Unladylike Big Band

Unladylike Big Band Queensland Stories: The Dying Art of Discourse 12 Oct BOOK ABOUT THE SHOW Queensland Stories: The Dying Art of Discourse is a major new work by internationally recognised Australian composer and saxophonist Rafael Karlen, created in collaboration with Brisbane’s Unladylike Big Band. Exploring themes of discourse, identity and contemporary society through a distinctly Queensland lens, the work brings together Karlen’s compositional voice with the individual musical voices of this dynamic ensemble of women and gender-diverse jazz musicians. Developed collaboratively through workshops and rehearsals, the music combines composed material with improvisation and open sections shaped by the ensemble itself. Premiering at the 2026 Brisbane International Jazz Festival, the concert celebrates new Australian music, collaboration and the extraordinary depth of Queensland’s contemporary jazz community. The evening opens with a special performance by the Un-Young-Ladylike Big Ban