Melbourne International Jazz Festival Sets Oct 16-25, 2026 Lineup
Dee Dee Bridgewater, Tigran Hamasyan, THE BAD PLUS and The Teskey Brothers headline the expanded lineup.
The Melbourne International Jazz Festival returns from 16–25 October with a world-class program, bringing more than 550 artists from 18 countries to Melbourne for 10 days of live music. Across more than 150 events and performances at 30 venues, the Festival will take over concert halls, clubs, bars and outdoor stages, with a significant program of free events creating more opportunities for audiences to experience jazz throughout the city.
Among the major new additions revealed today is the return of MIJF's iconic Second Line Street Party, led by GRAMMY Award-winning New Orleans institution Rebirth Brass Band as part of their long-awaited Australian debut. Also joining the program are Mercury Prize winner Benjamin Clementine on his first Australian headline tour; New York-based Japanese keyboard phenomenon BIGYUKI; and UK jazz trailblazers Theon Cross and Summer Pearl. The JazzLab hosts its largest ever lineup of international club residencies with Soojin Suh, Bokani Dyer and more joining the previously announced Tomeka Reid Quartet and Kris Davis Trio; and this year's Jazz at the Chapel program includes performances from acclaimed pianists Shai Maestro and Belle Chen and a triple-bill celebrating Japan's formidable jazz scene. Back in the city, the Festival's new Haus Party takes over the Spiegel Haus with eight local and international acts for a late-night celebration of jazz, groove, hip hop and electronic music.
These artists join an already formidable line-up featuring Dave Holland's supergroup Aziza, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Tigran Hamasyan, aja monet and The Bad Plus, alongside The Teskey Brothers and funk icon Fred Wesley at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
Bringing together legendary jazz masters, groundbreaking contemporary artists and some of Australia's most exciting musical voices, the 2026 Festival honours the rich legacy of jazz while looking boldly to its future through international collaborations and ambitious new work. With Japan, South Korea, South Africa and the United Kingdom In Focus and new collaborations with major global jazz institutions Jazz at Lincoln Center, EFG London Jazz Festival and Jarasum Jazz Festival, this year's program features 29 Australian premieres, 12 world premieres and a line-up spanning jazz, funk, soul, poetry, contemporary classical music and beyond.
'This year's Festival captures everything that makes jazz extraordinary: its boundless energy, its reverence for the past and its relentless drive towards what comes next', says CEO & Festival Director Hadley Agrez.
'The 2026 program celebrates artists whose influence can be felt across generations alongside musicians exploding the artform, creating opportunities for unique collaborations, world premieres and once-in-a-lifetime musical experiences. From NYC jazz to NOLA funk to South African hip hop and Memphis soul, this year's Festival genuinely offers something for everyone. We believe it is one of the most ambitious and artistically exciting programs in the Festival's history.'
Special Events
The first Saturday of the Festival kicks off with the return of the iconic Second Line Street Party, bringing the jubilant energy of New Orleans' quintessential street parades to Melbourne's inner city. Making their long-awaited Australian debut, GRAMMY Award-winning New Orleans legends Rebirth Brass Band will lead a joyous musical march along the Yarra, inviting audiences to join the spontaneous, all-in celebration, before the party continues at Fed Square where the Rebirth Brass Band will take to the stage to lead an afternoon of free performances alongside BIGYUKI and Allysha Joy.
The opening weekend celebrations continue at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, where six-time ARIA winners, The Teskey Brothers will headline an incredible day of soul, funk, jazz and blues, marking 10 years since their breakthrough debut album Half Mile Harvest. The record that catapulted the band from Melbourne onto the world stage will be performed in full, alongside fan favourites, in a one-night-only celebration of the raw soul and blues that made it a modern Australian classic. Joining The Teskeys are legendary trombonist and funk pioneer Fred Wesley & The New JBs, and 2024 ARIA Award winner and 2025 NIMAs Artist of the Year Emily Wurramara, bringing her soulful blend of folk and blues to the Bowl.
New to the Festival in 2026, Haus Party takes over the atmospheric Spiegel Haus for a late-night celebration of jazz, groove, hip hop and electronic music. Sprawling across the CBD's newest rooftop destination, the sonic playground brings together eight international and local live acts, with Don Glori, Deep Mind, Stogie T, Finn Rees Orchestra, Erica Tucceri, Iwuda, Live Slug Reaction and Soliloquy on the bill, alongside DJ sets from some of Melbourne's finest selectors.
Icons & Masters
Across 10 days, MIJF brings together global jazz greats and contemporary innovators, from revered masters to artists shaping the sound of jazz today.
Modern jazz supergroup Aziza reunites to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their acclaimed self-titled debut. Featuring jazz masters Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke and Eric Harland, the quartet brings together four of contemporary jazz's most influential voices for a rare closing-night performance at Hamer Hall.
