Jackson Harrison - 2006 - Piano
I can't think of a better way to experience music in Australia than at the Wangaratta Jazz festival. I love that the music is presented in a serious way in proper concert venues, but in between gigs there is the wonderful casualness of a country town, one which feels like it's populated with all your friends - a critical mass of musicians and people who love music. The town Nick Cave was desperate to escape as a child is transformed into the centre of the Jazz world in Australia every November.
A highlight is the competition. The wonderful thing about it, in my experience, is that the musicians involved don't seem to approach it as a competition, but as a great opportunity to play music. That was certainly the case when I was in the piano comp in 2006. Unlike the typical classical piano competition, where any number of solitary souls battle it out for the chance to play Tchaikowsky's First in the final round, never to be seen or heard of again, the 'Wang comp' is a great chance for ten young Australian instrumentalists to play for a keenly interested audience, who will probably follow their music and development for years to come. It has been a privilege to be a part of the Wangaratta festival, and I'm more than certain it will continue to be such a positive influence on musical life here for many years to come.
Phil Slater - 2003 - Brass
Like many Australian jazz musicians, I count myself very fortunate to be able to perform at the Wangaratta Jazz Festival. It's the core event of Australian jazz. The festival is such a special thing to us musicians and I hope the organisers someday fully understand what it means to us.
I've taken part in the National Jazz Awards twice now, and both times I learned really important lessons in performing under pressure, and cherished the opportunity to perform before some of Australia's jazz legends. A fond memory for me was being able to perform with the late Roger Frampton in the 1996 Awards.
Congratulations to Adrian Jackson, the festival board and all the volunteers over the years for all your hard work and for making it such a great festival . . . and most importantly - THANK YOU.
Here's to the future success of the Festival!
Roger Manins - 2002 - Saxophone
Firstly I feel proud to have been a part of this competition, and to have done well. I am often touched when I run into people around Australia who saw me there and still remember. The main thing the competition has done for me is it has helped create an awareness in the Australian public of my playing, which makes it a little easier to get a gig!
Stephen Magnusson - 2000 - Guitar
My first performance at the Wangaratta Jazz festival was in 1990 with the band Tibetan Dixie. Looking back now, it was a very exciting time for me (I was 21 years of age and hungry for music). I remember hearing some great music that weekend (including hearing Barney McAll win the Jazz Award) and of course playing there with the band was a real thrill.
Since then I've been lucky enough to play at Wangaratta many times with a heap of bands and I always find such an appreciative audience there.
In 2000 I entered the National Jazz Awards (the year of guitar) and came equal first (or was it equal second?) with James Muller, and although there was a bit of an uproar as to who should/could/did win/lose, I remember somebody saying to me "At least people are talking about you!" He was right! It definitely helped with future performance opportunities and promotional material over the years.
The Wangaratta Jazz festival has been supporting this art form for nearly 20 years now and this nurturing is reflected in how healthy the improvisational music scene in Australia actually is.
Matt McMohan - 1999 - Piano
I had some amazing experiences at the Wangaratta festival in 1999. It was my first trip to the festival and I was able to experience so much great music before I played in the competition - Australian artists and international visitors. Listening to the other players in the competition brought home the always-impossible task of assessing art. I heard so many different approaches to playing. On another day with other judges who knows who would have been the "winner"? The great thing for me about my whole experience at the festival was the sense that music really mattered. I was of course happy to be the winner and it was nice to be affirmed by established musicians whose opinions I really respected.
Shortly after the competition ended, I had the chance to hear Ten Part Invention perform a set which featured the terminally-ill Roger Frampton. As is now legend, Roger found the energy to perform in his impassioned way a stunning set of music with his colleagues. I had the chance to go backstage and talk briefly with him. I had recently had a dream where Roger and I were both in a schoolroom watching Kenny Kirkland play this unbelievable music which combined Kenny's deep groove with amazing sounds redolent of the Greek composer Iannis Xenakis. In the dream Roger and I were dancing - eventually floating in the air. I really wanted to tell him about this dream. When I told him he smiled and said "Wow. Xenakis jazz?" I wanted to talk to him more but he was very exhausted and many people were backstage celebrating his great performance, and it was not appropriate to wear him out. This was the last time I got to speak to Roger before he passed away. I really got a profound sense of my own lack of importance - not in a negative way but an affirming way.
