Jenna Cave Sextet feat. Kristin Berardi, Yutaro Okuda, Tom Avgenicos, Loretta Palmeiro, Hannah James, and Chloe Kim

Grief, Hope, Love (2024)

  • In April 2022, at the age of 38, my life was completely turned on its head. I became a solo parent to my three-year-old daughter and was thrown into the depths of grief and trauma and when my husband died from suicide.

    Commissioned by ABC Jazz, “Grief, Hope, Love” is a suite of 6 songs I wrote in the 12 months after his death. With themes of hope and resilience in the face of loss and despair, these songs became an outlet for me to articulate, process and express my raw emotional states during the early stages of grief, including my sheer gratitude for the love and joy that still existed alongside my pain. Sung with deep empathy by the exceptional vocalist Kristin Berardi, I hope that this music may allow listeners suffering from grief and loss (particularly due to suicide) to feel heard and held, and that sharing my stories may increase grief literacy in the community.

  • All tracks by Jenna Cave except track 4 (improvisation by Tom Avgenicos, Loretta Palmeiro and
    Chloe Kim) and track 7 (improvisation by Kristin Berardi and Yutaro Okuda)

    —

    James Kennedy (producer and engineer)

    Photography by Noni Carroll
    Artwork design by John Hardaker

  • Jenna Cave composer/musical director
    Kristin Berardi vocals
    Yutaro Okuda guitar
    Tom Avgenicos trumpet/flugelhorn
    Loretta Palmeiro saxophones, clarinet
    Hannah James double bass
    Chloe Kim drums

  • This a unique and highly moving album from a stellar sextet directed by Sydney composer Jenna Cave…inspiring music which deeply touches the heart.
    - Eric Myers, The Australian

    At their best these songs recall Joni Mitchell's daring manner of harnessing jazz voices...Cave has faced darkness, and proffered a spirited rejoinder, a serene hymn to human strength and resilience
    -Des Cowley, Rhythms Magazine

    A Beautiful, poignant piece of work
    - Barry O’Sullivan, Dingo Magazine

Shadows and Light (2023)

DIVERGENCE JAZZ ORCHESTRA

  • In their third studio album, 'Shadows and Light', nineteen-piece Sydney ensemble Divergence Jazz Orchestra present a collection of original Australian compositions that explore both the shadows and the light of the human experience.

    Compositions from bandleader Jenna Cave, album co-producer and guest soloist Paul Cutlan, and friends/collaborators Miroslav Bukovsky and Andrew Scott, take the listener through moments of darkness, fear, hope, reflection, exuberance, joy and optimism, a meditation on what it is to be living fully. Masterfully captured by the much sought after recording engineer Ross A’Hern, this stellar recording, with a warm lush sound, features exceptional soloists and ensemble players representing a diverse cross section of the creative music community in Sydney.

  • Tracks 1, 3, 6 and 7 composed by Jenna Cave

    Track 4 composed by Paul Cutlan

    Tracks 2 and 8 composed by Miroslav Bukovsky, arr. Cave/Bukovsky

    Track 5 by Andrew Scott

  • Director/ Resident composer and arranger
    Jenna Cave

    Trombones
    Paul Weber (co-bandleader)
    Alex Silver
    Rose Foster
    Luke Davis

    Trumpets/Flugelhorns
    Matt Collins
    James Power
    Paul Murchison
    Will Endicott
    Will Gilbert

    Saxophones/Woodwinds
    Loretta Palmeiro
    Abi McCunn
    David Reglar
    Louis Klaassen
    Laura Power
    Paul Cutlan (solos tracks 1 and 8)

    Double Bass Hannah James
    Guitar Yutaro Okuda
    Piano Adrian Keevill
    Drums Mike Quigley
    Voice Marie Le Brun (track 3)

  • The band navigates this new set of often technically-challenging compositions with an impressive level of musicality and precision…Jenna Cave and Divergence Jazz Orchestra’s third impressive recording project in a decade is a tremendous accomplishment of ability and fortitude

    - Dave Lisik, MyJazzReview.com

    I believe this lovely album progress the art of big band jazz in this country

    - Eric Myers, AJazz Magaizne

Fake It Until You Make It (2016)

Divergence Jazz Orchestra

  • Following a highly acclaimed debut album release in 2013, Divergence Jazz Orchestra release their second album ‘Fake It Until You Make It’ – featuring original music composed by Jenna Cave, Brendan Champion, Luke Davis, Paul Murchison and Miroslav Bukovsky – performed by some of Sydney‘s most versatile young musicians.

