Melbourne may be without its flagship international jazz festival this year but two overlapping events in May will go some way to filling the void.
In the absence of Umbria Jazz Melbourne, which was canned for 2006 because organizers feared the Commonwealth Games would threaten its box office, the Melbourne Jazz Fringe Festival takes place from 12-21 May, while Stonnington Jazz 2006 runs from 4-14 May.
In its second year, the Melbourne Jazz Fringe Festival is centred in Federation Square with events at eight other venues in the city, including La Mama Theatre in Carlton, Fitzroy’s Scarlette Jazz Bar and Café 303 in Northcote.
Bands include Adam Simmons Quartet, Andrea Keller Quartet, Jamie Oehlers and Sam Keevers and Julien Wilson Trio.
Peter Knight, one of the Festival’s organizers, says the event is a celebration of the Melbourne jazz scene. “This seemed particularly relevant in the context of the 05 Umbria Jazz in Melbourne Festival, which, in the view of many, largely ignored the local scene,” he said.
“Many musicians were annoyed that this festival replaced the Melbourne Jazz Festival, which emphasised local as well as international content, and that encouraged collaborations between local and international musos. Festivals should be about dialogue and interaction; they should provide audiences with a chance to hear things they have not heard.”
“Our long term goal for the Melbourne Jazz Fringe Festival is that it creates a space for this conversation; that it provides entertainment and stimulation for audiences, and that it nourishes and renews the Melbourne jazz and improvised music scene.”
Knight says there isn’t a stylistic theme that runs through the Festival, but rather a celebration of diversity.
“We are just looking for people who are out there making great improvised music,” he said. “There’s pretty straight ahead stuff, there’s really out there stuff. You’ll hear beautiful melodic sounds, hard angular sounds, free jazz, through composed music, groove music, it’s all there. That’s the beauty of the Melbourne scene.”
A similar approach informs Adrian Jackson’s choices at Stonnington Jazz. Jackson, also the artistic director of the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz, has programmed a broad range of musical styles and a mix of free and ticketed events.
The Malvern Town Hall, the festival’s main stage, will host concerts by Vince Jones, Don Burrows, The catholics, Mesa Redonda (a group led by guitarist Doug De Vries), and the Grand Union Orchestra, featuring UK-based South African drummer Brian Abrahams.
The venue Chapel Off Chapel will see performances by Judy Jacques, Allan Browne, Alana Stone, Sam Keevers Nonet, Tony Gould and Bruce Mathiske.
Adrian Jackson says he is particularly looking forward to hearing Bernie McGann play separate concerts with Paul Grabowsky and Sam Keevers’ nonet.
Would Stonnington be taking place if the Melbourne International Jazz Festival were on? “To be honest, I’m not sure,” said Jackson. “It probably depends on whether Stonnington and MIJF would have had the same sponsorship arrangement as they did in 2005. If that wasn’t the case, I think that Stonnington may well have wanted to present a jazz concert series, but I’m sure it wouldn’t have been run in conflict with MIJF. That just wouldn’t have made any
sense.”
Jackson says the Festival may continue beyond 2006 depending on the success of this year’s series. “I know that Stonnington is committed to supporting the arts, and that jazz is definitely high on their agenda, so it may well continue in 2007,” he said.
Neither Jackson nor Knight see any problem with the two festivals – Stonnington and the Melbourne Fringe – overlapping. Indeed, both believe the high level of musical activity will put the spotlight on the local jazz scene.
“There are only a few days where the two events overlap,” said Jackson, “and to some extent the acts involved will appeal to different audiences anyway. Also, there is a fair spread geographically between the venues in Stonnington and those being used for the fringe festival.
“I hope the fact that these two events are running in May will help attract a higher level of media and public interest in jazz in Melbourne,” said Jackson.
Festival Programs:
Melbourne Jazz Fringe Festival:
www.melbournejazzfringe.com
Stonnington Jazz:
www.stonnington.vic.gov.au
Photo: Tony Gould
