Twenty years ago, composers on Nightjar, Jeremy Rose and Nick Garbett were surfers, housemates, bandmates. A surfer vibe infuses their music: being at ease and alert, sitting in the swell of a magnificent immense natural force, until the wave comes. Ride it as gracefully and as far as possible.

The Vampires have been hot-housed in Sydney. Expanses get in our bloodstream, they are visceral. It’s in the music. Think of the 35 year long reverberations of The Necks.

The Vampires grew into their own music listening intently to The Necks. Individual members of The Vampires play with individual Necks: Tony Buck on Nick Garbett’s 2019 The Glider; and Lloyd Swanton with Jeremy Rose and Hamed Sadeghi in the improvising trio Vazesh. Chris Abrahams was a compelling collaborator to make music with – which is now Nightjar.

The Vampires, here in lush vamping form, meet the singular acute bright and tender touch of Chris Abrahams. Winner of the 2023 ARIA Award for ‘Best Jazz Album’,

Reviews for Nightjar:

"In one fell swoop, two of the strongest forces in Australian jazz, both of whose music is drenched in melodic beauty, are joined, creating what is palpably a masterpiece." ★★★★★ The Australian

"There's a seductive precision to the music" ★★★★ Jazzwise, editors choice

"Nightjar invites you on a relaxed sound journey, and those who close their eyes can easily imagine the vastness of the continent Down Under in their mind's eye." ★★★★★ Jazzthetik, DE

"The partnership between The Vampires & Abrahams sounds perfectly natural and organic and there’s a lot of mutual trust & respect from both parties. It’s only surprising that it hasn’t happened before." ★★★★ Jazzmann, UK

"enticing psychedelic immersion... ...a kind of permanent musical flow, in which each new note confirms the unique common hypnotic flow of the band, which we would like to listen only on and on. Judge for yourself." His Voice, Czech Rep.

"A captivating jazz experience, Nightjar is lit up by twinkling piano and sweet, sonorous brass." Bandcamp, new and notable

"Chris Abrahams' minimalist approach blends seamlessly into the interaction of the group while he pristine spaces with thrifty harmonic formulas and textural paint overtone layers." ★★★★ 1/2 Concerto Magazine, Austria

"It's really a great album... which I can't find fault with." Off Topic Magazine, Italy

"...ten excellently captivating songs." Nieuwe Noten, NL

"Chris Abrahams’ inclusion in the former group is about as fluent as if he was with the band at its inception." Something Else, USA

"The whole album maintains a relaxed style, not aggressive even in its improvisational moments, pulsing with melodic, journeying self- awareness." Rocking, Greece

"A doubly refined album of well-composed and stylistically convincing songs." Verhoovens Jazz, DE

"Lyrical and rhythmic tracks are in perfect balance on the album, as well as composed and improvised parts." SK Jazz, Slovakia

“In a head-bopping nod to the obvious, The Vampires play vamps. Yet, these are no ordinary vamps. Written and improvised melodies are beautiful and flawless, and the harmonies between the three voices (woodwinds, brass, bass) ring with pitch-perfect sonority. There is a sublime pacing to each of the tunes here, with strategic shifts in texture, tonality, rhythm or intensity twisting the narrative of each hypnotic groove into an ever-unfolding and irresistible arc.”

**** Gary Fukushima, Downbeat

"This is such a good album that it's difficult to know which superlatives to start with.... This is state-of-the-art modern jazz at the highest level"

****1/2  Eric Myers, The Australian

"Not only is the composing and improvising exceptional, it’s the Vampires’ best-recorded album, too.…carrying faint (and thrilling) echoes of the Art Ensemble of Chicago."

**** John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald

“Simpler nature, yet equally expressive soundscapes… reminiscent of the fusion 'milestone' Bitches Brew.”

**** Freidrich Kunzman, All About Jazz

"If jazz music is about continuously reinventing and staying on your toes, then 'The Vampires Meet Lionel Loueke' is a phenomenal jazz record by a worldly, talented, and newly minted five-piece band."

****  Chris Tart (Downbeat)

“It is gold all over. Original, melodically minimal compositions with hidden details scattered in every corner you look—covering nearly every topographic musical element and framed in a cohesive whole.”

Friedrich Kunzman, All About Jazz

“One of my favourite albums of the year was a jazz recording.. …It’s beautifully constructed melody sounded so classic, so perfect, that it had already become deeply ingrained in my memory. Of course, I have been listening to this album a lot. This one’s a real winner.”

David Faulkner, The Saturday Paper, Australian Music Prize chair

“Seductive, genre-hopping creativity: The references embrace reggae, classic Cuban son, high life, pre-electric Miles Davis and hints of Blue Note soul-jazz or Henri Texier’s cinematically scene-setting music..."

**** John Fordham, The Guardian UK

"This was the perfect summer record that pulled off the trick of being both an ambient soundtrack to life on the move while remaining capable of standing up to concentrated home listening." 

Phil Barnes, All About Jazz