Michael Story Trio

Modern jazz and contemporary groove

The Melbourne-based Michael Story Trio, featuring acoustic/electric bassist Michael Story, pianist Luke Howard and drummer Aaron McCoullough, plays a blend of modern jazz and contemporary groove music, inspired by Bobo Stensen’s trio, Medeski Martin and Wood, The Bad Plus and Brad Mehldau. 

The trio are currently recording their latest CD which includes many of the tunes performed over the last six months. Their sound has developed since their previous release with a greater focus on collective improvisation, blending deep colourful harmonies and melodies with kick, hats, snare and woody double bass grooves. 

Michael Story was born and raised in Christchurch, where he completed his Bachelor of Music at the Christchurch Jazz School in 2004 with support from the Jerry Wise Young Performers Scholarship. He also studied with Tom Rainey and performed at the Christchurch Jazz and Arts festivals and the national salsa festival Jambalya with salsa group ‘Ritmo Latino’.

With the support from the Dame Malvina Major Foundation’s young emerging artist grant, he completed an honours year at the Victorian College of the Arts where he studied under bassist Gary Costello and pianists Tim Stevens and Andrea Keller.

Michael also works as a sideman with many Melbourne groups including soul/hip hop group Flow and Plenty, original jazz projects The Daniel Gassin Trio, Andy Sugg Group, Tim Shawcross Septet, Mark Lockett and Paul Van Ross Quartet, The Ground, and pop/rock groups artists Neil Murray and Bridget A’Beckett. 

He has also performed alongside top Melbourne jazz artists David Rex, Andrew Gander, Steve Magnuson, Geoff Hughes, Mark Fitzgibbon, Nichaud Fitzgibbon and Allan Browne. He has also toured Australia performing with singer songwriter Neil Murray and roots band Tecoma.

Michael is no stranger to the ASB Queenstown JazzFest, having played here before when touring New Zealand with the Mark Lockett and Paul Van Ross Quartet. 

His goal is to continue to develop as an emotive improviser, creating and performing music that moves people with groove, and also represents who he is and where he is from.