Chick Corea, Larry Carlton, Sinatra Tribute Lead Melbourne Jazz Festival

19 March 2014 | 5:17 pm | Staff Writer

Another huge program.

The full line up for the Melbourne international Jazz Festival has been announced this afternoon, with a whole stack of the finest names in modern jazz once again locked in to visit the Victorian capital this June.

The masterful Chick Corea is one of the most important names in the history of jazz fusion and he comes to Melbourne with the acclaimed vibraphonist Gary Burton to play as a formidable duo. Robert Davi brings his Davi Sings Sinatra show to Australia for the first time, bringing us the most respectful and accurate representation of Sinatra's wider career that you'lllikely see anywhere.

Guitar gun Larry Carlton will have axe-slingers salivating, Spanish multi-instrumentalist Jorge Pardo makes his Australian debut and the brilliant Joshua Redman makes his return to the event flanked by his Joshua Redman Quartet. Fans of vocal jazz will be blown away by the soulful Mary Stallings and the Glenn Miller Orchestra will deliver some classic old tunes as they celebrate 77 years since their inception, with an incredible line up of 38 brilliant musicians slamming it out onstage.

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Last year's cutting-edge Explorations In Jazz program continues in 2014 and with a couple of massive American guests coming onboard for this year's program. Chris Dave & The Drumhedz make their Australian debut at the festival, while a huge double bill of Derrick Hodge and Chris Turner (he of ERIMAJ fame) is bound to be exciting as well..

Brooklyn's Dawn Of Midi and Sydney's Alister Spence Trio team up for a very cool double bill, as do Nock + Pike (yes, that's the legendary Mike Nock with PVT drummer Laurence Pike!) and the Julien Wilson Quartet, while A Celebration Of Charlie Parker will be just that, with Django Bates Beloved and Monash Art Ensemble paying tribute to the bebop pioneer.

This is merely scratching the surface of what is another amazing program of diverse jazz performances; for all the details, head along to the festival's official site