Three-time GRAMMY Award-winning vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater returns to Melbourne for the first time in a decade, joined by acclaimed pianist and composer Helen Sung. Together they present an intimate journey through jazz standards and works by Duke Ellington, Stephen Sondheim, Michel Legrand and Paul Simon at Hamer Hall.
Legendary trombonist and funk architect Fred Wesley & The New JBs bring more than five decades of funk history to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl as part of this year's Jazz at the Bowl lineup. As James Brown's longtime musical director, Wesley helped define the sound of funk, with his unmistakable horn arrangements influencing generations of funk, soul and hip hop.
For more than 40 years, GRAMMY Award-winning Rebirth Brass Band have embodied the sound and spirit of New Orleans, fusing deep jazz and second-line traditions with funk, soul and R&B, and sharing stages with artists including James Brown, the Neville Brothers and Quincy Jones. As part of their long-awaited Australian debut, the legendary eight-piece will lead the Festival's Second Line Street Party before bringing their unstoppable live show to 170 Russell.
Seminal contemporary jazz ensemble The Bad Plus make their final Australian appearance as part of their worldwide Farewell Tour at Melbourne Recital Centre. For more than two decades, the group has challenged the boundaries of jazz through fearless experimentation, genre-defying arrangements and dynamic interplay, leaving an indelible mark on contemporary jazz.
Pushing Boundaries
Across the program, artists are expanding the possibilities of jazz, drawing on poetry, electronic music, hip hop, classical traditions and sounds from around the world.
Mercury Prize-winning singer, composer and poet Benjamin Clementine returns to Australia with his Back to Basics tour. Fusing chamber pop, classical music, opera, soul, folk and jazz, Clementine strips his extraordinary artistry back to one voice, one piano and a singular stage presence at the Forum.
Armenian pianist and composer Tigran Hamasyan returns to MIJF with his latest release Manifeste, continuing his exploration of jazz, progressive rock and Armenian folk traditions at Melbourne Recital Centre. Widely regarded as one of the most innovative pianists of his generation, Hamasyan is celebrated for his virtuosic technique, emotional depth and genre-defying sound.
Brooklyn-born poet, musician and activist aja monet makes her Melbourne debut at Max Watt's with her acclaimed trio, performing music from her latest album the color of rain. Emerging from New York's legendary poetry scene, monet fuses jazz, soul and poetry with explorations of love, femininity and Black resistance.
Leading contemporary jazz pianist Shai Maestro presents music from his acclaimed new album The Guesthouse with his trio — featuring Reuben Rogers on bass and Ofri Nehemya on drums. With multiple acclaimed releases on ECM Records, Maestro joined the celebrated lineage of pianists who have defined the label and has built a wide-ranging international career as a pianist, composer, bandleader and collaborator.
New York-based Japanese keyboardist and producer BIGYUKI brings his explosive live show to Max Watt's, drawing together jazz, hip hop, rock, electronic and dance music. With collaborators including A Tribe Called Quest, J. Cole, Lauryn Hill and Kamasi Washington, BIGYUKI has earned a reputation as one of contemporary music's most adventurous and unpredictable performers.
The UK's new generation comes into focus with an electrifying double bill from cutting-edge London label Jazz re:freshed, featuring tuba player Theon Cross and singer-songwriter Summer Pearl. Cross has transformed perceptions of the tuba through his fusion of jazz, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, hip hop and dub, while Pearl brings a distinctive London sound shaped by jazz, soul, reggae and hip hop to Max Watt's. MIJF will also present Cross and Pearl in a special Sydney performance at Oxford Art Factory.
London-based Palestinian Nay master Faris Ishaq brings his acclaimed project JASAD to The JazzLab, joined by ARIA-nominated pianist Zela Margossian and Turkish percussionist Adem Yilmaz in a meeting of three distinctive musical voices.
Pianist, composer and sonic storyteller Belle Chen makes her MIJF debut at Chapel Off Chapel, presenting music from her acclaimed album Ravel In The Forest with an immersive performance blending classical, jazz and electronic influences.
American composer, trombonist and MacArthur Fellow George Lewis collaborates with Monash Art Ensemble and members of ELISION. The performance features three of Lewis's compositions, including two world-premiere commissions, bringing together some of Australia's leading experimental musicians in a celebration of creative risk-taking and innovation at Chapel Off Chapel.
Homegrown
Australia's thriving jazz and improvised music scene is celebrated throughout the Festival, with established masters, acclaimed ensembles and new voices presenting album launches and premiering ambitious new projects.
