The Adelaide Jazz Festival (AJF) returns in 2025 with a special extended program to celebrate the city’s 10th anniversary as a UNESCO City of Music and UNESCO’s International Jazz Day. This year’s program focuses on the abundance of South Australian talent and spotlights the venues that regularly support live jazz in Adelaide.

The AJF will again present a curated program of diverse jazz genres, opening with Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble Sabor a Cuba, led by Cuban trumpeter Lazaro Numa returning fresh from his Byron Bay Bluesfest show with The Cat Empire.

City of Adelaide, a major partner of this year’s festival through a Cultural Strategic Partnership, are presenting two free performances for the community, a lunchtime jazz concert at the iconic Adelaide Town Hall and an evening of jazz in nature with Jazz In The Square featuring cosy firepits and food trucks.

AJF Creative Partner, Elder Conservatorium of Music, The University of Adelaide (the ‘Con’), is presenting a big band performance; and their monthly live jazz venue Hal’s Hall will host several shows, including an ANZAC Day evening show with Millie Sarah and special guest Marlene Richards – both vocalists are sure deliver swinging sets of wartime-era jazz classics.

Another 2025 program highlight is local jazz-rock band Djawbreaker who will present new and original music inspired by the world of the late artistic visionary, David Lynch at a unique performance at The Lab, with digital art by Ryan Sahb on The Lab’s 50 square metres of LED screens.

AJF Creative Partner, Adelaide Festival Centre, again present their UNESCO International Jazz Day Concert; and one of Adelaide’s best live music venues, The Grace Emily Hotel, will again host the AJF’s series of emerging contemporary original music acts, this year ranging from nu-jazz, jazz-funk, neo-soul and electro-jazz.

This event is supported through a Cultural Partnership grant with the City of Adelaide, and project support from the South Australian Government’s Music Development Office.