Free Jazz at Fed Square

The festivities begin on Friday night with a Smoking Ceremony to officially launch the 2024 festival. Afro-Cuban powerhouse La Influencia will perform new material from their upcoming album and cover songs from Cuban musical legends. The Cat Empire’s founding trumpet-playing vocalist Harry James Angus will close the night.

5pm – DJ Mz Rizk
5.30pm – Smoking Ceremony
6pm – La Influencia
7.30pm – Harry James Angus

Saturday kicks off with the popular Second Line parade bringing the vibrancy from the streets of New Orleans to Melbourne, with NOLA’s beloved TBC Brass Band leading the way and taking over the Fed Square stage. Following this explosion of funk-fuelled brass will be the Tony Allen Experience—a powerhouse 12-piece band featuring the country’s finest Afro and jazz musicians, paying tribute to the great Nigerian Afrobeat drummer, innovator and musical director Tony Allen.

1pm – Second Line Street Party *starts at Red Stair Amphitheatre (Southbank) and finishes at the Fed Square Main Stage
1pm – DJ Mz Rizk on the Main Stage at Fed Square
2pm – TBC Brass Band
3pm – Tony Allen Experience

Spend Sunday afternoon soaking up the sun with three incredible films, Louis in London, Jazz on a Summer’s Day and Summer of Soul. Each film showcases archival footage from an all-star lineup of musical legends—including Louis Armstrong, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Miles Davis, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight, B.B. King, Thelonious Monk and more.

2pm – Jazz on Film: Louis in London
3pm – Jazz on Film: Jazz on a Summer’s Day
4.30pm – Jazz on Film: Summer of Soul