Manly Jazz festival: More than 100,000 people expected at three-day event
As many as 120,000 music lovers are expected to stream into Manly over the long weekend for what is Australia’s longest running jazz festival.
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GET your Miles Davis T-shirts out of the bottom drawer and give those Ray Bans a good polish — Australia’s longest-running jazz festival is back.
With good weather forecast for this long weekend, organisers of the internationally acclaimed Manly Jazz are expecting up to 120,000 music fans to stream into the area for the popular three-day event beginning on Saturday.
Jazz lovers can expect the usual great diversity of music from traditional New Orleans jazz to funk, Latin, fusion and blues as well as, gospel, swing and roots.
The festival’s artistic director Caroline Speight said Manly Jazz had become one of the world’s leading jazz festivals and was now known for presenting high quality performances that were steeped in the traditions of jazz, soul and funk.
“It attracts more than 100,000 visitors of all ages to Manly, building a great community vibe and firmly showing that this event has an important place on the Australian jazz calendar,” Ms Speight said.
“In our 42nd year, we have almost 1000 musicians ranging from community bands, youth ensembles through to the best professional musicians from across Australia and around the world.”
This year’s headline acts include renowned double bass player Rodney Whitaker, a Professor of Jazz Bass.
Whitaker is considered one of the leading performers and teachers of the jazz double bass in the U.S. It will be his ninth visit to Australia.
In August he told the Manly Daily that he will be performing some classic, and obscure, Duke Ellington numbers.
“ I think we put too many expectations on jazz. We should just allow people to enjoy it.”
Whitaker praised Manly Jazz because it allowed players to “get out of the clubs and promote their music.
Whitaker will be appearing not only on the main stage on Monday, he will also perform at an intimate Director’s Choice Concert — ‘Ellingtonia Duke at 120’— on Sunday. He is also teaching at two specialist workshops over the festival weekend, ‘Improvisation for All’ and ‘Band Workshop from all points of view’.
Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan put the popularity of the event down to the “enticing combination of cool music, great food and a laid-back atmosphere”.
“Manly Jazz is first and foremost a music festival, a real celebration of sound, but it is also a celebration of Australia’s beach culture, great times and especially the wonderful Northern Beaches vibe,” Mr Regan said.
Other headliners include Charito, a prominent female Japanese jazz vocalist.
Other program highlights include:
Swing Dancing: An afternoon of swing at Sydney Road on Saturday from 4pm. Everyone is encouraged to bring their swing dance moves and come celebrate the rhythm of swing.
Wine Garden: The Manly Jazz wine garden will be run by the team from the Bearded Pigs.
For a full line up visit the council’s website.