Vince Jones certainly fits the definition of a ‘maverick’. He has forged his own path in the Australian jazz scene. He has eschewed the well-worn jazz path of reinterpreting popular standards in favour of the more challenging path of original jazz composition. His compositions are accessible, but instead of the usual themes of love and loss, Jones ventures into territory unfamiliar to the genre, exploring themes such as inequity and the environment.

Jones is revered in the Australian jazz scene. He is a survivor and attracts the best talent Australia has to offer in his bands. His band for this performance was no exception: James Muller (guitar), Ben Robertson (double bass), James Van der Wyl (drums), the virtuosic Matt McMahon on piano, and a saxophonist and killer bongo player whose names I couldn’t hear were the crème de la crème. Jones’ gravitas has also allowed him to collaborate on songs with legends such as Barney McCall and Julie Wilson.

Vince Jones – A Maverick’s Tale (2026 Adelaide Cabaret Festival). Photo © Claudio Raschella

The “compendium” of material, as Jones put it, for this performance was intriguing and typical. The Budgie was a tongue-in-cheek impression of a guest in a gilded cage singing for his room and board, but could also be interpreted as autobiographical. The Rainbow Cake was a loving tribute to a kind great-aunt who provided him with a little after-school haven. So is a song about Jones’ idealised planet.

At 72, Jones’ voice has lost some of the velvety, Tormé-like tone he had in the 1980s and ’90s. Age has brought with it a few rough edges and a thinning of the register. However, in jazz, the loss of technical prowess with age is often replaced by a world-weary authenticity that brings its own rewards.

Covering the Ellington classic Mood Indigo and revisiting – and almost apologising for – performing the song for the ABC decades ago on an album that was a commercial success, Jones’ bravery in performing it in a key much higher than the likes of Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald was a real winner with the crowd of loyal disciples.

Vince Jones – A Maverick’s Tale (2026 Adelaide Cabaret Festival). Photo © Claudio Raschella

Not a fan of the filthy rich or powerful, it was interesting to see Jones revisit pre-Trumpian originals such as America, We Trust in You, written with Barney McCall on a fishing trip, and Nature of Power. Jones devotees were rewarded with Don’t Jettison Everything Fellow Captains from arguably his most successful album, It Will All End Up in Tears.

The evergreen performer showed that he is still fighting the good fight, with a mighty army of musicians on his team. Long live the maverick!

The Adelaide Cabaret Festival continues until 21 June.