On a drizzly Saturday night, Summertown Studio is filled with warmth, soul, and sound, as locals gather for a night of jazz. By 4:30pm the taco truck is parked, the drinks are flowing, and the first live act of a stacked line up is underway.

Praise Mangena sets the smooth, soulful tone of the night, sparkling from head to toe under the disco balls hanging above the stage. The Zimbabwean-born, Adelaide-based multidisciplinary artist showcases her blend of spoken word, R&B, and jazz, accompanied by her four-piece band, and has the audience swaying and singing from their seats.

Lucky Organ Trio follows, capping off a big week which saw the release of their debut single ‘Gondrana’. The trio is a relatively new operation, with an origin story at Summertown Studio: they used to perform at the Somerton Park venue annually as a Christmas lounge cover band, before realising they had a chemistry worth taking further. Their fans gather and groove on the dance floor to their modern takes on the traditional formats of soul, R&B and the classic organ.

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The night finds its rhythm quickly, with audiences dispersing at the end of each set to refill their glasses, swing past Braising Boy Tacos, or mingle on the couches, before flocking back as soon as they hear the next soundcheck start. Inside, at the Summertown shop booth, a back-to-back DJ line-up with Love Design fills the space; wherever people wander, they can always hear music.

The crowd is perhaps its biggest for DEEP MIND, a Seoul-based contemporary jazz collective. Their work is layered and rhythmic – created with bass, dual-guitars, drums and synth – meshing jazz and electronic music seamlessly. The set expands traditional understandings of jazz, but nods to its roots, with features like a riff from the jazz-standard ‘The Girl from Ipanema’.

At 8:45pm, Erica Tucceri challenges what many believe could be achieved with the flute (including me, a former flautist). Her tones and compositions are distinctive, and her improv floors many watching on. With the release of her debut album Route 96 on the horizon, the flautist gives her following plenty to look forward to.

Live Slug Reaction round out the night with a whole lot of energy and personality. The fact that the band took their name from a 2023 meme tells you almost everything you need to know: they are playful, joyful, and don’t take themselves too seriously. Through their jazz-funk fusion and original compositions, they’ve garnered a devoted fanbase, who stayed boogying on the dance floor until the end of the night.

The team at Summertown Studio know how to host a night of live music. They know how to curate a setlist (and a wine list), and how to set the vibe, rain, hail or shine.

Thanks to Summertown, we, definitely, got the jazz.

We Got The Jazz was presented at Summertown Studio on October 24