Melbourne to swing again: Jazz Festival returns to Southbank and the city

Melbourne is set to come alive with the sound of jazz this October, as the Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF) returns with its biggest and most ambitious program yet.

Running from October 17 to 26, the 10-day celebration will see more than 500 artists from 18 countries perform across 40 venues – transforming Southbank, the city, and beyond into one giant stage.

The festival opens with Night Crawl on October 17, a free, one-night-only takeover of the CBD featuring more than 100 musicians across 11 venues. From laneways to rooftops, Melbourne will pulse to a mix of jazz, funk, neo-soul, and Afrobeat.

Federation Square will host an all-star line-up including UK multi-instrumentalist Tenderlonious, Melbourne groove masters Horatio Luna and On-Ly, cinematic soul outfit Surprise Chef, and international DJ Natasha Diggs, who will turn the square into a giant open-air dancefloor.

Southbank will once again become the festival’s beating heart, with major concerts at Hamer Hall, the Melbourne Recital Centre, and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. On October 24, two-time GRAMMY winner Gregory Porter brings his smooth baritone and heartfelt storytelling to Hamer Hall, followed by the rising star of modern jazz, Samara Joy, and virtuoso Japanese pianist Hiromi with PUBLIQuartet, in an electrifying night of world-class performance.

The festival’s flagship event, Jazz at the Bowl, on October 25, will see Harry Connick Jr headline a six-hour celebration at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, joined by guitar legend Bill Frisell and beloved Australian vocalist Emma Donovan, whose new show Take Me to the River pays homage to the soul greats of Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin.

The Melbourne Recital Centre will also play host to a series of intimate and groundbreaking performances, including GRAMMY-winning bassist Linda May Han Oh’s Invisible Threads, a moving blend of music, visuals and storytelling featuring local and international collaborators. Kamilaroi composer and percussionist Adam Manning will premiere First Rhythms, a work co-commissioned with the Australian Art Orchestra that reimagines traditional clapsticks through a jazz lens.

Outside the major halls, the city’s laneways, bars, and outdoor spaces will be alive with spontaneous sound. Fed Square’s Big Band Saturday on October 18 will showcase the power of brass with performances by the Air Force Big Band, the Melbourne Youth Jazz Orchestra, and the Melbourne Conservatorium Big Band, directed by trumpet virtuoso Mat Jodrell. Over at ArtPlay, families can get involved in Inside Out: Jump, Jive, Jazz – an interactive event introducing children to the joy of rhythm and improvisation.

For the late-night crowd, The JazzLab in Brunswick remains the festival’s after-dark hub, hosting an electrifying program of small-club performances, late jams, and emerging talent. Highlights include Aotearoa duo Goldsmith Baynes, Japanese innovators Banksia Trio, and Melbourne’s own Tamil Rogeon Orchestra in a 16-piece cosmic jazz spectacular.

As MIJF artistic director Michael Tortoni explained, this year’s event was “designed to be experienced by everyone – whether you’re a dedicated jazz enthusiast or simply curious to explore. This October, Melbourne will be in full swing.”

More than a third of the program will be free, with pop-up gigs and outdoor concerts bringing live music to every corner of the city. The festival will close on October 26 with a weekend of community performances, including Footscray Sunday Sessions and Jazz Westside, bringing live music to local bars and public spaces across Melbourne’s suburbs.

With headline acts, international debuts, and homegrown talent sharing the stage, the 2025 Melbourne International Jazz Festival promises to capture the city’s creative pulse and reaffirm its place as Australia’s live music capital.

Full program details and tickets are available at melbournejazz.com •