Asteroid Ekosystem will launch their new album Sounds Have Dreams at the JazzLab, bringing together four of the country's most adventurous musical minds: acclaimed pianist Alister Spence, bassist Lloyd Swanton of The Necks, world-class percussionist Toby Hall and legendary guitarist Ed Kuepper, founding member of The Saints and Laughing Clowns.
New Australian work takes centre stage with Papuan-Australian composer Aaron Choulai bringing together the Australian Art Orchestra (AAO), Ngaiire and Joelistics for Saltwater, Sugar at Bunjil Place. Performed by the AAO as a 16-piece ensemble, the work traces the interconnected histories of Chinese, Papua New Guinean and Indigenous communities during Victoria's Gold Rush and Blackbirding in North Queensland through song, spoken dialogue and improvisation.
Violinist, composer and improviser Xani Kolac premieres KOŁACZ at Howler, a deeply personal new work exploring identity, belonging and the histories carried through names. Joined by Helen Svoboda, Justin Olsson and Estonian-Swedish artist Tuulikki Bartosik, making her Australian debut, KOŁACZ is commissioned by MIJF through its annual Take Note program.
The 2025–26 leader of MIJF, the AAO and Songlines Music's First Nations Artist in Residency program, Sachém premieres Strangers Again at Spiegel Haus, a new commissioned work exploring the intersections between jazz and hip hop through his practice as a recording artist, storyteller and cultural documentarian.
At The JazzLab, ABC Jazz celebrates 50 years of Jazztrack Live, with Eugene Ball premiering new commission Continuum, followed by Hyperbaroq's contemporary take on Baroque music; and Resonance unites Sandy Evans, Andrea Keller, Kristin Berardi and Jenny Barnes in a project exploring what it means to sustain a creative life across decades.
Elsewhere, two new albums spotlight distinctive Australian voices: Australian-born, New York-based duo Olivia Chindamo and Matthew Sheens present their second album, Putting It Together, at Chapel Off Chapel, while ARIA-nominated Melbourne quartet TL;DR, led by trumpeter and composer Peter Knight, perform their second album Phosphenes at Melbourne Recital Centre.
Venturing beyond the city, Jazz at Alba heads to Alba Thermal Springs & Spa on the Mornington Peninsula, pairing live jazz with geothermal pools and native surrounds. Across three days, Holly Moore Trio, Dean Kalait Trio and Milne and Attiche perform as part of a series of bookable bathing and dining experiences.
Club Residencies
This year, the Festival brings more international jazz trailblazers than ever before to The JazzLab for a series of special residencies.
GRAMMY-winning pianist and composer Kris Davis leads the Kris Davis Trio, joined by acclaimed bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Johnathan Blake. At the forefront of New York's contemporary jazz scene, Davis has collaborated with artists including Terri Lyne Carrington, Dave Holland, Craig Taborn, John Zorn and Esperanza Spalding.
Cellist, composer and bandleader Tomeka Reid arrives following the release of Dance! Skip! Hop!. A defining force in Chicago's improvised music scene and a MacArthur Fellow, Reid is joined by acclaimed guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Tomas Fujiwara for two nights of fearless improvisation and near-telepathic interplay.
Cuban saxophonist, percussionist and composer Yosvany Terry explores the meeting point of Cuban rhythmic traditions, African musical influences and New York's contemporary jazz culture with his acclaimed quartet.
South African pianist and composer Bokani Dyer makes his MIJF debut with music from his forthcoming album Traditions. Drawing together swinging post-bop, hypnotic groove and South African musical traditions, Dyer's trio explores heritage, memory and identity through a distinctly contemporary Afro-jazz language.
A leading voice in South Korea's contemporary jazz scene, drummer and composer Soojin Suh performs with her acclaimed Coloris Trio, alongside pianist Jaehun Kang and bassist Hoo Kim. Drawing on the concept of 'melodic breath' in Korean traditional music, the trio creates a singular approach to rhythm, melody and improvisation.
Each Festival weekend, MIJF's Late Night Jams keep the music flowing after hours, with spontaneous, improvised and unrepeatable sessions led by Melbourne favourites The Rookies, bringing local and international Festival artists together on stage.
Collaborations
New work and international exchange sit at the heart of the 2026 Festival, with artists from Australia and around the world coming together for ambitious world premieres and one-off creative encounters.
Opening night brings together the Joey Alexander Trio and Young Monk at Melbourne Recital Centre in a special double bill presented in partnership with New York's iconic Jazz at Lincoln Center. Multi-GRAMMY-nominated pianist Joey Alexander presents music from Celestial Keeper before leading Young Monk, featuring Skylar Tang, Toby Barrett, Lily Appelt and Ebs Daramola, in a celebration of the enduring music of Thelonious Monk. This special international edition of the acclaimed Jazz at Lincoln Center project will also travel to Melbourne's southeast for an additional presentation at Bunjil Place.
