Jazz takes over Monash as Big Jazz Day Out and Live at The Count’s launch a sizzling 2026 season

Jazz and world-class performances take over the Monash University Performing Arts Centre.

Monash University Performing Arts Centres is turning up the heat early in 2026, unveiling a jazz calendar that promises big names, bold collaborations and plenty of midweek magic.

Leading the charge is the return of Big Jazz Day Out on Saturday 21 March, alongside a fresh Autumn season of Live at The Count’s, MPAC’s much loved Wednesday night series that sold out 14 shows in 2025 and firmly cemented the venue as a favourite haunt for Melbourne music lovers.

Across one blockbuster festival day and an entire season of intimate club performances, MPAC is bringing together more than 100 musicians, spanning orchestral jazz, Brazilian rhythms, soul drenched tributes, boundary pushing improvisation and outstanding emerging talent.

Keep connected to your live music scene here.

 

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Big Jazz Day Out

Saturday 21 March

For one day only, MPAC transforms into a full venue jazz playground. Five stages. More than 100 artists. A seamless, all access ticket that lets audiences roam from big band swagger to delicate string arrangements and late afternoon soul grooves.

This year’s line up reads like a love letter to Australian jazz.

Vince Jones joins forces with the Monash String Sinfonia for what promises to be a lush, expansive set. ARIA winners Mildlife bring their signature cosmic groove. Mindy Meng Wang reunites with Paul Grabowsky for their award winning collaboration, while Mama Alto pays homage to Billie Holiday in a performance that is sure to stop hearts mid beat.

There is rhythm and fire in every corner of the program. The Shuffle Club teams up with Rebecca Barnard. Aaron Choulai and MC Roman collaborate with the Monash Art Ensemble. The Cloud Maker delivers thrilling contemporary textures. The Monash Brazilian Ensemble welcomes Dany Maia, while Yunior Terry ignites the stage with the Monash Latin Ensemble.

Expect dance floor moments too, from the Mordialloc Jazz Orchestra’s crowd favourite Jazzeoke to soul jazz heavyweights Cookin’ on 3 Burners with Stella Angelico. The Syncopators join forces with Michelle Nicolle, and Alma Zygier adds her unmistakable voice to the mix.

It is a choose your own adventure day for families, curious newcomers and hardcore jazz devotees alike. One ticket opens every door.

Full program and tickets at monash.edu/mpac.

Live at The Count’s

Autumn 2026 Season

 

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If Big Jazz Day Out is the explosion, Live at The Count’s is the slow burn.

Curated by Chelsea Wilson, the series returns to MPAC’s 150 seat jazz club, known for its warm acoustics, indoor outdoor dining and the kind of proximity where you can see the flick of a drummer’s wrist or the breath before a high note. It is close up, immersive and consistently sold out.

The Autumn line up is a rich cross section of Australian jazz in all its colour and character.

Roscoe James Irwin opens the season on 18 February with a Soul Jazz Special steeped in gospel, New Orleans grooves and early R&B. His charismatic warmth and love of vintage sounds make this one for the purists.

On 25 February, Bolivian born pianist Danilo Rojas reimagines Cueca through contemporary jazz, blending Latin American heritage with expressive improvisation and rhythmic storytelling.

Brazilian flavours continue on 4 March as guitarist Doug de Vries and vocalist Diana Clark perform Bossa Nova gems from their album Three Shadows of Blue, delivering an evocative, stripped back take on Jobim classics and beyond.

The Pearly Shells Swing Orchestra, joined by Michelle Nicolle on 11 March, bring 40s and 50s big band energy with jump blues, swing, RnB and boogie woogie. Formed by double bassist Steve Purcell and now a Melbourne institution, they guarantee a dance floor workout.

On 18 March, Alinta and the Jazz Emperors unleash joyful, soul charged jazz led by powerhouse vocalist Alinta Chidzey. Expect tight grooves, bold horn lines and high energy improvisation.

Ultrafox steps into pre war Paris territory on 25 March, with hot swinging jazz and gypsy waltzes inspired by Django Reinhardt, joined by vocalist Georgia Brookes.

April Fool’s Day gets a soulful twist with Love Fool on 1 April. Henry Manetta and Lisa Faithful, backed by the Adam Rudegeair trio, dive into the glorious idiocy of love and heartbreak with songs made famous by Etta James, Billie Holiday, Chet Baker and Aretha Franklin, alongside original blues and soul.

On 8 April, the Yael Zamir Quintet celebrates Roland Kirk’s fearless legacy with virtuosic flute and saxophone in a dynamic ensemble tribute.

Ruth Rogers Wright takes centre stage on 15 April with Fabulous Diva: The Music of Dr Nina Simone, weaving original music, poetry and storytelling into a powerful homage to one of music’s most enduring voices.

ARIA nominated pianist Nat Bartsch brings her lyrical jazz classical fusion to The Count’s on 22 April, blending minimalist harmony with emotional clarity.

Closing out the season on 29 April, pianist and composer Mina Yu presents elegant, expressive works that showcase her distinctive voice and international pedigree.

More artists are set to be announced in the new year.

MPAC, the public performing arts arm of Monash University, continues to cement its reputation as a cultural powerhouse in Melbourne’s southeast. Across five venues, including the Alexander Theatre, David Li Sound Gallery, The Count’s jazz club, Robert Blackwood Hall and George Jenkins Theatre, the centre welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and connects the university with the wider community through bold commissions and world class programming.

In 2026, jazz is not just on the calendar at Monash. It is taking over.

For further information and to book tickets head here.