If you’re looking for the cream of the crop of Australian jazz talent in a relaxed setting, this mini jazz music festival is the one for you.
Heady fusions, hard-grooving breakouts, finger-snapping elasticity and timeless elegance. Expect all this and more at the region’s very first Geelong Jazz Day, a one-day event bringing music to the heart of Little Malop Street this May.
Dubbed a music festival for jazz lovers, the event will see some of the region’s finest jazz musicians performing across three iconic venues on Little Malop Street on Saturday 7 May, as part of the exciting new Surrounds Sound festival.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
Representing and celebrating jazz in all its forms, bringing experimental and contemporary artists to the forefront alongside the genre’s classics, the one-day festival lineup will see the likes of New Orleans-style jazz legends Des Camm Jazz Band, the smooth, timeless sound of Andy Pobjoy Trio, League of Gentlemen, Gatsby’s Vintage Jazz Band, Feelin’ Good, Royal Garden Jazz and Blues Band, jazz and blues vocalist Lucy Lorenne and her band, Papa Willi Jazz Band, and ARIA-nominated clarinetist David Gardner and his band all take to the stage.
In addition to this impressive lineup of bands, the North Geelong Community (small) Big Band will kick off the Jazz Day in Little Malop Street outside Piano Bar from 12pm, warming up punters for the jazz-fuelled hours ahead.
Following the street jazz band show, these wildly talented bands will then perform across Pistol Pete’s, Piano Bar and the Westend Hotel from 1pm. With the three venues all within walking distance from one another, people can choose to enjoy all nine bands with a festival pass or curate their own jazz day out, purchasing tickets at the door to individual shows. Like most one-day festivals with multiple stages, there’s a slight overlap in performances but no two bands will perform entire sets at the same time, giving jazz lovers the opportunity to truly enjoy the music on offer.
While it’s an easy must-see for jazz aficionados, the festival also presents a unique opportunity for listeners looking for an introduction to the world of jazz with the added benefit of supporting musicians and the long-awaited return to the stage, following a tumultuous few years on the live music industry.
Felix Blatt, Geelong Jazz Day founder and musician (The Red Onions, Des Camm Band, Feelin’ Good) says, “Surround Sounds is a welcome initiative as it supports musicians to get back to what they enjoy doing – performing live music. Since the Geelong Council announced the festival, we have been working tirelessly to curate a musical feast for jazz fans.
“Geelong has a rich history of jazz music, and it’s fantastic to have a mini jazz festival back in our city. We welcome the community to join us in our day of new and old jazz tunes, and hope this is the first of many more jazz festivals in Geelong.”
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With the great N’Awlins tunes and Jazz classics from Des Camm Jazz Band, and Gatsby’s Vintage Jazz Band’s classic ragtime, blues and dance tunes from the 1920s, to the infectious jazz and swing classics from the Andy Pobjoy Trio, this will be an entirely cheerful jazz-filled afternoon.
Day tickets are just $35 allowing entry into any event at any time.
Geelong Jazz Day runs from 1[m to 5pm on Saturday, May 7 2022 on Little Malop Street. You can purchase tickets here.
This event is proudly supported by the Geelong Jazz Club and Surround Sounds Geelong and the Bellarine Music Festival.
