Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF) has unveiled the first artists set to appear as part of its 2026 program, offering an early glimpse into this year’s festival ahead of its return from 16 – 25 October.
The first announcement brings together five internationally acclaimed artists spanning jazz, poetry, progressive composition and experimental improvisation: legendary vocalist and three-time GRAMMY Award winner Dee Dee Bridgewater, Armenian piano virtuoso Tigran Hamasyan, Brooklyn-born surrealist blues poet aja monet, pioneering jazz collective The Bad Plus in their final Australian appearance and GRAMMY-winning pianist and composer Kris Davis.
Heralded as one of the great vocalists of modern music, Dee Dee Bridgewater returns to Melbourne for the first time in a decade, presenting a special duet performance with acclaimed pianist and composer Helen Sung.
Renowned for her distinctive interpretations of classic songs and inventive reworkings of jazz repertoire, across her four-decade career the three-time GRAMMY Award winner has collaborated with the likes of Max Roach, Sonny Rollins and Dizzy Gillespie, and received a Tony Award for her performance in The Wiz, alongside honours such as the Doris Duke Artist Award and NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship.
Joining her is Guggenheim Fellow Helen Sung, whose work bridges jazz and classical traditions with sophistication and depth. Together, they present an intimate evening at Hamer Hall on the 24 October, spanning eras and genres, from classics of the Great American Songbook to music by Duke Ellington, Stephen Sondheim, Michel Legrand and Paul Simon.
Armenian pianist and composer Tigran Hamasyan also returns to MIJF with his latest release Manifeste, a work that continues his exploration of jazz, progressive rock and Armenian folk traditions. Widely regarded as one of the most innovative pianists of his generation, Hamasyan is celebrated for his ability to fuse intricate jazz improvisation with the rhythmic intensity of progressive music and the spiritual depth of Armenian heritage.
His performances are known for their emotional range, technical brilliance and genre-defying scope. Audiences can experience the remarkable breadth of Hamasyan’s musical imagination showcased in Manifeste at Melbourne Recital Centre on the 23 October.
A seminal force in 21st-century jazz, The Bad Plus will make their final Australian appearance as part of a worldwide Farewell Tour, performing at Melbourne Recital Centre on the 21 October. For over two decades, the group has redefined the boundaries of jazz through fearless experimentation, dynamic interplay and genre-defying creativity.
Their breakthrough 2003 album These Are the Vistas was named one of NPR’s All Songs Considered “50 Most Important Recordings of the Decade” – cementing their reputation as one of modern jazz’s most influential ensembles.
In recent years, The Bad Plus have evolved into a boundary-pushing quartet featuring founding members Reid Anderson and Dave King alongside guitarist Ben Monder and saxophonist Chris Speed. This final Australian performance marks the closing chapter of a 26-year legacy defined by innovation and reinvention.
Brooklyn-born surrealist blues poet aja monet will make her Melbourne debut with her acclaimed trio at Max Watt’s on 22 October, performing music from her latest album the color of rain. Emerging from New York City’s legendary Lower East Side poetry scene, monet became the youngest winner of the Nuyorican Poets Café Grand Slam at age 19 before evolving into a bandleader, songwriter and collaborator with leading artists across jazz and soul.
Following in the long tradition of poet-activists, monet’s work speaks with honesty and urgency, fusing poetry with social justice and exploring themes of love, femininity and Black resistance. Her work has been presented at major international festivals including Newport, Montréal and North Sea, as well as the Barbican Centre, where she served as London Jazz Festival’s 2025 Artist in Residence.
GRAMMY Award-winning pianist and composer Kris Davis brings her extraordinary trio to Melbourne joined by bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Johnathan Blake. Davis stands at the forefront of New York’s contemporary jazz scene, described by The New York Times as a beacon for “deciding where to hear jazz on a given night.”
She was named DownBeat Pianist of the Year in 2020, 2022 and 2025, and has collaborated with artists including Terri Lyne Carrington, Dave Holland, Craig Taborn, John Zorn and Esperanza Spalding. Kris Davis Trio will present a four-show residency at The Jazz Lab on the 19 & 20 October.
With more announcements to come, MIJF 2026 continues to shape as a bold and diverse celebration of the world’s best jazz and improvised music.
The Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF) runs 16 – 25 October 2026. Tickets on sale Thursday 21 May 2026. For more information, visit: www.melbournejazz.com for details.
Images: Dee Dee Bridgewater (supplied) | Tigran Hamasyan – photo by Arnos Martirosyan | The Bad Plus – photo by Evelyn Freja | aja monet (supplied) | Kris Davis Trio (supplied)