Jazz fans, the Melbourne International Jazz Festival has dropped a massive new lineup, led by the Teskey Brothers.
The beloved Melbourne band will open this year’s Melbourne International Jazz Festival with a special anniversary show, performing their breakthrough debut album Half Mile Harvest in full a decade on from its release.
The Teskey Brothers will take over the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on the festival’s opening Saturday, delivering a set steeped in the classic soul influences of Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and Donny Hathaway.
Since Half Mile Harvest first landed, the six-time ARIA winners have built a serious global following, selling out shows across North America, the UK and Europe and playing festivals like Glastonbury, Montreux Jazz Festival and Austin City Limits.
Joining the Teskey Brothers at the Bowl are funk pioneer Fred Wesley with his band The New JBs, plus ARIA winner and 2025 NIMAs Artist of the Year Emily Wurramara. It’s a huge night of music history in one of Melbourne’s most iconic outdoor venues, and just one part of a jam-packed second lineup announcement for the Melbourne International Jazz Festival’s 2026 edition.
Melbourne International Jazz Festival 2026
- Festival dates: 16–25 October
- The Teskey Brothers pre-sale: 10am, Wed 8 July
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- General on-sale: 11am, Thurs 9 July
- Tickets here
The lineup so far
- The Teskey Brothers: 10 Years of Half Mile Harvest – Saturday, 17 October, Sidney Myer Music Bowl
- Fred Wesley and The New JBs – Saturday, 17 October, Sidney Myer Music Bowl
- Emily Wurramara – Saturday, 17 October, Sidney Myer Music Bowl
- Rebirth Brass Band – Sunday, 18 October, 170 Russell
- Aziza (Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke, Eric Harland) – Sunday, 25 October, Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne
- Tomeka Reid Quartet – Saturday, 24 and Sunday, 25 October, The JazzLab
- Dee Dee Bridgewater
- Tigran Hamasyan
- aja monet
- The Bad Plus
- Kris Davis Trio
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Fred Wesley remains one of the most influential trombonists in music, having served as musical director for James Brown and playing a key role in George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic. He’s also worked alongside Ray Charles, Count Basie and Van Morrison, and his fingerprints are all over the history of funk, soul and r&b.
Elsewhere in the announcement, genre-defying jazz supergroup Aziza will reunite at Hamer Hall to celebrate 10 years since their self-titled debut. The group is led by bass legend Dave Holland, best known for his work with Miles Davis, alongside saxophonist Chris Potter, guitarist Lionel Loueke and drummer Eric Harland.
New Orleans institution Rebirth Brass Band will make their long-awaited Australian debut at 170 Russell, bringing their trademark mix of second-line rhythms, funk and soul to Melbourne for the first time. The GRAMMY winners have shared stages with the likes of James Brown, The Neville Brothers and Quincy Jones, and even popped up in HBO’s Treme.
Rounding things out is cellist, composer and MacArthur Fellow Tomeka Reid, who brings her acclaimed quartet to The JazzLab for a two-night residency, performing tracks from her latest release Dance! Skip! Hop! She’ll be joined by guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Tomas Fujiwara for a run of shows built on years of chemistry between the players.
This second wave of names joins previously announced acts Dee Dee Bridgewater, Tigran Hamasyan, aja monet, The Bad Plus and Kris Davis Trio.
The Melbourne International Jazz Festival takes over the city from 16–25 October, with the full program set to drop on 20 August.
For more information, head here.
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