NSW South Coast Reveals Inaugural Milton Folk, Jazz and Blues Festival

The NSW south coast town of Milton will host the first Milton Folk, Jazz and Blues Festival in May.

The event at Milton, south of Nowra, north of Bega, will take place across 9, 10 and 11 May 2025.

The three days will feature 40 free shows as well as some tickets events at the Milton Theatre.

The line-up features:

Clayton Doley’s Bayou Billabong · Emma Pask · Grace Cummings · Jack Davies & The Bush Chooks · Karl S Williams · Kevin Welch & Heath Cullen · Matthew Ottignon’s Volant · Mister Ott · Ray Beadle · Ruby Jackson · The Vampires

The Condiments · Abby Constable Trio · Amber Ale Sky · Bardwell Valley Ramblers · Bungalin · Big In Japan · Bones Atlas · Full Bottle Band · Business Lounge · Casuarina Light Phenomenon · Ferndance · Forró · Freyja Garbett’s Music From The Waves Ft. Sandy Evans · Gaby Bonello · Glorious Mudsingers · Harry Cooper · Haztet · Heaps Grass · Horse Drawn Cadillac · Feketebors · Jazz Cats · Kosher Groove · Las Burekas · Lemonise · Luja Murfi · Lux Trevis Band · Mudjingal Yangamba · Richard & The Lionhearts · Roddy Reason · Rowan S Kaine · Shelley’s Murder Boys · Slumba Party (Live Dnb) · Southern Seagrass · Sue & Pete · Tall Shaun & The Resolution Blues · The Ginger Bakers · The Stayers · The Water Runners · Timea Wright · Tribal Funk Orchestra · Tropical Strength · Undercurrent · Val Moogz

CLAYTON DOLEY’S BAYOU BILLABONG is an 8-piece powerhouse of mighty funk horns, soul vocals, infectious grooves and above all, great songs. Get on board for a swampy explosion of blues and boogie inspired by the great New Orleans piano masters while fusing contemporary Australiana and Americana with all the might and power of an 8-piece band.

One of Australia’s most celebrated jazz vocalists, EMMA PASK is known for her effortlessly elegant delivery and warm stage presence. While Emma’s voice and style are unique, and individually her own, her performances are reminiscent of the classic era of jazz, when swing was top of the charts. Don’t miss one of Australia’s favourite voices in jazz.

A true original in the contemporary folk scene, GRACE CUMMINGS’ 2024 release Ramona is a work of raw truth rendered in its most beautiful form. Recorded with producer Jonathan Wilson (Angel Olsen, Father John Misty) the album delivers a lavishly orchestrated sound that allows the depth and scope of her vocal prowess to shine. Her live performance is a visceral reflection on grief and self-destruction – don’t miss this once in a generation artist at the Milton Folk, Jazz & Blues Festival!

JACK DAVIES is a celebrated Australian songwriter, well known for his slick finger picking and rambling poetics. Performing both solo and with his alt folk rock outfit “THE BUSH CHOOKS”, the West Australian folksinger has built a dedicated national audience; releasing three records, taking home WA’s best folk/songwriter act four years running, and touring to sold out rooms across the country. From singing about seagulls to poems of sorrow, Jack’s songs like to laugh, poke and longingly stare at the world. Come and enjoy this unique blend of spoken word, folk picking, sad singing and indie-acoustic weirdery at the Milton Theatre.

Come and witness two exceptional artists together for an intimate night of masterful song writing and musicianship in a unique song-swap setting. KEVIN WELCH is a renowned recording artist and producer with a career spanning four decades. Known for his solo work and collaborations with The Dead Reckoners and Kane/Welch/Kaplin, Kevin’s song writing has graced the likes of Roger Miller, Waylon Jennings, and Linda Ronstadt. Sharing the stage is HEATH CULLEN, a multi- talented singer, songwriter, and producer who has released four acclaimed albums over the last decade. Heath has collaborated with artists such as Jolie Holland and Elvis Costello’s Imposters, earning a dedicated following across Australia, the UK, Europe, and North America.

Acclaimed saxophonist MATTHEW OTTIGNON will present the mesmerising Eastern sounds, tasty horn melodies, tight and popping jazz/funk and hypnotic grooves of MISTER OTT as well as his other project VOLANT, which mixes spiritual jazz influences with the minimalist, introspective acoustic jazz that Australia is renowned for.
RAY BEADLE is a favourite amongst Australian blues and music fans. An exhilarating guitarist, an enthralling singer-songwriter, and an extremely talented performer, Ray has shared the stage with many great Australian and International artists and has thrilled countless festival audiences.

Described as “the little black dress in your wardrobe, an instant classic” (FBi Radio), Sydney- based songwriter, producer and performer RUBY JACKSON has positioned herself at the heart of the Australian R&B scene. Since completing her studies at the Conservatorium of Music, Ruby has been quickly flourishing into one of Sydney’s most authentic, world-class creators of music with songs that continuously strike a chord with her audience. Don’t miss her show at the Milton Theatre.

ARIA Award winners THE VAMPIRES are one of Australia’s most acclaimed acts. Melding saxophone and trumpet intricate melodies and expansive groove soundscapes into their austral- facing jazz textures, they effortlessly capture the essence of their genre-hopping ethos into an immersive musical experience.

https://miltonfolkjazzbluesfestival.com

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