Jagwar Ma

Jagwar Ma is an Australian psychedelic dance band formed in Sydney in 2011, consisting of members Gabriel Winterfield, Jono Ma, and bass guitarist Jack Freeman. The band name is derived from a satirical compound of the word "jaguar" and Jono's surname.

In 2013 Jagwar Ma signed with record labels Mom+Pop (US) Marathon Artists (EU) and Future Classic (Australia) and released their debut album Howlin'. Howlin' received high acclaim from music press like NME, Pitchfork and The Times as well as praise from high profile artists like Noel Gallagher, Foals and The xx, who they went on to join on tour. Jagwar Ma released their second album Every Now and Then on 14 October 2016.

Ma and Winterfield met in 2007. At this time both were playing in different groups, Lost Valentinos and Ghostwood. It would be until mid-2010 at an FLRL performance that the two shared the stage. FLRL was a locally based krautrock experimental pop group - initially founded by Jono Ma, Kirin J Callinan and Julian Sudek - local musicians would get together, curate an evening of new music, and perform it to an audience. One night Winterfield took vocals and guitar and Ma generated sounds from the use of vintage drum machines, radio frequency manipulation, improvised percussion, and other esoteric methods of creating sound. By 2011, Ma and Winterfield began frequently getting together at a studio (often a living room) and recording sounds and melodies, whilst also swapping old demos from unfinished side projects, "Jaguar Paw" and "Flintstone". Subsequently, loose jams and recordings started as anything from Motown to electronica. It would be during these recording sessions that the band's first songs "Come Save Me" and "What Love" would emerge. At this point the pair decided to semi relocate to France and to extend what was originally "going to be a one off 7 inch single" to a full LP. Jack Freeman, a London-based musician and old friend joined the live lineup mid-2012.

Jagwar Ma played the Summer Festival circuit throughout the UK, EU and Australia including Reading and Leeds, Glastonbury, Pukkelpop, Latitude, Bestival, Paredes de Coura Festival, The Big Day Out, Splendour in the Grass among others. Jagwar Ma have played sold out headline tours in the UK, France, Australia and the US.