The Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF) has revealed another major wave of artists for its 2026 program, with beloved Australian band The Teskey Brothers set to open the festival with a special 10th anniversary performance of their breakthrough debut album Half Mile Harvest at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Joining the Teskey Brothers at the Bowl on Saturday 17 October are funk legend Fred Wesley and his powerhouse band The New JBs, and ARIA Award winner Emily Wurramara.
Also announced today are the acclaimed jazz supergroup Aziza, led by Dave Holland, reuniting at Hamer Hall on Sunday 25 October to mark a decade since the release of their landmark debut; GRAMMY Award-winning New Orleans institution Rebirth Brass Band, who will make their long-awaited Australian debut at 170 Russell on Sunday 18 October; and visionary cellist and composer, Tomeka Reid who brings together her celebrated Quartet for a special residency at The JazzLab on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October.
The Teskey Brothers and Fred Wesley light up the Bowl Australian music royalty, The Teskey Brothers summon the spirit of classic soul with a level of authenticity rarely heard in the modern era. As the sun sets at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on the opening Saturday of the festival, the six-time ARIA Award winners will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their breakthrough debut album Half Mile Harvest. Steeped in the sounds of Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Donny Hathaway and deep blues traditions, Half Mile Harvest captured the raw power of a band on the rise.
A decade later, it remains a modern Australian classic. The Teskey Brothers have since built a devoted global following through sold-out headline tours across North America, the UK and Europe, appearances at renowned festivals including Glastonbury, the Montreux Jazz Festival and Austin City Limits, and performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Returning to their Melbourne roots, the band will perform Half Mile Harvest in full, alongside fan favourites spanning the band’s acclaimed catalogue.
Joining The Teskey Brothers at the Bowl is legendary trombonist Fred Wesley, one of the defining figures of funk music. Backed by The New JBs, Wesley will deliver a high-energy set rooted in the grooves that helped shape the genre. From his ground-breaking tenure as musical director for James Brown to his pivotal role in George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic, as well as collaborations with artists including Ray Charles, Count Basie and Van Morrison, Wesley’s influence is woven into the fabric of funk, soul and R&B. here.
Rounding out this year’s Jazz at the Bowl line-up is 2024 ARIA Award winner and 2025 NIMAs Artist of the Year Emily Wurramara, bringing her acclaimed mix of soulful folk and blues to the Bowl stage with her incredible band. International icons join the line-up.
The celebrations continue through to the festival’s closing night, when modern jazz supergroup Aziza will reunite for a special performance at Hamer Hall to honour the 10th anniversary of their tour de force eponymous release. In 2016, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke and Eric Harland came together to create Aziza – the album that launched one of the genre’s most formidable collaborations.
Leading the quartet is three-time GRAMMY Award winner, NEA Jazz Master and bass visionary Dave Holland. Best known for his groundbreaking work with Miles Davis and an extraordinary five-decade career as a composer, bandleader and innovator, Holland remains one of the most influential figures in modern jazz.
He is joined by saxophone virtuoso Chris Potter, whom DownBeat has described as “one of the most studied saxophonists on the planet” – guitarist Lionel Loueke, praised by mentor Herbie Hancock as “a musical painter”; and acclaimed drummer Eric Harland, whose creativity and versatility have made him one of the most sought-after drummers in modern jazz.
Dubbed a “New Orleans institution” by The New York Times, the GRAMMY Award-winning Rebirth Brass Band will bring their electrifying live show to Australia for the first time. Combining second-line rhythms and deep jazz traditions with funk, soul, R&B and the raw energy of the streets where they were born, Rebirth Brass Band are the most influential ensemble to emerge from New Orleans. From the streets of the French Quarter to sold-out venues around the world, they have built a reputation for delivering joyous, high energy performances wherever they go.
The band has shared stages with James Brown, The Neville Brothers and Quincy Jones, performed alongside Red Hot Chili Peppers and U2, and featured prominently in HBO’s acclaimed series Treme. Widely recognised as an essential part of New Orleans’ cultural fabric, they will bring their unmistakable sound to 170 Russell on Sunday 18 October for a night of pure joy and brass-fuelled energy.
Also joining the line-up is the Tomeka Reid Quartet, presenting their acclaimed 2026 release Dance! Skip! Hop! in a special two-night residency at The JazzLab over the final weekend. Tomeka Reid stands as one of the most boldly imaginative voices in contemporary music – a cellist, composer, and bandleader whose work blends Western classical tradition, modes rooted in the African diaspora, and the avant‑garde.
A defining force in Chicago’s improvised music scene and recipient of both a 2022 Herb Alpert Award and a MacArthur Fellowship, Reid reunites her celebrated quartet featuring guitarist Mary Halvorson – touted by NPR as “the most forward-thinking guitarist working right now” – alongside bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Tomas Fujiwara.
Together, the ensemble deliver near‑telepathic interplay shaped by years of collaboration, in a display of fearless improvisation and a continual push into new musical territory. As acclaimed critic Nate Chinen declared, 2026 is “the year of Tomeka Reid” – the time to witness this extraordinary quartet is right now.
Joining the five events already on sale – Dee Dee Bridgewater, Tigran Hamasyan, aja monet, The Bad Plus and Kris Davis Trio – this second announcement for the 2026 Melbourne International Jazz Festival underscores the breadth, energy and diversity that have made the festival one of the country’s premier music events.
The Melbourne International Jazz Festival runs from 16 – 25 October. Full program will be announced on 20 August. For more information, visit: www.melbournejazz.com for details.
Images: The Teskey Brothers (supplied) | Fred Wesley – photo by Marcos Hermes | Rebirth Brass Band (supplied) | Tomeka Reid – photo by Cristina Marx