Melbourne International Jazz Festival returns for its 27th year from 18-27 October, bringing together international and local talent to Australia’s jazz capital. Over 10 days, audiences will be treated to an array of performances, including special festival-only experiences, unique multi-artform collaborations, first-time guests from the experimental jazz scenes in the UK and Japan, and a New Orleans street parade through the CBD to kick off the festival celebrations. Over one-third of the program is free, offering broad access to this extraordinary celebration of jazz.
Melbourne International Jazz Festival Artistic Director Michael Tortoni said: “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. 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 festivities sees the New Orleans feel back to Melbourne for the Second Line Street Party with NOLA’s beloved TBC Brass Band (USA) leading the way, followed by Free Jazz at Fed Square showcasing music and films all weekend long. On Saturday evening, head Jazz at the Bowl’s huge 5-hour line-up is headlined by the iconic Herbie Hancock (USA) performing under the stars to an open-air crowd, plus bass virtuoso Marcus Miller (USA) and local soul star Bumpy (Australia).
Elsewhere on the bill, five-time GRAMMY-winning bassist, vocalist and composer esperanza spalding (USA) will present a transformative, festival-only experience featuring two contemporary dancers, while one of the biggest names in the UK jazz scene Nubya Garcia (UK) will perform at 170 Russell, blending orchestral arrangements with R&B, jazz, broken beat, and dub.
Jazz luminary Antonio Sánchez (Mexico) returns to Australia to perform his critically-acclaimed improvised solo drum score live on stage alongside the Oscar-winning film Birdman. Also at the Melbourne Recital Centre, multi-award-winning vocalist extraordinaire Jazzmeia Horn (USA) makes her Melbourne debut.
For orchestral jazz lovers, Orchestra Victoria celebrates 100 years of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue—with a special evening featuring piano virtuoso Makoto Ozone (Japan) and Melbourne’s Panorama Brasil.
Full program details and ticketing information can be found at the official Melbourne International Jazz Festival website.