What is The Half Bent Music Festival?

What is The Half Bent Music Festival?

Author: JOY 94.9 - LGBTI, LGBTIQA+, LGBTQIA+, LGBT, LGBTQ, LGB, Gay, Lesbian, Trans, Intersex, Queer Podcasts for all our Rainbow Communities May 18, 2026 Duration: 25:13

Huich Goh and Paul Whitword from Sahul Sakti, spoke about their ensemble’s music which integrates Martial Arts with Music, and Merinda Dias-Jayasinha spoke about her multi-disciplined career to date, when they were guests of Bent Notes. 

Huich and Paul are artists performing, in their ensemble Sahul Sakti, in the Half Bent Music Festival occurring over the last weekend in May, 2026 in Merribek – Merinda is both performing and a member of the organising committee, who spoke about the varied performances scheduled across the weekend – presented by Small Space Music.

Hear Huich describe the manner in which Martial Arts and music work together, and how Merinda sees the great outcomes from collaborations between artists who may not have worked together before.

Huich Goh, Paul Whitword and Merinda Dias-Jayasinha were guests of Bent Notes on Sunday May 10, 2026
Bent Notes – 2 hours of Jazz and Improvised Music – 7 o’clock every Sunday night
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Tune into Bent Notes for a vibrant exploration of jazz that stretches across decades and defies easy categorization. This podcast, from the team at JOY 94.9, is more than a simple music show; it’s a curated journey through sound that connects the dots between the foundational rhythms of ragtime and the innovative pulses of contemporary remixes. Each episode serves as both a listening session and a conversation, weaving together tracks with thoughtful commentary and engaging interviews that provide context and highlight the artists-particularly those from LGBTIQA+ and rainbow communities-who have shaped and continue to redefine this ever-evolving genre. You’ll hear stories behind the music, discover new interpretations of classic sounds, and gain a deeper appreciation for jazz’s incredible diversity. Whether you're a lifelong aficionado or simply curious about where the music can go, this podcast offers a fresh and inclusive perspective, celebrating the rich, sometimes unconventional, and always compelling history of jazz in all its forms.
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