Jonathan Bree

Sat, Sep 9, 2023 Show 8:00 pm Doors 7:00 pm Crystal Ballroom All Ages Standing room only

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$17 advance, $20 day of show

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Jonathan Bree

Jonathan Bree is a composer, multi- instrumentalist and producer from New Zealand who is best known for his cinematic brand of orchestral pop. Bree’s deep baritone and musical arrangements—which often feature sliding strings and chamber instruments such as the celeste, harp, and timpani—draw inspiration from classic artists like Lee Hazlewood and Serge Gainsbourg, but are reborn as something entirely his own.


Gaining a cult following through extensive touring across the globe, Bree’s anonymous, masked persona also extends to his live shows.

The celestial opening notes of Bree’s 2023 album Pre-Code Hollywood transport listeners to a complex sonic world that celebrates classic pop of a bygone era, while experimenting with the avant-garde in a way that is distinctly modern. His fifth album exudes a nostalgic charm reminiscent of a John Hughes movie soundtrack.

While working on the album’s demos, Bree noticed a certain 1980’s aesthetic about them and sent a brave email to ‘The Hitmaker’ Nile Rodgers, who produced David Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’ and ‘China Girl’. Whether through good fortune, fate, or sheer luck, the two ended up collaborating on the album’s title track, as well as the standout single  ‘Miss You’ (with Rodgers producing and performing guitar on both tracks). Rodgers’ touch elevates the recordings to ambitious, scorching dance floor heaters.

‘Miss You’, an aching yet groovy duet with longtime collaborator Princess Chelsea, also serves as the thematic core of the album: a tale of longing, separation, and the road back to connection.

Performers