The Second Line Street Party at MIJF 2023, Credit: Will Hamilton Coates
The 2024 edition of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival runs from Friday 18 – Sunday 27 October.
Along with performances from international headliners Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding and Nubya Garcia, this year’s MIJF program includes various free events.
Free Jazz at Fed Square runs from Fri 18 – Sun 20 October. Local-based acts La Influencia and Harry James Angus will perform on Fri 18. Tony Allen Experience – a tribute to the titular Afrobeat visionary – will headline on Sat 19 with support from New Orleans’ TBC Brass Band. The Sunday program is dedicated to screenings of classic jazz cinema, including Questlove’s Summer of Soul. Details here.
The TBC Brass Band will lead the Second Line Street Party, a mobile street party in inner Melbourne from 1-2pm on Sat 19 October. Based on New Orleans’ famous all-in parades, the festival organisers are encouraging people to bring beads, brightly coloured outfits and dancing shoes to the event, which will travel from Southbank’s Red Stair Amphitheatre to Fed Square. Details here.
Night Crawl will do as it says on the tin, with Jazz Fest taking over a range of CBD bars and clubs on Thu 24 October. Participating venues Workshop, HER, Aster, The Toff, Whitehart Bar, Fiftyfive and Wax Music Lounge will host live performances and DJs from 6pm until late. Live acts include Uncomfortable Science (feat. Hiatus Kaiyote’s Paul Bender, Perrin Moss and Simon Mavin), Evening News, Steady Weather (feat. Ben Grayson and Tamil Rogeon), Tiana Khasi, Special Feelings and more. Details here.
Jazz Westside: Footscray Sunday Sessions is happening on Sun 27 October across three venues in the 3011 postcode. Local African drummer Boubacar Gaye will perform at Mamma Chens, soul act Wild Gloriosa will be on at Misfits, and blues outfit Collard Greens & Gravy will perform at Moon Dog Wild West. Details here.
SEE ALSO: Herbie Hancock review – playful bravura at jazz legend’s Melbourne show
Nubya Garcia review – vanguard saxophonist thrills full-house Melbourne crowd
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Melbourne International Jazz Festival 2024
Friday 18 – Sunday 27 October – Melbourne VIC
Antonio Sánchez: Birdman Live
Audrey Powne
Brandee Younger
Bumpy
Erica Tucceri
esperanza spalding
FaceSoul
Herbie Hancock
Jazzmeia Horn
Marcus Miller
Makoto Ozone
Nubya Garcia
+ more
Visit the MIJF website for more info
