Guitarist/vocalist Lionel Louecke, Benin born and NY based, led his trio into a wonderfully improvised instrumental version of “Skylark,” before launching into astonishing vocals in his native tongue. Using electronics he added several layers of harmonised versions of his voice to create the impression of an African vocal group. Much later, the intimate atmosphere at Bennett’s Lane was cool and rippling as Sydney pianist Mike Nock joined Dave Samuels, US vibraphonist, and Anders Astrand from Sweden on marimba. Their original music chimed in tranquil grooves with alternative vibes produced by padded mallets, bare hands, or hollow seed-filled mallets hitting the bar notes.

Two free sessions daily continued at Federation Square with some notable performers: a strong blues group led by Melbourne saxophonist Paul Williamson announced “The Maribyrnong River Delta Blues – it’s low down and dirty but we love it.” Another free session featured “Twelve Tone Diamonds” an exhilarating local jazz/rock fusion quintet with some amazing guitar work and hyperfast, energetic keyboards of exceptional ability. One top-flight performer not to be missed was Ethiopian Mulatu Astatke, 67 year old founder of Ethio-jazz, who played vibraphone, but soloed just once, on congas. Astatke and The Heliocentrics, an octet led by extraordinary multi-instrumentalist James Arben, played songs from Astatke’s film soundtrack “Broken Flowers.” The music incorporated African and South American influences into jazz concepts.

US saxophonist Charles Lloyd aged 72 is a legendary figure in jazz. He brought three consummate sidemen from NY: pianist Jason Moran, Rueben Rogers on bass and drummer Eric Harland and all gave performances of near genius level. Lloyd’s playing ranged from a hymnal sound to high velocity runs ending on unexpected notes in a constant flow of ideas, at times faintly echoing John Coltrane. Another living US icon, now nearly 80, was Ahmad Jamal who played his signature piano style to a sold-out house featuring advancing, percussive block chords with sudden mood changes to fast and soft treble chromatics. Back at Bennett’s Lane, NY based Adelaide vocalist Jo Lawry justified lavish praise from NY critics with highly expressive versions of originals and other songs. A standout was an ultra fast, tongue-twisting “Loro” in Portuguese where not one note or tricky syllable was missed. Lawry’s aching nostalgia in the ballad “I Have The Feeling I’ve Been Here Before,” held the packed-out club spellbound.

A magnificent local success was the Australian Art Orchestra with Paul Grabowsky’s tribute to Miles Davis, especially the twenty piece group’s arrangement of “Sketches of Spain” – from 1960 – with Phil Slater giving a beautiful reading of the trumpet part. After interval a sudden leap to futurism, electronics and abstraction seemed too much for some, who left early. Guitar virtuoso John Abercrombie brought his US quartet and played several numbers from their recent CD. Abercrombie’s velvety guitar exchanged exquisite passages with his long-term violinist Mark Feldman. The two worked seamlessly: violin responded to guitar phrases echoing and embellishing them, and vice versa. They were driven by the marvellously inventive drummer Joey Baron with a ceaseless flow of cleverly integrated percussion and pulse.

The festival finale and another highlight, brought back Charles Lloyd with his trio, “Sangam” featuring tablas master Zakir Hussain and drummer Eric Harland. In an inspired fusion of Indian music and jazz Lloyd played piano, drums, flute, tarogato – a clarinet relative – and tenor sax while Hussain played with astonishing speed, precision and a variety of tabla effects.

In an almost overwhelming program, attendances were more than fifty per cent up on last year. As with most festivals – and the MIJF must now be classed as Australia’s foremost jazz festival – events clashed, forcing difficult choices, but that increased the feeling of having experienced a delicious embarrassment of riches.