After winning the award I felt relieved the competition was over and was happy to have won. But the feeling of the seriousness of music beyond any of the individuals who participate in it was a great legacy of that day in 1999. The feeling that so many people have contributed over many centuries to the field of music in whatever capacity - playing, facilitating, or involved listening - was humbling.
Winning the National Jazz Award had obvious tangible benefits - exposure, cash, a recording session. I have been very fortunate to continue playing and recording since that time. But being able to participate in a climate where it was clear that music really mattered and people felt strongly about sounds that really touched them was the real joy; and I have enjoyed every opportunity to come back to Wangaratta, either playing or listening, and participate again in this celebration of creativity.
Michelle Nicholle - 1998 - Vocals
Sometime early 1998, I rang Adrian Jackson to hustle a gig for my quartet at that year's 'Wang' festival, and he told me "Unfortunately no, but the Jazz Awards instrument is voice - so I'll probably see you there." I am so glad he told me, because I then put in my tape (which we recorded in Mark Fitzgibbon's lounge room) and was then lucky enough to go to Wang for the competition. It was a real singer's festival. With one of my heroes, Sheila Jordan performing as well as Kurt Elling and his band, you couldn't walk ten metres without literally running into a vocalist.
Most of the competition was blur to me then and now, eleven years later, all I remember is sitting on the floor backstage after singing first in the finals, knocking back several stubbies in relief that it was all over. What I didn't realise at that moment of course was that this was indeed the beginning for me, in many ways, as a jazz performer. I am sincerely grateful for the huge opportunity afforded me through this award, and for the advice given to me by Kurt Elling later that night, "It's cool to be modest, but don't be too shy about taking a compliment. Just do what you do." .....well, something like that, I had downed a few celebratory drinks by then!!
Will Guthrie - Drums - 1997
I have many good memories of being at Wangaratta, many great concerts and many great times. A few concerts that I remember fondly is Louis Burdett with NUDE, David Tolley's THAT, Dewey Redman, Ren Walter's TIP, Mark Simmonds, Arthur Blythe, Phil Treloar ... and many many more. Music aside maybe it is more the 'social' element that I remember clearer, as it is one of the only (if not the only) time where musicians and fans alike from all over Australia are in the same place at the same time.
I remember seeing the saxophone competition the year Julien Wilson won, and I remember thinking I could never do that, I could never put my music up there on the big stage in such a competitive situation. So when the year for drums came around I was skeptical, being a drum competion and all I was already having nightmares of who could play the fastest paradiddles etc (especially considering that I probably had the least chops of all the drummers who were in the competition!).
With encouragement from those around me (Tim Stevens, Julien Wilson, Ben Robertson) I sent off my tape, and hey, I was accepted ! In between then and the date of the competition I had the chance to play with saxophonist Mark Simmonds, who taught me more about playing music (play the music, not the drums!) than any drummer ever did!
At the finals just before I played I remember getting some crucial encouragement backstage from Ren Walters, Julien Wilson, Dure Dara and David Tolley to the effect of 'just be yourself'. I tried to do that on stage and with the incredible support of bassist Cameron Undy (musically and personally) who played in the backing band, I remember feeling pretty 'connected' on stage for the finals and being happy with my performance. I remember feeling that this is no longer a competition, but a chance to play some music with some great musicians, full stop! So being happy with my performance meant that for me I had already 'won', and the official 'winner' would mean little.
So who is to say why I was the official 'winner' that year? There were many other great drummers that I know and respect in that competition who also 'won' and continue to 'win' in terms of creating engaging and personal music. I would like to thank Adrian and the festival for giving me (and many other musicians) that chance to try to be myself, I was really really naive at that time (musically and personally) and rewarding and encouraging young musicians who try to be themselves is crucial to the developement of this music.
So my strongest memory of the festival (and the Australian scene in general) is one of mutual encouragement and support between musicians. Without this, and the passing on between generations of knowledge and experience what would this music be? What would it mean? No much me thinks.
Living in France for the last 5 years I haven't made it to Wang for quite some time, I really hope that changes soon!
