JONATHON HOLMES
pianist & singer, composer & librettist, actor
based in Sydney, Australia
something for every event
a live jukebox (and you?)
Piano, drums, sax, and if you're feeling brave - you and your friends! What other band takes requests from a list of over 2000 songs; and then trusts YOU with a mic? No one else we know. The karaoke is optional, but the party vibes are not. We've played bars, weddings, even house parties. A crowd favourite and our most popular product.
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for a swingin' event
If the night's a little more classy, or it really needs to swing, then the Jack Holmes Quartet fit the bill. They'll play the standards but this isn't your grandparents jazz, they've also got swinging versions of pop tunes that will satisfy the whole crowd.
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classic and versatile
Bring the piano bar experience to your event with Jonathon Holmes, boasting the largest set list in Sydney of over 2000 songs. Jonathon's played on Carnival and P&O cruise lines, at bars, weddings, house parties, even Star Casino. So whether it's some quiet background music or the main event, he'll sing you a song (he's the piano man).
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COMPOSER
musicals, jazz and pop
musicals
Three in the Bed is an outrageous musical farce written and directed by Jonathon Holmes. It premiered to a sellout season at King Street Theatre in 2017 with a return season at New Theatre in 2018. Critics said "terrific fun: cheeky, sexy, laugh out loud... full of heart" and "a success". It also featured in the book 'The Australian Musical'.
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Jingle Hell, music and book by Jonathon Holmes with lyrics by Jared Jekyll, is a new spine-chilling festive musical comedy. Warren and Linda are already having the Christmas from Hell. But when their priest shows up to tell them their daughter is possessed, that problem ends up at the bottom of their Christmas list.
jazz
Mickey's Jazz Club is swinging your favourite toons! Your inner-child never looked so classy. An 8-piece jazz band covering every era of animation music. Cool arrangements, tight harmonies, with a few fun-facts and a lot of bad jokes. Dress-ups encouraged! The original 4 show series ran in 2018 at The Newsagency. They returned in 2022 with a 'best of' run for the Sydney Fringe Festival, again in 2023 for the Adelaide Fringe Festival, and in 2024 debut at The Emerald Room. You can hear live recordings on their made for Youtube album 'Live at Sydney Fringe'.
pop
Indie piano pop with an occasional jazzy twist. Available on all streaming platforms.
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2015 - Plutonese (EP)
- My Virginity
- Play Your Games
- Quiet
- Stay Awake
- Plutonese (feat. Laura Murphy)
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Singles
2016 - Get Your Hands
2017 - Pretentious
2021 - Alone
2021 - Every Goddamn Day
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BIO
Jonathon Holmes
Jonathon Holmes is a pianist and vocalist; composer and librettist; and actor from Sydney, Australia.
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Most of the time you'll find Jonathon taking requests at the piano, often in trio KEYS & CRASH; and at venues including LOLA'S PIANO BAR at Sydney Spiegeltent and Riverside Theatres, The Star, or on Carnival Cruises (as well as your local haunts). In 2023 he spent the year leading the house jazz band on piano and vocals for The Emerald Room's MARVELLOUS PARTY. There's also his side project MICKEY'S JAZZ CLUB, an 8-piece band "swinging your favourite toons", which played Sydney Fringe in '22 & '24 and Adelaide Fringe in '23.
As composer, librettist and director, his musical comedy THREE IN THE BED had Sydney seasons in 2017 and 2018. Reviewers called it "terrific fun: cheeky, sexy, laugh out loud... full of heart" and "a success". It appears in the book 'The Australian Musical'. His new musical JINGLE HELL, written with Jared Jekyll, featured at Home Grown and is being workshopped at 'Showlab' with Hayes Theatre Co. In another life he released pop tracks, which can still find wherever you stream music.
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Jonathon's other musical theatre credits include directing THE FANTASTICKS (Exclaim), and acting as Clopin (twice) in HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (Blackout & Regals); Berger in HAIR (Exclaim); Hewson/Downer in KEATING (Birdie); Herod in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Willoughby); Orin in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Riverside); Panch in SPELLING BEE (Exclaim); Tobias in SWEENEY TODD (AIM); Rod in AVENUE Q (Rockdale); and Rolf in SOUND OF MUSIC (Chatswood).
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Jonathon has recently combined his background of music and storytelling into film and game composition. He also tutors voice, piano and composition; and holds a Bachelor of Music (Music Theatre) from AIM.
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“Jonathon Holmes is a clear audience favourite.” - Aussie Theatre
"Unforgettable... no-holds barred..." - Sydney Arts Guide
"Jonathon Holmes does it in style." - Stage Whispers
"He was relentless in his energy and the crowd loved it." - Australian Stage
"Flawless vocals" - Fourth Wall Reviews
