The Sydney Con Jazz Festival

The Sydney Con Jazz Festival now in its fourth year offers dozens of affordable, accessible performances in the one location, showcasing the best of jazz from Australia, Sydney and the world.

All five of the Sydney University Conservatorium’s world-class concert halls and facilities will be open to audiences who are free to wander between acts and sample the variety of styles on offer. There will be 25 concerts and 8 masterclasses across the day, performed by over 120 artists. The 2021 program features the creme of the Australian jazz scene and some of our greatest international jazz exports who have returned home in recent times.

Linda May Han Oh (USA) will headline the program. Moving to New York in 2006, Linda is the bassist for 20-time Grammy Award winner Pat Metheny, and is currently waiting out the pandemic in her home town of Perth. She has gained international recognition for her innovative approach that seamlessly blends jazz, classical forms and cutting edge composition and has become an in-demand bassist for the likes of global jazz giants Dave Douglas, Kenny Barron and Steve Wil-son, exciting audiences world-wide.

The festival also debuts performances by Sting collaborator vocalist Jo Lawry (USA) who will perform with string ensemble, Fabian Almazan & Rhizome (USA/CUBA) and saxophonist Will Vinson (USA/UK). Thirsty Merc frontman Rai Thistlethwayte, who has been living and working in Los Angeles with trail-blazing drummer Louis Cole and Knower in recent years, will give a rare solo piano performance, while trumpeter Nick Garbett, who returned from Italy last month, will premiere a new work.

The festival also features performances by some of our most recognised and celebrated names, including Australia’s leading vocalist Vince Jones who will perform with The Australian National Jazz Orchestra. Legend of the Australian jazz scene, pianist and composer Mike Nock, will perform new music with his critically acclaimed super group This World featuring saxophonist Julien Wilson, bassist Jonathan Zwartz and Hamish Stuart.

In a Sydney debut, Melbourne artists Luke Howard will join forces with Nadje Noordhuis, and Andrea Keller appears alongside the musicians of tomorrow Niran Dasika and 2020 Freedman Jazz Fellow Helen Svoboda. Rarely heard live, Bruny Island resident and one of Australia’s most accomplished trumpeters, Scott Tinkler, will go toe to toe with Sydney trumpeter Andy Fiddes.

Esteemed local artists Paul Cutlan, Zela Margossian, & Aaron Blakey will perform along with the new vanguard of emerging artists Arcing Wires. Jazz Cafe concerts will feature the best of Australian swing with groups led by Dan Barnett, Kate Wadey and Andrew Dickeson. The entire event is presented over one epic day, in a world-class venue, with affordable ticket options for the entire community.

Tickets available from Monday 19 April 2021.

Full program  www.sydneyconjazzfestival.com