'I'm Tired Of People Saying Perth Is Boring': A Preview Of Perth International Jazz Festival

The role of Perth International Jazz Festival’s Artistic Director seems a perfect fit for Dr Mace Francis, whose key interests lie in jazz, Perth (Boorloo), and bringing jazz to Perth.

“Every other major cultural city in the world has an international jazz festival,” Francis says, “and we deserve one too!”

An acclaimed composer, band director, and academic in his own right, Francis has helmed the festival (PIJF for those in the know) since 2017, and has been influential in fostering the festival’s continued growth.

From its beginnings in 2012 as a three day event concentrated in Perth’s CBD, the annual festival now spans eleven days across multiple locations, including a regional weekend in Busselton (Undalup) and Yallingup.

PIJF is celebrating its 2024 launch this weekend (5 October), opening with ‘A Night In New York’, featuring nine artists across seven venues in the Brookfield Place precinct.

“The whole weekend is full of live music,” Francis promises. “On Saturday evening Brookfield Place will be a buzz of bands throughout the precinct. No matter where you are in Brookfield you will be able to enjoy the live sounds of some of Perth’s very best musicians.”

“Duo’s, trios, roving bands and the night finishing with a young jazz and hip hop inspired band at Bob’s Bar rooftop. On Sunday morning the music keeps coming with live music around Mount Lawley and North Perth for Jazz Brunch and then to Yagan Square for a free community event.”

The launch weekend is “basically a tasting plate” of the full festival line-up to come, offering “different jazz styles and genres for you to explore and sample.”

The full program runs from 24 October, with Francis “in awe” of what the PIJF team has been able to produce.

Francis’ highlights include Esperanza Spalding headlining The Regal in a sold out show. “She has been a bucket list artist for me forever,” Francis confesses. “Just WOW!”

The Opening Night celebration party at QV1 is certainly not to be missed either, with Francis describing the event as “party vibe central.”

“The music will make you move, with latin and salsa bands, and a New Orleans style brass band from Melbourne called Horns of Leroy. The following night is Carl Cox & Eric Powell’s Mobile Disco with live musicians – an opening weekend party that never stops!”

A special addition to this year’s list of venues is Camelot Cinema in Mosman Park. PIJF took over the lease of the iconic art-deco building at the end of last year, and has revived Camelot as a key hub for arts and entertainment.

“The new home of PIJF” will host a series of events over this year’s festival, “featuring local, national, and international artists in the intimate and historic theatre.”

The festival is also returning to The Rechabite for another year, hosting artists such as the Netherlands’ Tim Men & The Telephone (“very entertaining and engaging”), and New York’s alto saxophonist Sarah Hanahan, and trombonist Mariel Bildsten (“both absolutely killing the scene”).

Francis also flags vocalist Jazzmeia Horn as a performance not to be missed – “a true master!”

Of the curation of the 2024 program, Francis says it is “always a balancing act between well known and rising stars, commercial and artistic, as well as making sure there is a diverse mix of genres, genders and cultures as well as local, national and international.”

“I work closely with other national jazz festivals to share some artists and then look for other opportunities and things I think audiences will really dig and be surprised by. I really like being able to present artists that are on the rise.”

But the focus of PIJF is not only the incredible artists but also on the city hosting them.

“It is in our name and our mission,” Francis says. “It is important for us to be able to bring the world to Perth.”

“I am pretty tired of people saying Perth is boring and there is nothing to do – just look at our program and then what happens with Fringe Festival and Perth Festival then all the other arts organisations that produce and present events throughout the year!”

“This city punches well above its population. This city and all the wonderful people who live here deserve great things. We have the climate, the beaches, the food and drink – we also have art and culture and a thriving live music scene which just keeps getting better and better, because of things like PIJF that exist to continue to inspire, challenge, entertain and create energy and fun in our city and surrounding areas.”

Perth International Jazz Festival 2024 launches on Saturday 5 October, with the full program running from the 24 October to 3 November. The South West weekend runs from the 9 to 10 November. The full program and tickets can be found on the festival’s website.