East of West weaves connections between people and place - between the interior spaces we inhabit when journeying in our imagination and the external world of connections we share with the people and places around us. Born in Bosnia, New Zealand and England, this trio of well-travelled musicians weave music that connects with the hearts and minds of the audience in a contemplative yet dynamic performance. Touching on many genres but deeply in tune with its own sound, East of West questions boundaries and borders, reaching across them to touch the minds and hearts of listeners.
Join ARIA-nominated Queensland instrumental trio East of West as they tour their latest album, Velella, to the north, south, and the centre of Australia.
East of West’s music draws from the rich cultural melting pot of the Balkan and Mediterranean regions, spicing it with a hint of contemporary European jazz. Comprising Bosnian-born composer Goran Gajić on double bass, Philip Griffin on oud and laouto, and Malindi Morris on percussion, East of West explores the borderlands between genres through their intricate compositions and improvisations.
Over the eight years of their collaboration, the trio has developed an intuitive musical relationship, evident in their dynamic interplays, virtuosic unison melodies and expressive soloing. Gajić’s compositions explore gentle melodic motifs nested in uptempo passages set to Balkan-influenced rhythms, interspersed with moments of mesmerising musical sparseness.
This ticket includes a free workshop, 5.30-6.30pm on the same day Friday 23 October 2026.
“The splendid interactions between the musicians here suggest an affinity with the best traditions of European jazz." THE AUSTRALIAN (Eric Myers) ★★★★
“Influences from the Balkans and Mediterranean meet jazz and contemporary classical.” SONGLINES, UK (Christina M. Bauer) ★★★★
"Fans of world fusion will certainly resonate with East of West’s musical intuition and ethnic sophistication..." JAZZTRAIL, New York (Filipe Freitas)
“A true listening experience with impressive exotic sounds." BERLIN ON AIR
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.