Margie Lou Dyer Quintet: Live at The Count’s

Next date: Wednesday, 15 October 2025 | 07:30 PM

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Melbourne jazz icon Margie Lou Dyer brings her fiery, blues-drenched quintet to The Count’s for the first time. With roots in New Orleans jazz and decades of soul-soaked storytelling, her playing has been called “raw, mournful, joyous… ragged and right” by Paul Kelly.

Beloved Melbourne jazz figure Margie Lou Dyer makes her Count’s debut with her exceptional quintet—an ensemble that has grown into a cornerstone of the city’s jazz scene. With roots in early blues and New Orleans jazz, the band’s fiery spirit was honed during a ten-year residency at Claypots in St Kilda, where their soulful Sunday sessions became a cultural institution. Their acclaimed debut album Old Digger’s Picnic was nominated for Best Australian Vocal Jazz Album at the Bell Awards, and their follow-up Survival Day was recorded at ABC Studios during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Describing her style, Paul Kelly writes: “Margie Lou and her band, steeped in gut-bucket jazz and blues, draw fresh water from an old well. Her piano playing is raw, fiery, mournful, joyous. Ragged and right. I could listen to her dancing left hand all day and night. When she sings, pain turns to jubilation.”

A powerful pianist, vocalist and songwriter, Margie Lou Dyer has been a singular voice in Australian jazz for over 40 years. Her raw, gravelly vocals and blues-soaked piano style have drawn comparisons to Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday, while her career includes work with legends such as her late husband Allan Browne, Steve Grant, Bob Sedergreen and Paul Williamson. From Mietta’s to the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, her performances are revered for their authenticity, soul and storytelling.

Featuring:
Eugene Ball (trumpet) – One of Australia’s most versatile and awarded horn players. Eugene has performed with the Australian Art Orchestra, Paul Dempsey, Sinéad O’Connor, John Cale and more. Former co-artistic director of the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz.

Cameron Robbins (clarinet) – Multidisciplinary artist and veteran improviser. Brings lyrical swing shaped by decades performing with jazz luminaries including Allan Browne and CW Stoneking, and appearing at festivals worldwide.

Howard Cairns (double bass) – Deeply rooted acoustic bassist with a vast career spanning jazz, folk, New Orleans and gypsy styles. Has played with Michelle Nicolle, George Butrumlis, Way Out West and others.

Hayley Miro Browne (washboard) – Daughter of legendary drummer Allan Browne, Hayley continues his rhythmic legacy with grit and grace. A filmmaker by day, she adds striking texture and pulse to the group’s sound.

Make a meal of it! The music gets underway at 7.30pm, but arrive a bit earlier if you can. From 6.30pm, enjoy pre-show dinner and drinks at The Count’s Italian-style kitchen and bar.