Returning for its 11th year, the 2016 Stonnington Jazz Festival is set to delve into the hidden pockets of Stonnington to present a diverse mix of original, improvised and heritage jazz music, featuring 25 events in 11 days.
Elsewhere in the program comes premier event, The Australian Songbook. This opening night spectacular will see performances from some of the country’s most exciting jazz vocalists backed by 19-piece powerhouse, The James Mustafa Jazz String Orchestra. Each vocalist will perform an original tune alongside a reinterpretation of an Australian classic, spanning genres of traditional folk, pop and beyond featuring artists including Wilma Reading, Gian Slater, Mama Alto, Josh Kyl and Clancy Milne.
In further program highlights comes The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, paying tribute to the legacy of legendary jazz poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron. The night will bring together performances from Vince Jones, Walter Saluni, Hue Blanes, Hailey Kramer and Sampa The Great, each performing a special tribute to the widely influential pioneer of hip-hop.
Capping it off, JazzMax arrives to deliver a Mad Max screening with a live score from The Shaolin Afronauts as they reinterpret the original in real time as the film plays overhead at the Astor Theatre.
It all kicks off at the Malvern Town Hall on Thursday May 12 and runs through to Sunday May 22. Head to their site for tickets and full program details.