    Each tune on this album contains that zest, energy and buzz that are at the core of Divergence Jazz Orchestra’s principles and an affinity for groove that accentuates the validity and freshness of a jazz orchestra in today’s musical landscape. All of the compositions on this release show originality, and the mix of sound worlds vary from swing to New Orleans to gospel ballads featuring luscious harmonies, exciting writing and all of the features that make for a top-notch jazz album.

  • Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 composed by Jenna CaveTracks 8 and 11 composed by Brendan ChampionTrack 1 composed by Luke DavisTracks 10 and 8 composed by Miroslav Bukovsky, arr. Cave

  • Conductor/Resident composer and arranger
    Jenna Cave

    Trombones
    Paul Weber (Co-Director)
    Brendan Champion
    Tim Coggins
    Luke Davis (bass)

    Trumpets and Flugelhorns
    Paul Murchison
    Rob Campbell
    Will Endicott
    Paul Meo
    Will Gilbert

    Rhythm Section
    Luke Liang (guitar)
    Andrew Scott (piano)
    David Groves (bass)
    James McCaffrey (drums)

    Saxophones and Woodwinds
    Justin Buckingham (alto, flute)
    Loretta Palmeiro (alto, soprano, clarinet)
    David Reglar (tenor, alto)
    Louis Klaassen (tenor)
    Tim Clarkson (baritone, bass clarinet)

  • This is virtuoso horn writing
    – John Hardaker, AUSTRALIAN JAZZ.NET 

The Opening Statement (2013)

DIVERGENCE JAZZ ORCHESTRA

  • Independently produced and funded,  The Opening Statement is a showcase of the music of bandleader Jenna Cave. The collection of selected works, composed between 2006 to 2013, were rewritten for Divergence Jazz Orchestra in collaboration with Paul Weber, and collectively developed for performance by the ensemble. At the time of recording the group was made up of 18 of Sydney’s most committed young jazz musicians, aged 19 to 34, who shared a special interest in performing original large ensemble music.

  • Description text goes here

  • Composer and Conductor
    Jenna Cave

    Trombones
    Paul Weber (Co-Musical Director, lead)
    Brendan Champion
    Tim Coggins
    Mitchell Nissen (bass)

    Trumpets and Flugelhorns
    Dane Laboyrie (lead)
    Matthew Collins
    Luke Stephens
    Paul Meo
    Will Gilbert

    Saxophones and Woodwinds
    Justin Buckingham (lead alto, soprano, flute)
    Joshua Willard (alto, clarinet)
    Evan Harris (tenor, flute)
    Michael Avgenicos (tenor)
    Chris O’Dea (baritone)

    Rhythm Section
    Luke Liang (guitar)
    David Groves (bass)
    James McCaffrey (drums) 

  • Four stars…A highly listenable album… Cave has established herself as a top-level composer, arranger and conductor in Australian jazz
    - John McBeath, The Australian newspaper

    Four stars…Divergence Jazz Orchestra is remarkably strong and consistently pleasing… Cave writes with depth and maturity well beyond her years, a virtue not lost on the DJO, which carries out her wishes to the letter
    – Jack Bowers, ALL ABOUT JAZZ

Sleep in My Arms (2020) - Jenna Cave

Paul Cutlan String Project - Living
Commission

  • In mid-2018, after the birth of my daughter, I was thrilled to be invited by Paul Cutlan to compose a work inspired by motherhood for his String Project. As a new mum I would rock my baby to sleep and experience a magical feeling of bliss as she drifted away. I set out to share these moments in the music.

    Sleep time began with long "shhhing" sounds, which became a setting for Paul's improvised clarinet entry. Next I would start rocking my baby, patting her bum to the beat while repeating a "sh-sh-shhh" rhythm. As Paul's solo grows, the "sh-sh-shhh" pattern is spoken by violin one, while patting the beat. The bass and string quartet join the groove independently with both jazz and minimalist aesthetics. The music builds as the baby is lulled to sleep, the beat dissolving as she finally falls. Swelling, sustained low notes on the clarinet express the utter calm and serenity that came with sleep, lush chords in the strings growing out of this. The final section, fully notated, starts with a lullaby-like violin melody, developing into a ride on the waves of emotion and love I felt as a besotted mother with my baby asleep, in my arms.

  • Paul Cutlan clarinet
    Liisa Pallandi violin
    Caroline Hopson violin
    James Eccles viola
    Oliver Miller cello
    Brett Hirst bass

  • Cave’s ‘Sleep in My Arms’ is soothing and calming, evoking the serenity and love of a nurturing mother.
    - Chris Cody, Loud Mouth e-zine