Adrian Jackson was the artistic director from 1998 until 2004; this run was interrupted in 2002, when the withdrawal of funding by Arts Victoria and the City of Melbourne in November 2001 meant that the program planned for January 2002 had to be canceled.
McCoy Tyner Trio: McCoy Tyner, Gerald Cannon, Francisco Mela, Chris Potter, Jose James; Hiromi: The Trio Project: Hiromi, Anthony Jackson, Simon Phillips; Robert Hurst, Jamie Oehlers, Dave Beck; Terence Blanchard, Brice Winston, Fabian Almazan, Joshua Crumbly, Kendrick Scott; Rob Burke, Tony Gould, Nick Haywood, Tony Floyd; Dee Dee Bridgewater, Craig Handy, Edsel Gomez, Kenneth Davis, Johnathan Blake; Eli Degibri Quartet: Eli Degibri, Gadi Lehavi, Simon Starr, Aviv Cohen; Chris Potter & the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra: Chris Potter, Kristin Berardi, David Theak, Murray Jackson, Richard Maegraith, Matt Keegan, James Loughnan, Darryl Carthew, Phil Slater, Andy Fiddes, Simon Ferenci, Jeremy Borthwick, Dave Panichi, Danny Carmichael, Justin Kearin, Carl Morgan, Hugh Barrett, Brendan Clarke, Jamie Cameron; Future Now: Taylor McFerrin, Jose James, Takuya Kuroda, Kris Bowers, Solomon Dorsey, Nate Smith; Robert Glasper Experiment: Robert Glasper, Casey Benjamin, Derrick Hodge, Mark Colenberg, Patti Austin, Michael Ricchiuti, Evan Gregor, Ross Glen Pederson, Sally Mortenson, Annabelle Tunley, Rachael Head, Albare, Antonio Sanchez, Evri Evripedou, George Garzone, Hendrick Meurkens, Leo Genovese; Dr Lonnie Smith Trio: Dr Lonnie Smith, Jonathan Kreisberg, Jamire Williams; Renaud Garcia-Fons Arcoluz Trio: Renaud Garcia - Fons, Kiko Ruiz, Pascal Rollando, Luke Howard, Janos Bruneel; The Fringe: George Garzone, John Lockwood, Bob Gullotti; Jordan Murray's North East Collective: Jordan Murray, Tim Wilson, Geoff Hughes, Frank Di Sario, Ronny Ferella; Samuel Yirga Quartet: Samuel Yirga, Feleke Woldemariam, Yoseph Hailemariam Bekele, Nathaniel Zewde; Black Jesus Experience: Enushu Taye, Mr Monk, Peter Harper, Ian Dixon, Cassawarrior, Pat Kearney, Zhonu Nui aka Future Roots, Hue Blanes; Tarbaby featuring Oliver Lake: Oliver Lake, Orrin Evans, Eric Revis, Nasheet Waits; Paul Williamson Quartet: Paul Williamson, Marc Hannaford, Frank Di Sario, Antony Floyd; Another Place Some Other Time: Joe Chindamo, Nigel Maclean, Zoe Black, Alex Pertout, Phil Rex, Danny Farrugia; Three Lanes: Andrea Keller, Genevieve Lacey, Joe Talia; The Dough de Vries Trio present Baden Powell and the Afro-Sambas: Doug de Vries, Frank Di Sario, Alistair Kerr; Fish Boat of Fishing: Peter Knightm, Erik Griswold, Vanessa Tomlinson, Aviva Endean, Frank Di Sario, Joe Talia.
Sonny Rollins, Sun Ra Arkestra, Ron Carter, Norma Winstone, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Lee Konitz, Chris Botti, The Raah Project, Jason Moran & The Bandwagon, Vijay Iyer, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Charlemagne Palestine, Tony Conrad, Faust, James Morrison, Tex Perkins, Paris Wells, Eddie Perfect, Kimbra, Paul Grabowsky Trio, Julien Wilson, 3Cohens Sextet, Aaron Goldberg, AlasNoAxis, Chiri, Ari Hoenig, Jamie Oehlers, Scott Tinkler, Simon Barker, Tim Berne's Los Totopos, Satoko Fujii ma-do, Mary Halvorson Trio, Lisa Young 'The Eternal Pulse', MAGNET, Joe Chindamo Trio, Sarah McKenzie Quartet, Albare, Thymolphthalein, Shannon Barnett, Luke Moller, Sam Anning Quartet, Allan Browne Quartet featuring Bernie McGann, Bennetts Lane Big Band, Tim O'Dwyer Trio, Peter Knight's 5+2 Brass Ensemble + Quinsin Nachoff's Forward Motion, Kristin Berardi & James Sherlock Duo, Pascal Schumacher Quartet, Paul Williamson's Inside Out, James Muller Quartet, Mark Isaacs Resurgence Band, The Grid, Jelly Tub Rollers, Kid Life Crisis, Melbourne Youth Jazz Orchestra, The Shuffle Club, Motion, OPA!, WAAPA Jazz Ensemble, Whitesploitation, Monash University Stage Band, Monash University World Orchestra, OK OK OK. Oren Ambarchi/Charlemagne Palestine, Yoshida Tatsuya/Satoko Fujii, Zond/Nick Tammens/Marco Fusinato, Jim Denley/xNOBBQx, Scott Tinkler/Oscar Noriega/James Rushford, Yoshida Tatsuya/Troy Naumoff/Ren Walters, Joe Talia/Brian Ritchie/Mary Halvorson/Rosalind Hall, Blank Realm/Andrew Tuttle, Will Guthrie/Cured Pink, Tim Berne/Anthony Pateras/Gareth Thompson, Jim Denley/Alex Garsden/Natasha Anderson/Ches Smith, Shags Chamberlain/Laurence Pike/Jean-Hervé Péron, Yoshida Tatsuya/Clayton Thomas/Lloyd Honeybrook/Angus Leslie, Skyneedle/Snawklor, Nekrasov, Chris Abrahams/Tim O’Dwyer/Sophia Brous/Judith Hamann, Snake Oil/Tim Berne/Matt Mitchell/Ches Smith, Will Guthrie/Lucas Abela/Emma Albury, Rully Shabara/Wukir Suryadi, Golden Fur/Satoko Fujii/Darren Moore, Fabulous Diamonds/Naked on the Vague, Matt Mitchell, Sean Baxter/Jerome Noetinger/Faust, Tony Conrad/Chris Abrahams.
