Trio of Festivals: Sydney Shows That Too Much Jazz is Never Enough
Sydneysiders will know that there has been recent debate about the lack of representation of jazz in our city’s big summer of music. But for those wondering where jazz has gone in Sydney, don’t worry, we’ve found it! There are endless opportunities to see local jazz musicians in action this summer with three Jazz Festivals overlapping to provide a vibrant, not to mention affordable, array of native talent.
One of the highlights of last weekend’s most successful Jazzgroove Summer Festival was the announcement of the winner of the inaugral JARA – The Jazzgroove Association Recording Artist Award. After each of the four finalists, played for judges in the afternoon at Venue 505, the winner was announced by Eastside Radio….
And the winner is The Alcohotlicks! : Aaron Flower – Guitars, Ben Hauptmann – Guitars and Even Mannell – Drums. The other finalists were 20th Century Dog, Paul Cutlan and The Cooking Club. They will receive a recording and promotions package to the value of $10,000 for the creation and presentation of new work to be released on the Jazzgroove Association’s record label and promoted by Eastside Radio. The JARA is presented by the Jazzgroove Association in conjunction with Eastside Radio, and is generously supported by Venue 505, Free Energy Device and Ideas Farm.
As the Jazzgroove Festival wraps up its program of performances, talks and workshops, the 11th annual NOW now festival is set to ignite Sydney with its dynamic mix of experimental music, sound and art from mid to late January. With its emphasis on improvisation, new collaboration and inclusivity with all things sound related, the NOW now program will challenge, inspire and stretch the expectations of participants and audiences alike. The size of the program is as ambitious as its artistic intentions with over 100 artists performing over seven days. Ranging from the experimentations of 12 Dog that push the limitations of possibility for the human voice and accordion, to the extreme sensory environments of installations by audio visual artist Vijay Thillaimuthu, there is something for everyone. To make sure you don’t miss out on what will be one of the most innovative jazz experiences this year check out the full list of events, along with ticket and venue info, HERE.
Still keen to keep surfing the tide of truly great local jazz? Then you’ll be glad to hear that the Kinetic Jazz Festival kicks off on January 25 for five days of the best local talent Sydney has to offer. In keeping with their aim of supporting new Australian work, Kinetic Jazz has invited performers to make ‘a concert you cannot perform anywhere else’. The breadth of the line-up reveals the true depth of Sydney’s jazz scene. The line-up shifts from the soul and jazz of acclaimed Sydney-based artist and 505 regular Lily Dior, to the contemporary improvisation of The Jeremy Rose Quartet, led by Jeremy Rose (The Vampires and The Strides) to the hybrid sound of classical/jazz/alternative rock quartet Amphibious and everywhere in between . With the likes of these artists at the creative helm, the results will no doubt be electrifying. Details including bookings and program are available HERE.
With such a smorgasbord of vibrant music on offer in your very own backyard, the question is not what festival, but what are you waiting for?
