Melbourne International Jazz Festival reveals its awe-inspiring full 2024 program

Over 10 days, audiences can enjoy an array of awe-inspiring performances, including unique festival-only experiences, multi-artform collaborations, first-time guests from the UK and Japan’s experimental jazz scenes, and a New Orleans street parade through the CBD to kick off the festivities.

This year’s lineup showcases some of the world’s most accomplished musicians, boasting 34 Grammy wins, 99 Grammy nominations, and an Oscar win. The 2024 festival features 109 events across 34 venues, with over 400 artists representing 12 countries. Over one-third of the program is free, offering broad access to this extraordinary celebration of jazz.

Melbourne International Jazz Festival 2024

18 – 27 October 2024
Tickets on sale now

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Herbie Hancock leads a massive opening weekend

Opening weekend festivities start with a bang, bringing the New Orleans vibe back to Melbourne for the Second Line Street Party with TBC Brass Band from New Orleans leading the way, followed by Free Jazz at Fed Square showcasing music and film all weekend long. Later on Saturday evening, Jazz at the Bowl, MIJF’s annual celebration of jazz, funk, and soul, will be headlined by the iconic Herbie Hancock, bass virtuoso Marcus Miller, and local soul star Bumpy.

Esperanza Spalding, Nubya Garcia and Antonio Sanchez

Elsewhere on the bill, five-time Grammy-winning bassist, vocalist, and composer Esperanza Spalding will present a transformative, festival-only experience featuring two contemporary dancers. Meanwhile, one of the biggest names in the UK jazz scene, Nubya Garcia, will perform a show at 170 Russell, blending orchestral arrangements with R&B, jazz, broken beat, and dub.

Jazz luminary Antonio Sánchez returns to Australia to perform his critically acclaimed improvised solo drum score live on stage alongside the Oscar-winning film Birdman. At the Melbourne Recital Centre, multi-award-winning vocalist Jazzmeia Horn makes her Melbourne debut.

The festival also includes a special evening with Orchestra Victoria celebrating 100 years of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, featuring piano virtuoso Makoto Ozone and Melbourne’s Panorama Brasil. Bumpy will premiere her new work Tooni at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Fairfax Studio, commissioned by MIJF and the Australian Art Orchestra as part of their First Nations Artist Residency Program.

A jazz bar crawl? Welcome to Night Crawl

For one night only, immerse yourself in Night Crawl, a jazz bar crawl across Melbourne’s favourite live music venues and bars. Experience the vibrant spirit of the New Orleans streets with MIJF’s Second Line Street Party, led by TBC Brass Band. Don’t miss TBC Brass Band at 170 Russell for a night of funk-fueled, brass-led grooves with SpyBoy J’Wan Boudreaux.

Cult favourite of the London music scene, multi-award-winning collective Steam Down makes its Australian debut at 170 Russell. Steam Down has captivated crowds at festivals like Glastonbury, Montreux Jazz Festival, and Primavera Sound, bringing a distinctly London sound.

The 2024 program highlights

MIJF Second Line Street Party returns to kick off the 2024 festival after a record-breaking crowd joined the parade last year. With NOLA’s beloved TBC Brass Band (USA) in Australia for the first time to lead the way, this mobile party will weave the streets of Melbourne’s inner city, in all its thumping, syncopated and feet-moving glory.
Living legend Herbie Hancock (USA) headlines Jazz at the Bowl for an epic night peppered with his iconic classics Cantaloupe Island, Chameleon and Rockit. He’ll be joined on the line-up by the incomparable Marcus Miller (USA) and local soul superstar, Bumpy.
Over the closing weekend of the festival, immerse yourself in Night Crawl, a jazz bar crawl that takes over Melbourne’s favourite live music venues and bars for a wild night of free jazz across the inner city.
Bassist, vocalist, composer, and five-time Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding (USA) stands as one of the true greats of our time. For MIJF, Spalding presents Off Brand gOdds, an interdisciplinary collaboration with the New York-based Antonio Brown Dance Company, merging contemporary dance with live jazz.
Modern jazz luminary Antonio Sánchez (Mexico) brings his game-changing solo drum score to life in a live performance alongside the Oscar-winning Birdman. This immersive experience offers a rare chance to witness the four-time Grammy winner’s jaw-dropping craft as he improvises the film’s score in real-time.

Australian jazz legend, multi-ARIA-award-winning trumpeter, vocalist and songwriter Vince Jones returns to MIJF celebrating 50 years in the industry.
Nubya Garcia (UK) is hailed as one of the brightest stars on the global scene. The innovative musician, producer, and composer returns to MIJF with a new show at 170 Russell (following her sold-out performances in 2018), offering audiences a preview of her upcoming album Odyssey.
Cult favourite of the cutting-edge London music scene, multi-award-winning collective Steam Down makes its Australian debut, for an unforgettable party at 170 Russell curated by pioneering UK promoter and label Jazz re:freshed (UK)
Hot off a triumphant UK and European tour with 13 sold-out shows, Somali-born, London-based songwriter and vocal artist Faisal Salah, aka FaceSoul (UK), makes his Australian debut at Maribyrnong’s Kindred Band Room.
MIJF brings Take Two to Australia for the first time, featuring Thirsty Merc frontman and prolific jazz artist Rai Thistlethwayte (Australia) as he takes to The JazzLab stage to reinterpret one of the most beloved jazz albums of all time.
Award-winning composer, vocalist, and Noongar woman Bumpy (Australia) premieres her new work Tooni at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Fairfax Theatre. As one of the country’s most vibrant and captivating soul singers, Bumpy presents Tooni as a raw and deeply personal exploration of survival, revival, and the urgency of sharing knowledge, featuring members of the Australian Art Orchestra (AAO).