Footscray Sunday Sessions
Sunday 18 October & Sunday 25 October
2:00PM – 6:00PM
Various Footscray Venues
FREE
Local bar hops with a difference – we’re bringing Jazz Fest to some of Footscray’s favourite venues for two epic Sundays of free music and cool beverages. Wander between venues and discover Afro-diasporic grooves, swing, soul and jazz in the heart of Melbourne’s west.
Sunday 18 October
Ajak Kwai
Mamma Chens
3:00PM – 5:00PM
Hailing from Bor in present-day South Sudan, Ajak Kwai fuses traditional South Sudanese funk and blues with contemporary influences. With her rich, distinctive voice and and mesmerising presence, Kwai uses music and spoken word to give voice to local African communities and their stories.
Chikchika
Harar Mesob
4:00PM – 5:00PM
Drawing on the rich sounds of the krar and masinko, traditional Ethiopian/Eritrean instruments, Chikchika fuse driving percussion and upbeat rhythms with storytelling that reflects themes of love, distance, separation and culture.
Solomon Sisay Group
Roha
4:00PM – 6:00PM
Solomon Sisay is a world-class musician who shot to fame after being the chosen saxophone player for Axumite Band, a legendary outfit in Ethiopia. Since moving to Australia, he has toured globally and performed at leading festivals such as WOMADelaide, Port Fairy Folk Festival and MONA FOMA, always paying tribute to the Ethio-jazz sounds of his homeland.
Sunday 25 October 2026
Jon Hunt’s Blue Devils
The Vic Hotel
2:00PM – 4:00PM
Jon Hunt’s Blue Devils bring the exuberant spirit of early jazz to life with a sound steeped in swing, swagger and storytelling. Led by internationally acclaimed clarinettist and saxophonist Jon Hunt, the ensemble channels the music of jazz pioneers Sidney Bechet, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington, while uncovering rare Australian gems from the 1920s and ’30s.
Organzola
Littlefoot Bar + Kitchen
3:00PM – 5:00PM
Local Melbourne trio Organzola has audiences grooving along to their unique brand of funk, jazz and country. Sit back and let Stephen Khlentzos (organ), Andrew Doo (drums) and Atienne Bakker (guitar) take you on a journey of genre-bending oddity.
Kaviitá
Pride of our Footscray
4:00PM – 6:00PM
Kaviitá is a songwriter, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and producer blending moody, sultry soundscapes with elements of neo-soul, jazz, R&B, and hip hop. Her music evokes late-night introspection and velvet-toned emotion, layering smooth vocals over lush instrumentation to create an atmosphere that’s both intimate and expansive.
