tina HarrodDarling Harbour announce its 22nd jazz and blues festival this June long weekend.

Australia’s biggest Jazz and Blues Festival features special international guests Dr Lonnie Smith (USA) and Trevor Watts and Veryan Weston (UK) headlining the festival.

Presented by Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, the Darling Harbour Jazz and Blues Festival will feature an outstanding line up of international and local artists performing FREE.
More than 40 bands will deliver an unforgettable festival over the June long weekend, from Saturday 9 to Monday 11 June (11am–7pm).

Plus for the first time ever, after a busy day at the Festival you can enjoy a unique event – Moonlight Jazz in the Chinese Garden, recharge your batteries with a truly unique musical experience at one of Sydney’s most beautiful locations – the Chinese Garden of Friendship. See fantastic acts including Phil Slater (trumpet), Aaron Flower (guitar), Oliver Miller (cello), Jeremy Rose (saxophone) and James Waples (Asian percussion). Enjoy living sound art and stunning visual installations by Ben Carey and James Walker (tickets www.mosthtix.com.au).

Details of the free program below.
Young jazz fans can get up close and personal with one of Australia’s best jazz artists John Morrison who will be running free big band workshops on Sunday and Monday at 11am in Tumbalong Park.

Saturday 9 June
Trevor Watts & Veryan Weston (UK)
Recognised as one of the ‘godfathers’ of British free jazz and improvisation, saxophonist Trevor Watts teams with distinguished British contemporary pianist Veryan Weston. A couple of the best free jazz and impro stars ever to hit Australia’s shores!
James Morrison
Don’t miss Australian music legend James Morrison, direct from some of the world’s most prestigious jazz venues including Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Opera House, getting it on with music that grooves as he teams with his six-piece funk band.
The Harry James Angus Band
Smile. Dance. Wipe the sweat from your brow as Cat Empire front man Harry James Angus and his band dig
through the archives to recreate the most exciting jazz recordings from the pre and post-war eras.
Kira Puru & The Bruise
Cooler than indie and darker than the blues, Kira Puru & The Bruise feature a riot of guitars and a fierce rhythm
section. Get ready to move your feet because Kira’s raw, sexy voice will pull the rug from under you.
King Tide
King Tide brings their infectious rocksteady, reggae-got-soul good times to the festival. They promise to make the
sun shine brighter and the groove feel great.
Smith / Stack / Thistlethwayte
The side project of three members from ARIA award-winning band Thirsty Merc. Smith / Stack / Thistlethwayte
offer a rare chance to see the rockers in a new jazz-inspired light.
James Valentine
The James Valentine Quartet play rock classics from the great Australian songbook featuring Midnight Oil, The
Divinyls, The Church, The Triffids and Crowded House. Hear ‘The Real Thing’ and ‘Throw Your Arms Around Me’
like you’ve never heard them before.
Jazz Parade
Bring along an instrument and join the band, or kick up your heels in the famed second line, as our traditional jazz
parade weaves its way through Darling Harbour to start this year’s festival with a taste of New Orleans! For more
info and to register to perform in the parade, visit darlingharbour.com.
Sunday 10 June
Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio featuring Jonathan Kreisberg and Jamire Williams (USA)
Legendary master of the 425-pound funk beast—the Hammond B3 organ—‘The Turbanator’ teams with long-term
collaborators Jamire Williams (drums) and Jonathan Kreisberg (guitar) to bring the irrepressible energy that has
kept him fresh for more than 50 years to Darling Harbour
Moth
Moth combines the diverse styles and sounds of contemporary percussion with catchy pop melodies, driving beats
and bass lines, soaring vocals and orchestral electronic soundscapes. A collection of award-winning musicians
creating a world of sound unlike any you’ve heard before.
Brothers Grim & the Blue Murder
Brothers Grim revive 1920s blues in a moon howling, sweat dripping, shaking fervour. Their mutation of the blues,
with elements of rockabilly, swamp blues, delta blues and rock sensibilities, is delivered with the subtlety of a nail
driven into concrete.
Monday 11 June
Nicky Bomba’s Bustamento
Slip off to the Caribbean as Nicky Bomba’s Bustamento captures the uplifting and cheeky spirit of calypso, mento,
early reggae and ska with four-part harmonies, double bass, island guitars, trumpets, bongos and congas.
The Bombay Royale
Dusting off rhythmic relics, smashing out Bollywood classics and putting down surfadelic Hindi originals, The
Bombay Royale are dedicated to honouring and reviving the funky, bizarre and mysterious music of vintage Indian
cinema; not to mention having a heck of a lot of fun!
Pugsley Buzzard
Pugsley Buzzard’s downright dazzling show with a naughty vaudevillian nuance features everything from dark
hoodoo blues musings to goodtime rollicking boogie-fuelled piano romps. Guaranteed to get you stompin’ and
shakin’.
The Louisiana Road Show
Take a ride through the landscape of American blues and roots music with members of Australia’s premier zydeco
band Psycho Zydeco, blues virtuoso Chris Mawer and members of Petulant Frenz. New Orleans funk, blues and
Zydeco at its best.
Baecastuff
This ARIA-nominated group combines the creative energy of six of Australia's most talented musicians, including saxophonist Rick Robertson from Dig (Directions in Groove), Phil Slater (trumpet), pianist Matt McMahon, Alex Hewetson (bass), Simon Barker (drums) and master percussionist Aykho Akhriff.
The festival also features FREE performances by Tina Harrod and the Godmothers, Geoff Bull’s New Orleans Jazz Band, Sister Jane, The Hands, Mojo Juju, Christa Hughes and the Honky Tonk Shonks, Crusty Suitcase Band, Greening from Ear to Ear, Jonathan Zwartz Ensemble, Amphibious, Compass Sextet, Alice Terry and the Skinny White Boys, Bob Abbotts Fabulous Green Machine, Joshua Kyle, Elly Hoytt, Fuji Collective, Richard Perso, Swamphouse, Big Ol’ Bus Band and more!
Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the Gramaphone Man as you stroll along the Urban Stream. Resurrecting all the favourites from his unrivalled collection of ‘78s, the safari-suited Gramophone Man has a penchant for all things quirky. From Fats Waller to Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald, to bird calls, bush ballads and yodelling!
Getting to Darling Harbour is easy. Arrive by train, bus, monorail, light rail or stroll down from the CBD. For a great excuse to enjoy the harbour, you can also come by water taxi, ferry, harbour cruise or jet boat.
For more program details visit www.darlingharbour.com

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Editor of Jazz Australia, formerly contributor to Sydney Morning Herald and Women's Money MagazineMusic programmer and producer

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