Avant Raag is a dynamic duo exploring the intersection of acoustic tradition and electronic innovation. Blending rich jazz sensibilities with textures of electronica and world music, they create a sound that is both contemporary and timeless.
At its heart is the musical partnership of Casey Greene (saxophones, flute, clarinet, keyboards) and Jeremy Sawkins (electric, sitar, acoustic guitars and bass).
Drawing on decades of performance, composition, and international touring, they weave acoustic instruments with synthesisers, effects and live improvisation—producing immersive soundscapes and original compositions that blur genre boundaries.
The Artists
Casey Greene
A versatile multi-instrumentalist and composer, Casey is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and has toured extensively throughout Australia, Europe, Asia and the U.S. His career spans work with major theatre productions (Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Cats, Chicago), also with luminaries such as Olivia Newton John, Sydney Symphony Orchestra with Ray Charles and 2 years with Vince Jones, Casey also led his own bands in the UK including Quiver and The Cal Tjader Project.
From Sydney jazz clubs and international festivals in the UK, where he lived for 16 years, Casey has continually evolved his craft while staying rooted in jazz expression. Now based on the NSW South Coast, he focuses on composing, teaching, and performing in new collaborative projects—including Avant Raag.
Jeremy Sawkins
One of Australia’s most respected and versatile jazz guitarists, Jeremy has been an influential force on the Australian music scene since the late 1970s—as a performer, composer, bandleader and recording artist. He has shared the stage with artists as diverse as Sting, Katie Noonan, Wendy Matthews, Kristin Berardi, and Glenn Shorrock, while also featuring in long-standing ensembles such as Wanderlust and Alma Orquestra.
Jeremy’s discography as leader spans five acclaimed albums, from his debut Toys (1994) to the ambient explorations of Somnambience (2021). His guitar work moves seamlessly between modern jazz, fusion, Latin, and experimental soundscapes—qualities that now find fresh expression in Avant Raag.
Avant Raag Today
Together, Casey and Jeremy bring a lifetime of performance experience into a collaborative space where jazz improvisation meets global influences and electronic experimentation. Their concerts are both intimate and expansive—balancing lyricism with innovation, groove with atmosphere.
Avant Raag is not just a duo, but a conversation between traditions, instruments, and possibilities—crafted live in the moment.
