Melbourne International Jazz Festival

Throughout May and June, the Southbank Arts Precinct will welcome premier jazz talent from around the world as the Melbourne International Jazz Festival comes roaring into town.

The festival is designed to appeal to long-time jazz aficionados as well as to the relatively uninitiated.

As a part of the festival’s Modern Masters series, Hamer Hall will play host to a historic performance by legendary jazz pioneers Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. Both men found fame whilst playing with musical luminary Miles Davis.

For those who are looking for a musical challenge the festival has created the Explorations in Jazz series. According to organisers, this line up of artists features some of the “world’s leading sonic innovators and genre-bending jazz revolutionaries.”

Other festival highlights include a series of intimate club sessions by Joe Lovano, Paul Grabowsky, Phil Rex and Dave Beck.

The festival will offer a broad range of entertainment with club gigs, late night art parties, film screenings, workshops, and even events for families.

To cap off the festivities, musicians of the 15-piece New Orleans Jazz Orchestra will combine their musical talents with vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater in early June.

According to festival artistic director Michael Tortoni, “Jazz continues to be a vital contemporary art form that is constantly evolving – which is strongly reflected in this year’s program featuring a stunning array of artists from across the globe.”

For more information, full schedule and tickets please visit www.melbournejazz.com