Melbourne will soon come alive with the sound of jazz. Get ready for over 109 performances and events across the city, from the streets of Melbourne to intimate bars and grander stages. The line-up this year features over 400 artists, with 34 Grammy wins, 99 Grammy nominations and one Oscar win between them. One third of the festival program is free. The Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF) will run from October 18 to 27.
Melbourne International Jazz Festival
Every year since 1998, the sound of jazz takes over Melbourne. Over ten exciting days, you can look forward to a New Orleans street parade, a jazz bar crawl, a train station performance, a celebration in Fed Square and much more.
“MIJF 2024 will be one of our most ambitious festivals to date, with a prolific line-up of gifted musicians set to join us this October in Melbourne,” said Melbourne International Jazz Festival Artistic Director Michael Tortoni. “Whether it’s in a parade, at the Bowl, in the city or out west, we’re so excited for audiences to join us again, celebrating all there is to love about this music.”
Opening Weekend
Feel whisked away to the streets of New Orleans at the Second Line Street Party. NOLA’s TBC BrassBand will be in Australia for the first time, weaving along the Yarra River and the city streets. Dance along to this 9-piece band, and don’t forget your beads!
The street party will be followed by three days of Free Jazz at Fed Square. Keep dancing along to TBC BrassBand, and look forward to other artists like Harry James Angus from The Cat Empire, Afro-Cuban ensemble La Influencia and 12-piece Afro-fusion band The Tony Allen Experience. Fed Square and ACMI will also screen some culturally significant jazz documentaries and films on select days.
On Saturday evening, don’t miss Jazz at the Bowl. This five-hour show will be headlined by Herbie Hancock (USA), and will also feature the incredible bassist Marcus Miller (USA) and local star Bumpy.
International highlights
Multi-award-winning collective Steam Down (UK) will make their Australian debut at the festival. They’ve performed at festivals like Glastonbury and Montreaux Jazz Festival, and will soon bring their energy to an earth-shaking party at 170 Russell.
Five-time Grammy winner esperanza spalding will captivate audiences at Hamer Hall. She’s performed alongside other artists like Stevie Wonder and Prince, and will present a new work with three musicians and two contemporary dancers. Hear selections from her previous albums, as well as a special preview of her upcoming project.
Watch Antonio Sánchez (Mexico) perform his critically-acclaimed solo drum score live alongside the Oscar-winning film, Birdman, at Melbourne Recital Centre.
Celebrate 100 years of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, with a special performance featuring Grammy-nominated piano virtuoso, Makoto Ozone, as well as Melbourne’s PanoramaBrasil and Orchestra Victoria. Makoto Ozone will also perform with bassist Shimpei Ogawa and drummer Kunito Kitai at The JazzLab.
Melbourne highlights
For one night only, there will be a jazz bar crawl that will take over some iconic live music venues and bars. At Night Crawl, you’ll experience plenty of free jazz across the city, ranging from the Toff in Town to Arbory.
Enjoy a glimpse of Arden Station before it officially opens next year with Arden Sounds. Expect intimate shows with artists Allara, the Brandee Younger Trio (US) and Invenio.
Take Two is coming to Australia for the first time. First established in New York City, this deep-listening experience features an uninterrupted playback of a seminal jazz album, followed by a live, modern day reinterpretation from local musicians. Take Two will take over The JazzLab.
This venue will also host Late Night Jams. Each weekend of the festival, let loose with improvised shows from the JazzLab’s house bands, Hue Blanes Trio and Mina Yu.
Head west for Footscray Sunday Sessions. Find free live music and drinks within walking distance at Mamma Chen’s, Misfits and Moon Dog Wild West.
Also in the west, foodie hotspot Grazeland will have a day of free jazz featuring Melbourne-based artists.
To explore the full program and learn more about the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, click here.