Roamers and Installation artists - Kusum Normoyle, Hi God People, Keptis, Rod Cooper, Vijay Thillaimuthu, Bum Creek, Public Assembly/Anthony Magen, Troy Naumoff, Ren Walters, Clinton Green, Radio Cegeste, Fabio Umbert.
Han Bennink/Peter Brötzmann, Pure Evil Trio/Occult Blood, Greg Kingston/Tarquin Manek, Kim Myhr/Dale Gorfinkel/Cor Fuhler, Brian Chase/Seth Misterka, Kim Salmon/David Brown (Australian musician), Carolyn Connors, Golden Fur/True Radical Miracle, The Deadnotes, Anthony Pateras/Han Bennink, Vanessa Tomlinson/Eugene Ughetti/Robin Fox, Carolyn Connors/Nik Kennedy/Sophie Brous/Pete Hyde/Jessica Aszodi/Alex Vivian/Christopher L. G. Hill/Tarquin Manek/Shane Van Den Akker, Dirk De Bruyn/Joel Stern, Showa 44, Oren Ambarchi/Marco Fusinato/Brian Chase, Simon Barker/Bum Creek/Snawklor, Cor Fuhler/Scott Tinkler, Paul Grabowsky/Sean Baxter, Mick Turner/Francis Plagne/Erkki Veltheim/Evelyn Morris, Embers Big Band featuring Peter Brötzmann/Kris Wanders/Adam Simmons/Abel Cross/Greg Kingston/David Brown/Han Bennink/KRAM (Mark Maher)/Sean Baxter Actis Dato Quartet, Adam Simmons, Allan Browne/ Sam Anning/ Marc Hannaford trio, Andrea Keller, Bill Frisell, Bum Creek, Carl Riseley, Charlie Haden, Charlie Haden/ Bill Frisell/ Ethan Iverson trio, Choir of Hard Knocks, Ethan Iverson, FGHR, Flap!, Harry James Angus, Jazzgroove Mothership orchestra with Bert Joris, Jim Black, Joshua Redman trio, Judy Carmichael, Julien Wilson quintet with Jim Black, Kate Ceberano, Katie Noonan Blackbird Project, Kristin Berardi band featuring James Muller, Laughing Clowns, Marc Hannaford, Magnusson / Ball / Talia trio, Melbourne Symphony orchestra, Monash University jazz ensemble, Nels Cline, Oren Ambarchi and Nels Cline duo, Nels Cline/ Tim Berne/ Jim Black trio, Pateras Baxter Brown, Paul Grabowsky, The Hoodangers, The Mell-O-Tones, The Vampires, Tim Berne, VCA jazz ensemble, Virus, and Zac Hurren trio.
Australian artists included Graeme Bell, Bernie McGann, Paul Grabowsky, Australian Art Orchestra, Don Burrows, Dale Barlow, Bob Barnard, Peter Gaudion, Tom Baker, Society Syncopators, Ted Vining Trio, Ten Part Invention, The Engine Room, Mike Nock, Cathy Harley Quintet, bucketrider big band, Jamie Oehlers, James Morrison, Joe Chindamo, Theaktet, James Muller, The Necks, Fiona Burnett, Allan Browne, Steve Hunter's Nine Lives, Aron Ottignon, David Tolley, Roger Bell, Vince Jones, SNAG, Jex Saarelaht, Ian Chaplin, Keith Hounslow, The Hoodangers, Shelley Scown, Judy Jacques, Yarra Yarra Jazz Band, John Gill, Danny Moss, The Catholics, The Cat Empire, Nina Ferro, Aaron Choulai, David Jones, Dick & Christa Hughes, Erik Griswold, Dave MacRae & Joy Yates, Michelle Nicolle, Doug DeVries, Bob Sedergreen, Brian Brown, Band of Five Names, Niko Schauble, Andrea Keller, Scott Tinkler and Rob Burke.