Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Australia’s pre-eminent celebration of jazz in all its forms, returns for its 26th year, from 20–29 October.

Made up of more than 100 events, the 2023 program promises to hit harder than any MIJF program to date. Its reverberations will be felt more widely than ever, too, with performances scheduled for 30 different locations across the city, many of them free.

Cécile McLorin Salvant. Photo supplied

Several headline acts were pre-announced in July, including the multi-Grammy award-winning American singer Cécile McLorin Salvant, the US jazz supergroup SFJAZZ Collective, South African composer, producer and Blue Note pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, the UK-based break-beat trio GoGo Penguin and Makaya McCraven, jazz improvisor and “beat scientist”.

Added to that line-up are soul star Chaka Khan (playing a one-off concert with Nile Rodgers and Chic at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl), Lisa Simone, daughter of Nina Simone, who celebrates her mother’s legacy in a one-of concert at Hamer Hall (22 October), New Orleans’ outfit the Hot 8 Brass Band (which went viral with...