Next Tuesday (30 April) marks the 13th year of International Jazz Day.

Established by UNESCO in 2011, the global celebration now reaches over 190 countries and 2 billion people annually. 

Alexander Flood will perform at the Adelaide Jazz Festival. Photo © Max Roux

“Respect for human dignity is firmly integrated into the DNA of jazz,” said pianist Herbie Hancock, who also serves as the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. “International Jazz Day honours this important value by embracing the peace and freedom that jazz so eloquently proclaims. And that is the spirit of jazz – finding delight in diversity and creating harmony out of our differences.”

This year’s global four-day celebration (27–30 Apr) takes place in Tangier, Morocco – the first time that it has been hosted by an African city.  With Jeremy Irons as emcee, it features a star-studded international lineup led by Herbie Hancock and Musical Director John Beasley and will be livestreamed around the world – Australian viewers can catch the broadcast here from 1 May, 8am AEST.

Want to see something a little closer to home? Limelight’s got it covered.

Adelaide conducts the biggest celebration of all with the Adelaide Jazz Festival (26-30 April). All weekend, jazz performances are scattered across the city: a Matthew Sheens solo set and a Latin jazz ensemble at the University of Adelaide; performances by Alexander Flood and band; the Solomon Young Quartet; the six-piece ensemble Tradelaide and more. Its centrepiece is an IWJ concert at the Adelaide Festival Centre featuring trombonist Thomas Voss and his big band, opened by a set from double bassist and composer Enne. R.

For those at home, radio station 5MBS will broadcast five two-hour jazz programs focussed on local, Australian and international musicians.

Cheryl Durongpisitkul. Photo supplied

At the JazzLab in Melbourne, the house orchestra – led by Cheryl Durongpisitkul and Madison James Smith – is star of the night, preceded by sets from Sarah McKenzie and two stellar trios: Andrea Keller, Joe Talia and Stephen Magnusson performing as part of Keller’s Transients project; and Anatomical Heart, the fruit of a collaboration between Erik Griswold, Chloe Kim and Helen Svoboda.

The Australian Jazz Museum is hosting a fundraiser concert on Tuesday to help it carry out its mission to preserve Australia’s expansive history in jazz. On the bill is Peter Gaudion’s Blues Express. On the same day, the Museum will also launch an online exhibition.

On Saturday 27 April, vocalist Jackie Bornstein leads an IJD performance of tunes from Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and more at Elsternwick’s Classic Cinemas. Dingo Jazz’s celebrations take the form of a free program at Welcome to Thornbury from afternoon into evening. Artists include guitarist Stella Anning, Merri-bek City Band’s Phoenix Project, 32 Bars and Ray Pereira and Julien Wilson‘s project The Mouth.

In New South Wales, pianists Kevin Hunt and Indra Lesmana forma a duet for a midday concert of improvisation at The University of Sydney’s Old Darlington School. Tickets for the 2024 Sydney Con Jazz Fest, which also features Hunt, will be released on IJD, too.

Kevin Hunt. Photo © Dan White

Wollongong also shares in the celebration with a performance at the Wollongong Conservatorium in which vocalist Trish Delaney-Brown selects her favourite standards. Regionally, Wagga Wagga’s The Curious Rabbit will host a jazz jam, open to both performers and enjoyers alike, and on Sunday, the Civic Theatre will spotlight an all-jazz Sundown Session.

In Western Australia, IJD coincides with two regular jazz nights – Hemingway & Co.’s Jazz Tuesday session in Mundaring, and the Jazz Club of WA’s weekly Milk Bar haunting.

The Ellington Jazz Club’s official celebration is on 30 April. Featuring Melbourne/UK jazz vocalist Nina Ferro performing her own works and favourite tunes backed by pianist Harry Mitchell, bassist Karl Florisson and drummer Ben Vanderwal. Perth Modern School show the might of their jazz and contemporary ensembles in the evening.

Queensland-way, the Brisbane Jazz Club’s all-night festivity is headlined by Sydney musician Dan Barnett, who will perform on voice, trombone and shells alongside a quartet. Preceding the performance, Barnett will also present a vocal workshop for local vocalists. Students from Marist College Ashgrove’s Big Band 1 will also host a free lunchtime concert.

On the Sunday (28 April) at Southport’s Broadwater Parklands, there’s Jazz By The Waves, an all-day free concert putting local jazz performers in the spotlight. Further out, at Tambourine Mountain‘s Grand Chameleon Restaurant, there’s food and a show by the Kenny James Quartet on 30 April.

On 28 April, Canberra‘s cosy Smith’s Alternative hosts the launch of the debut, self-titled album from Wildfire, a quartet led by pianist and composer Wilbur Whitta. Trumpeter Tom Avgenicos, saxophonist Jack Stoneham and drummer Alex Inman-Hislop band together to perform some of Whitta’s own works and classic standards.

The groove reaches Tasmania with a couple of performances across the weekend. On Saturday, Salamanca Jazz offers both classic standards and original works with a quartet performance by vibes player/pianist Kelly Ottaway, saxophonist Phil Bywater, bassist Hamish Houston and drummer Tom Robb. At the Crowded Lounge on Sunday, Sophie Leslie and ade ishs give their own twist on “luscious ballads [and] up-tempo bops”.

More about International Jazz Day can be found here.