Stonnington Jazz Festival 2015 – The Plus Ones’ Guide

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The City of Stonnington has convinced the superstars of Australia’s jazz elite to descend upon Prahran, South Yarra and Windsor for an eleven-day jazz extravaganza. The festival will run from 14-24 May 2015 and promises to showcase our local talent through a veritable bevy of unique events.

With so much on it’s easy to be overwhelmed with what to see — but as always, The Plus Ones have done the hard work for you. Here are our top picks for the festival:

Jazz Party (Friday 15 May) – This loose collection of jazzbos are a regular feature on The Plus Ones’ calendar. We hold events at their gigs and love their style. (Imagine 300 Melburnians packed inside a dark bar heaving together as the team pumps out a mix of blues and boogie.) During the festival, they’re taking over the Melbourne Lawn Bowling Club to recreate the dark cool that they sound-out across Melbourne.

Mama Alto sings Sarah Vaughan from 22-24 May at Chapel Off Chapel

Mama Alto sings Sarah Vaughan from 22-24 May at Chapel Off Chapel

The David Bowie Project (Friday 15 May)‘No way!’ is what I thought when I saw that this is going to be an actual performance. David Bowie tunes re-set to jazz-cool? Yes, please! The Adam Rudegeair Quintet will take us on a journey of Bowie classics from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Will anyone come dressed as Ziggy Stardust?

Soul Bowl (Saturday 16 May) – If you miss out on the first bowl and jazz experience because you were at the Bowie show (which is where we’ll be) then you have another chance to experience it with Soul Bowl. ‘Cookin’ On 3 Burners’ and ‘The Putbacks’ are going to serve us up an evening of funk and boogaloo whilst we soak up the barefoot comfort of the bowling green.

No Lights No Lycra (Tuesday 19 May) – NLNL is another regular favourite on The Plus Ones’ calendar (good stuff Stonnington, you know our style!). Grab your friends and boogie to the brass like no one’s watching. Because with no lights, no one is.

Women of Soul (Friday 22 May) – In this one-off show ‘The Ladies Sing Jazz’ are presenting us with a special tribute to their jazz heroines. Better yet, they’re promising us dancing with the second half of the show designed to get the audience off their seats and jiving.

‘Jazz Experience’ – is another great initiative of the festival. It will let you combine an express pre-show dinner from a curated selection of restaurants, cafés, and bars offering cool vibes and hosting specialised offerings to match the festival program.

The City of Stonnington has gone out of its way to give us value for money, with most sessions ranging between $15-$30. There are also a ton of fantastic free shows which will be held at the Prahran Market and in the David Williamson Theatre’s foyer.

We can’t wait to move to the beat of Australia’s hottest jazz talent. Head on over to a show or two and get your culture on!

– Ruki

The Stonnington Jazz Festival runs from 14-22 May 2015.
Check the full program for further details.

Disclosure: The Plus Ones are invited guests of the City of Stonnington.