Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF) returns for its 27th year bringing together a hotbed of international and local talent to Australia’s jazz capital from 18 – 27 October 2024.
Over 10 jam-packed days, audiences will be treated to an array of awe-inspiring 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.
This year’s line-up showcases some of the world’s most accomplished musicians, boasting a collective tally of 34 GRAMMY wins, 99 GRAMMY nominations, and one Oscar win.
The 2024 festival features 109 events and performances across 34 venues, with 400+ artists representing 12 countries. Over one-third of the program is free, offering broad access to this extraordinary celebration of jazz.
“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 festivities lift off with a bang, bringing 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. 2023 saw record-breaking crowds boogie their way along the Yarra to Federation Square and the festival is aiming for even bigger crowds in 2024.
Later on Saturday evening, head down the road for Jazz at the Bowl, MIJF’s annual blockbuster celebration of jazz, funk and soul. This 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 a mind-blowing show 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.
Award-winning composer, vocalist, and Noongar woman Bumpy premieres her new work Tooni at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Fairfax Studio – commissioned by MIJF and the Australian Art Orchestra (AAO) as part of their First Nations Artist Residency Program.
Melbourne International Jazz Festival runs 18 – 27 October 2024. Tickets are now on sale. For more information and full program, visit: www.melbournejazz.com for details.
Images: TBC Brass Band (supplied) | Bumpy – photo by Odessa Jones