Will Guthrie 2009
Elliott Dalglesh - Brass - 1995
In 1993, Ian Chaplin didn't get into the final three, which was beyond comprehension, given that I had heard him play on numerous occasions at a world class level. (I guess that is why Nat Adderley asked him to join his Quintet and at that time he was lead alto of the Australian Art Orchestra.) I learnt a lot playing under his leadership in the saxophone section of the AAO. Ian is a truly gifted alto saxophone player and sadly unacknowledged as a major player in Australian improvised music.
In 1994, I heard Lisa Parrot play supported by Barney McAll's trio and really enjoyed her melodic approach to improvisation, which was heavily influenced by Ornette Coleman. I also met and played with Steve Lacy that year. I was always interested in his playing, especially his early period with Monk and later period with Steve Potts, so it was a great privilege to converse musically with Steve.
In 1995, Roger Frampton's trio was supporting the saxophone players. I had played with Roger's trio quite a bit whilst living in Sydney and he had also been a guest in Brisbane with the Artisans Workshop Quartet. I greatly miss his playing and he is one of the reasons why I play sopranino saxophone today. I especially enjoyed the sax-drum duet with John Pochee with our tribute to Coltrane!
Overall, I got to hear thirty players from around Australia, during the three years of competing, that I would never have been aware of had the competition not existed. For me, that is the benefit of such an event: the opportunity to hear diversity in Australian music and to become aware of other players' styles and personal sounds.
Julien Wilson - Saxaphone - 1994
Every Wangaratta Jazz Festival is a truly memorable experience. 1994 was the first time I attended. I played with David Tolley's THAT and, as John Shand puts it, "scooped" the award. I'd recently returned from attending the New Orleans Jazz Festival and celebrating my 22nd birthday in New York. I had such an amazing time that weekend, and formed so many lasting friendships, that the actual events are a bit blurred. There was hardly time to sleep. I shared the stage with David Tolley, Craig Scott, Cameron Undy, Alan Turnball, Cathy Harley, Dure Dara and Simon Barker.
Barney McAll - 1990 - Piano
Wangaratta is the best festival Australia has and the number one place to present music as far as I can see. I have always enjoyed the coming together and the chance to see the development of all the various Australian artists who perform there as well as the International players.Throughout the years musicians are living their lives, wood shedding, having flashes of inspiration, labouring over various facets of their music and then voila!...they perform their music and we can hear where they're at and where we're at in a way... Improvised music is like a chronicle. Maybe that's why many people in the audience have their eyes closed at the festival.
I have always felt so much encouragement playing at Wangaratta. I live in New York and its rough at times and to come home and play amongst all those great musicians and to feel the openness of the audience to accept whatever hair brained scheme I may hatch is priceless. It's a real springboard for inspiration.
When I won the Piano competition way back when, i was pretty green but I suppose the judges heard something in my playing. There were superb players that year as there have been every year. I'm not just saying this, its a fact and that fact is also a big draw card for Wangaratta. I love the story about one of my all time favorite pianists Mark Fitzgibbon. Apparently the year he won he invited all the other contestants back to his room afterwards for pizza and a slab!
That's really where its at... because its so random who wins, who plays their best on the day, who has some musical flow, who doesn't, what the judges trip is. The muse is very complex ... Its hard to measure something that is continually in flux. That being said I am very very grateful that I did win because It really helped me return to New York and connect with teachers and the scene here. I am pretty fortunate.
Wangaratta Jazz festival has been witness to huge growth in Australian improvised music since its inception and I believe every year there is a greater sense of identity and originality.
As far as my fondest memories of the festival; I remember hearing Adrian Sheriff one year playing with Andrea Keller. He played a trombone solo that was so emotionally powerful that i had to leave the town hall and go for a walk. I didn't listen to much more music that day because it was enough. Just that one solo.
Other times I go and hear as much music as i can and that experience doesn't seem as cacophonous as other festivals tend to be. Maybe its the camaraderie? Maybe its the country air?
I'm still enjoying playing piano and I look forward to playing the Wang Steinway. I suppose my aspiration is to just speak clearly on the instrument and through my compositions in a way that people can use. Like Charlie Parker says: "I am a devout musician".
Barney McAll 2009