Festival
2008: Recipient of a two-year University of Sydney Postgraduate Award Scholarship
2006: Peter and Lena Karmel Memorial Prize for the most outstanding graduate form the ANU School of Music
2006: Bernhard Neumann Memorial Prize for the most outstanding music graduate from the ANU, awarded on the basis of academic achievement and ability to contribute to the School of Music community
2006: Jenna Cave and Sally Greenaway recipients of a Friends of the ANU School of Music grant to assist with production costs on their album release Take it in Colour.
Composer for Film and TV
2012: Commissioned composer for Blackbuster, a short comedy musical funded and developed with the assistance of ABC and Screen Australia. Featured at the 2012 Sydney International Film Festival and 2012 Melbourne International Film Festival as part of the BlackFella Films presentation. Broadcast on ABC TV.
2012: Commissioned to compose and arrange music in the pre-production phase of the The Very Trevor Ashley Show , a TV comedy pilot screened on SBS TV.
2011: Composer for Reflections on Manly Pool, a 17 minute documentary featured at FlickerFest film festival 2013