Melbourne International Jazz Festival Shares First 2025 Program Announcement
With a few months to go until the Melbourne International Jazz Festival kicks off, organisers have given audiences an early taste of what to expect this October.
LETTUCE, Hiromi, Gregory Porter (Credit: Jeremy Elder; Mari Amita; Erik Umphery)
Though the 2025 edition of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival might still be more than six months away, organisers are clearly excited about what they’ve got on offer this year, sharing a special early announcement of what to expect.
This year sees the Melbourne International Jazz Festival taking over Melbourne from October 17th – 26th, with a typically-packed line-up of acts set to arrive in a matter of months. However, with three massive international heavyweights already locked in and ready to go, the festival has now given attendees a glimpse of what to expect.
Kicking off the first announcement is Gregory Porter, one of the most revered voices in jazz thanks to his unique blending of soul, gospel, and jazz influences. His 2013 breakthrough Liquid Spirit saw him receive a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album, while 2016 follow-up Take Me To The Alley repeated the same feat and helped him increase his reputation on a global scale.
Porter will be hitting the Hamer Hall stage on Friday, October 24th.
Next, veteran US sextet LETTUCE will make their Australian debut at 170 Russell on Friday, October 24th. Having been around for more than 30 years, their razor-sharp musicianship, infectious grooves, and improvisational brilliance have made them a beloved figure on the scene, with 2019 album Elevate even scoring a Grammy nomination for Instrumental Album of the Year.
Finally, acclaimed musical innovator Hiromi returns to the festival after nine years with new project Hiromi: The Piano Quintet, which sees her teaming with PUBLIQuartet to craft a mesmerising combination of jazz and classical music along the way. The project will be visiting Hamer Hall on Sunday, October 26th.
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“This is just a sneak peek at what’s shaping up to be another inspiring and diverse Festival program,” says MIJF Artistic Director Michael Tortoni. “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome the extraordinary and unique talent of Gregory Porter, Hiromi, and LETTUCE, who are set to deliver unforgettable performances at our Festival in 2025.”
While the Melbourne International Jazz Festival kicks off on October 17th and runs for ten days, the full program is set to be announced in August. Tickets to all already-announced shows go on sale from 11am on Friday, April 4th.
This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body
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