Entertainment
1 June, 2025
Jazz up your picnic in park
PACK your picnic rug and get ready to groove on the Munro Martin Parklands lawn with the perfect Sunday jazz session at the Jazz Picnic on June 8 featuring a stellar lineup of Australia jazz, soul and funk artists.
Jazz and soul stars like Mike Rivett, Emma Pask and her trio, the Vince Jones Quintet and Cookin’ On 3 Burners will fill your afternoon with saxophone, finger snapping and great musicality.
The event – kicking off at 4pm by the musical genius of Mike Rivett – will have food vans on site, a fully stocked bar and the best sunsets. Picnic rugs, baskets and chair are encouraged.
Local saxophonist and producer Mike Rivett will get the show started with his highly creative style, followed by Emma Pask and her unforgettable vocals accompanied by a trio that will bring timeless swinging jazz, upbeat Latin rhythms and emotional ballads.
Next is the legend Vince Jones and his quintet, one of the most influential musicians in Australian jazz history who will bring his 50 years of experience and great musicianship to the stage and closing the night will be Cookin’ On 3 Burners.
Organist and founding member of Cookin’ On 3 Burners, Jake Mason, said this would be one not to miss.
“It’s been so long since we’ve been in Cairns that you might as well count this as our debut,” he said.
“We’re a band made up of a Hammond organ, drums and guitar, so it has its roots in a 60s jazz, soul and funk mould, we also have a fabulous vocalist in Raleigh Williams who’ll be joining us, but we also try to put a modern twist to it.
“It’s going to be awesome to be able to play on the same stage as someone like Vince Jones, he has such history and catalogue of music, there’s also Emma Pask who’s a wonderful vocalist.
“For our set we’ll play a few instrumental trio songs, we’ll also preview songs from our upcoming album and then we’ll invite Raleigh on stage where she’ll sing some classic songs from our catalogue like ‘This Girl’.”
To buy tickets, visit
