General News
21 February, 2024
Jazz at Port Fairy
PORT Fairy was jumping last weekend when a multitude of enthusiastic jazz supporters and musicians descended on the town.
Over 100 bands registered to play in the seaside town, highlighting music from the 1920s through to 21st century improvisations.
There were also bands playing music from every other style period of the 20th century, with big band, swing, bebop, modal and fusions of rock and jazz ideas.
There were groups featuring vocalists and every conceivable combination of instruments.
The festival was staged in nine local venues that ran concurrent programs throughout the weekend as each band played twice over the three days.
A feature of the festival was the John Huf Award for young performers, staged in the Lecture Hall on Sunday afternoon.
This attracted a strong field of four participants including siblings Ella (vocal) and Matteo Pagano (piano) from Melbourne who entertained while opening the program.
They were followed by Gordon Farrugia (alto sax) from Mt Gambier and James Eller (tenor sax), who lives on the Gold Coast.
The crowd in the hall was astounded by the quality of the sounds and solos that these young tyros (aged 12 and 14) played.
Gold Coast visitor James Eller was announced winner, chosen by adjudicators Ken Collins, Chris Skepper and Barry Currie.
It is hoped that the town will be able to host another jazz festival in February 2025 that will again include the Huf Award quest for young performers.