Australian bassist and composer Ross McHenry premieres a new collaboration at The Jazzlab with acclaimed New York trumpeter Adam O'Farrill, joined by drummer Kyrie Anderson and guitarists Django Rowe and Julius Schwing.
Local trailblazers Speak Percussion continue their Before Nightfall series with Nantes-based Australian drummer and percussionist Will Guthrie at the Kindred Bandroom. The project brings artists together for a single day of intensive collaboration before revealing the results to audiences that evening – capturing the spontaneity, experimentation and risk that emerge from a first musical encounter.
Countries In Focus
The 2026 Festival shines a spotlight on four dynamic international jazz scenes, with artists from Japan, South Korea, South Africa and the UK appearing across headline performances, club residencies, collaborations and late-night events.
Japan's renowned jazz culture will come into focus at this year's Festival through performances by BIGYUKI and a special triple bill featuring Tenors in Chaos, STEREO CHAMP and Misaki Umei, spanning improvisation, jazz, electronic and alternative music. Beyond the stage, MIJF will create a pop-up Jazz Kissa, celebrating Japan's unique listening bar culture, where jazz, vinyl and deep listening became forms of escape, connection and cultural exchange.
South Africa is represented across jazz and hip hop, with Mandisi Dyantyis premiering a new collaboration with Melbourne collective Afrospace Interchange, led by drummer Brian Abrahams. Pianist Bokani Dyer takes up a residency at The JazzLab, while pioneering MC Stogie T headlines the inaugural Haus Party.
From South Korea, Soojin Suh Coloris Trio takes up residence at The JazzLab, while Seoul-based collective Deep Mind joins Haus Party with a sound spanning jazz, electronic music, alternative R&B and experimental influences. Both ensembles are presented in partnership with Korea's renowned Jarasum Jazz Festival, with support from the Australia-Korea Foundation.
The UK focus brings together Theon Cross, Summer Pearl and Faris Ishaq, reflecting the breadth of the UK's contemporary jazz landscape and its connections with hip hop, dub, soul and global musical traditions across the Festival.
Free & Family
A significant portion of the 2026 Festival is free to experience, creating more opportunities for audiences to encounter live jazz across Melbourne – from major public spaces to neighbourhood venues and unexpected settings in the west.
Free Jazz at Fed Square unfolds across the Festival's opening weekend. Saturday brings a free afternoon of brass, beats and boundary-pushing sounds, beginning with the Second Line Street Party and Rebirth Brass Band, followed by BIGYUKI in a special collaboration with Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio and local favourite Allysha Joy. On Sunday, Jazz on Film brings Disney and Pixar's Oscar-winning Soul to Fed Square — a celebration of jazz, creativity and the pursuit of purpose.
At Prahran Square, a free afternoon of jazz, soul and Afrobeat brings together South African vocalist, trumpeter and composer Mandisi Dyantyis, premiering his a new collaboration with Melbourne collective Afrospace Interchange, alongside performances from Owelu Dreamhouse and the Melbourne Conservatorium Big Band.
In Melbourne's west, Footscray Sunday Sessions spans two Sundays of free music across some of the neighbourhood's favourite venues. The program features Ajak Kwai, Chikchika, Solomon Sisay Group, Jon Hunt's Blue Devils, Organzola and Kaviitá, moving through Afro-diasporic grooves, swing, soul and jazz.
Jazz Westside: Moonee Valley brings music and sonic exploration to the heritage Crown Street Stables, with performances from Slow Poke, Emma Gilmartin Quartet and Cold Hands Warm Heart, alongside guided sound walks led by Anthony Magen.
For the Festival's youngest audiences, Inside Out: Jump, Jive, Jazz returns to ArtPlay, inviting children aged two to seven to explore live jazz through music, movement, art and creative play.
Talks & Workshops
Beyond the stage, MIJF invites audiences and emerging artists deeper into the ideas, stories and creative practices behind the music through a program of talks, conversations and workshops.
Composer, performer and scholar George Lewis delivers a free keynote at Monash University, drawing on decades of investigation into improvisation, technology and the aesthetic challenges posed by machine learning.
South African hip hop pioneer Stogie T leads an hour-long workshop exploring the craft of MCing at Bunjil Place, from flow and lyricism to stage presence and connecting with an audience.
The Bad Plus reflect on 26 years of creativity in a career-spanning farewell conversation, with founding members Reid Anderson and Dave King joined by Ben Monder and Chris Speed to trace the band's evolution and the closing of this chapter.
Dee Dee Bridgewater will also lead a masterclass, sharing lessons from her four-decade career, as part of MIJF's partnership with the University of Melbourne.
