03 Sessions

03 Sessions Original and improvised music from Ōtautahi and beyond.

We are so excited to welcome Myele Manzanza and friends to 03 Sessions next month. These will be a hot ticket so get in ...
24/09/2025

We are so excited to welcome Myele Manzanza and friends to 03 Sessions next month. These will be a hot ticket so get in quick! Early birds available until 1st Oct. More info below...

"Rhythm resides deep in the spirit for drummer and composer Myele Manzanza. Raised in New Zealand by a Congolese master percussionist father, Manzanza has developed a singular voice that bridges jazz, electronic music, hip-hop, and African rhythm, all unified by a visceral, embodied sense of groove.

Now based in London, Manzanza has become a vital presence in the city’s jazz and electronic scenes. Since 2021, he has hosted the monthly Late Late Show residency at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, serving as both bandleader and connector for an ever-evolving roster of improvisers and collaborators."

Thursday 16 October 8pm
Space Academy
Presale Tickets $38 Early Bird or $43 GA (plus booking fee)
Door sales $48
https://events.humanitix.com/myele-manzanza-03sessions

Tonight 8pm at Space Academy CARNE VERDE return with another evening of unfettered bass & drums indulgence! With a pench...
18/09/2025

Tonight 8pm at Space Academy CARNE VERDE return with another evening of unfettered bass & drums indulgence! With a penchant for lush tones and bizarre textures with eye-watering polyrhythms, this duo will captivate you with a haze of cinematic sci-fi prog fusion jazz funk and sonic exploratory surgery.

CARNE VERDE is the malformed brainchild of percussionist extraordinaire Doug Brush and bass iconoclast Mike "Fud" Fudakowski, with special guests.

Tickets $20/$15 plus booking fee from Humanitix or on the door.
https://events.humanitix.com/carne-verde-2025

ICYMI: our new season poster designed by Andy Knopp is out now! Plenty coming up at the 03 Sessions, including: internat...
15/09/2025

ICYMI: our new season poster designed by Andy Knopp is out now! Plenty coming up at the 03 Sessions, including: international touring artists Myele Manzanza, Hetty Kate and Hamish Smith, local legends Glyn MacDonald & Carne Verde, and a special concert to celebrate FIVE YEARS of 03 Sessions 🙌

Thursdays at Space Academy, and live-streaming everywhere. Lean in

Coming up Thurs 11 Sept 8pm. The Webb–Pearce Quartet brings an evening of original music to the 03 Sessions. Led by guit...
06/09/2025

Coming up Thurs 11 Sept 8pm. The Webb–Pearce Quartet brings an evening of original music to the 03 Sessions. Led by guitarist Heather Webb and trumpeter Cameron Pearce, with Michael Story (bass) and Joseph McCallum (drums), the group explores sound with openness and lyricism. Expect magnetic grooves, lyrical melodies, and spontaneous interplay that balance precision with freedom. This is jazz that’s adventurous and alive, yet grounded in warmth and connection.

Tickets $20/$15 plus booking fee at:
https://events.humanitix.com/webb-pearce-quartet-03sessions

Home-coming King! 👑 This Thursday 28 August 8pm, Nick Gaffaney returns home for a special concert, blending global exper...
22/08/2025

Home-coming King! 👑 This Thursday 28 August 8pm, Nick Gaffaney returns home for a special concert, blending global experience with local roots.

Born in Christchurch, Nick Gaffaney attended the relatively early days of Ara Music Arts back when it occupied the magnificent (but leaky and drafty) St Asaph Street building in the mid 1990's. Some of his fondest memories are of cycling home through the late night Christchurch smog following a day's practice at what was affectionately known as "tech" by students of Nick's vintage.

Since leaving Christchurch in 1998, Nick has travelled a wide and varied path through his career, making music all over the world in situations as diverse as free jazz and noise music in Canada. Broken beat, electronic dance music in Auckland and London. As an Artist in Residence at the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts in Ahmedabad, India. As one of the most in-demand session and touring drummers in New Zealand with Anika Moa, Fat Freddy's Drop, Goldenhorse, Dimmer, Hollie Smith, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Ben Lee, (and many more) and as a singer/drummer/keyboard bass player in his boundary-pushing rock project Cairo Knife Fight.

This show will take on a jazzy flavour including some G̶a̶f̶f̶a̶n̶e̶y̶ Cannard originals.

Nick will be joined by:
Jimmy Rainey - tenor sax
Nick Pitts - keys
Dougal Cannard - bass

Tickets
$25 GA
$20 03 Members / Students
https://events.humanitix.com/nick-gaffaney
Or on the door

Coming up at the 03: Ara Music Takeover! Throughout August and September, we’re proud to be continuing our long-standing...
18/08/2025

Coming up at the 03: Ara Music Takeover! Throughout August and September, we’re proud to be continuing our long-standing collaboration between Ara Music Arts and 03 Sessions – a partnership that highlights the deep links between education, live performance, and our local music scene. Come on down for Ara Showcase month and bag yourself some amazing gig deals.

14 August:
Post-bop O'Clock with Daniel Harris &
Frank Stedman's Old School Mix Vol. 1

21 August:
Theo Bird 'The Purple Nurple' &
Willowby 'Signs of 319'

4 September:
Will Kao’s Latin Experiment &
Tyler Duckmanton

Shows at 7:30pm & 8:30pm - KOHA ENTRY

Poster design by Dan Hodges (any similarity between this poster and a certain supermarket is purely coincidental)

Tomorrow night, 8pm! The incomparable Darren Pickering is debuting his latest album "Three" with band known as Small Wor...
20/05/2025

Tomorrow night, 8pm! The incomparable Darren Pickering is debuting his latest album "Three" with band known as Small Worlds. Come witness the jazz quartet returning live to the Space Academy stage yet again, to celebrate the release joined by Heather Webb (guitar), Pete Fleming (bass), & Jono Blackie (drums).

This Ōtautahi (Christchurch, NZ) based jazz quartet performs works composed by pianist Darren Pickering as well as re-imagined versions of selected works from other genres. The group’s emphasis is mostly on through-composed material combined with improvisation, and the artistic direction is determined equally by all members. There is a cinematic flavour to the ensemble’s sound, enhanced by the electronic textures of Darren’s ever-expanding collection of modular systems, synths, selected iPad apps and sonic manipulation devices.

Tickets $15-$20 at humanitix.com or on the door.
https://events.humanitix.com/darren-pickering-small-worlds-three-album-release-show

Our 03 Sessions kaupapa is to bring original and improvised musical projects to keen and appreciative audiences. We host...
15/05/2025

Our 03 Sessions kaupapa is to bring original and improvised musical projects to keen and appreciative audiences. We host groups from Ōtautahi, Christchurch and also visitors from other regions and even countries!

Do you have or know something brewing and bubbling that needs a stage? We want to hear from you!

Taking Expressions of Interest for our available 2025 gig slots... Quick form, don't be shy. ✌️

Express your Interest here:
https://airtable.com/appvVWWLLmjY3o8dz/pagWNy874kehBZDiy/form

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Ōtautahi
Christchurch
03

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