Troy Cassar-Daley, James Morrison, and More Play Yarrabah Band Festival

It started as a fundraising event to keep the Yarrabah Brass Band alive, but the Yarrabah Band Festival has become one of the most anticipated events of the Queensland town’s social calendar. Part of the Queensland Music Festival, this year’s event features some of our most revered entertainers, Troy Cassar-Daley, James Morrison, Sara Storer, and KLP, as well as musicians from the local area.

This year the event, which attracted 4,000 music lovers last year, has moved to the Jilara Football Oval to accommodate the growing crowd.

“Yarrabah Band Festival is an incredibly special event on the QMF calendar, celebrating local and national talent, connecting communities and inspiring the next generation of Yarrabah musicians,” said one of the event’s most high profile supporters, Katie Noonan. “We cherish our relationship with this highly creative community and the opportunity to engage with and learn from them.”

Local art and food stalls, as well as all the great musical acts, will help make the day one to remember.

The Yarrabah Band Festival hits Jilara Football Oval on October 28 from midday. Entry is free, but gold coin donations to benefit the Yarrabah Seahawks Rugby League Club are welcome. Bring a blanket, cushion, or chair and join in the fun!

Image used with permission from Agency North/Photo credit: Andrew Watson

Jazz in the Vines @ Tyrrell’s Vineyard, Pokolbin – 29 October 2016

The punters were promised the biggest and best Jazz in the Vines yet, a fitting party to farewell the Hunter Valley’s beloved festival. However, some major organizational flaws put a dampener on the festivities and left many of us with a sour taste in our mouth.

Long queues snaking in to the land beside Tyrrell’s Vineyard were our first clue that this year might be a little different from the very relaxed festival I’ve loved for so many years. Ordinarily the lines move quickly, yet I missed most of Anna Weatherup’s set because I was queuing to enter the venue. She sounded amazing, with laidback covers of songs from Dido and Eva Cassidy, and I really wish the lines had moved faster so I could watch her play.

Sadly that was a recurrent theme for this year’s event which has been dubbed “Jazz in the Lines” by some of those disappointed. After entering the venue and setting up our chairs, Dad and I made a beeline for the bar. I’m glad that we did, because even though people were still streaming through the gates, it took us an hour to get to the front. As it turned out, those two bottles of wine we purchased for our group of four would be the only ones we’d buy all day. While in the queue we heard tickets were still being sold at the gate, further compounding the problem. At one point we saw the queue stretch out to four times the size it was when we lined up.

The event’s organiser’s commented on Facebook that “many of our patrons were let down by the one aspect out of our control,” before passing the buck to Tyrrell’s. The winemaker apologised for the queues, noting they were “understaffed” and the demand for wines “was far greater than anticipated.” However, when an event has been promoted as extensively as this one and tickets are sold in what must be record numbers, I fail to understand how the demand could be “greater than anticipated.” Staff should have been found, whether they were from the winery or contracted for the day. It all made me long for the years before Tyrrell’s had the monopoly, when it would share the spotlight with the likes of Tamburlaine and Peterson’s Champagne House, and queues were negligible.

While the situation was unfortunate, it wasn’t the only problem on the day as the organisers suggested. The queues in to the venue were too long, and this was repeated as we waited for the car park to clear at the end. At one point a frustrated volunteer threw down his sign, leaving confused cars to try to work things out until a police officer ran in to address the mess. The bins were overflowing by mid-afternoon, forcing many attendees to leave glass bottles strewn around the grass and creating an unsafe environment. With so many people at the event, this should have never been left unchecked.

A representative from Jazz in the Vines contacted me on Monday when I shared my frustrations on Facebook along with others. Remembering my name and blog, he urged me to call him so he could give his side of the story before I wrote this review. With a busy week of vet appointments, Melbourne Cup luncheons, and entertaining my visiting parents, I knew I’d barely have a moment to myself. I urged him to write an email if he had anything further to add to the comments regarding Tyrrell’s on Facebook. I didn’t receive one. I questioned him about the bins over Facebook Messenger, but I didn’t get an answer on that either.

I’m not suggesting one needs to drink to have a good time, but I do think when you pay money for an event like Jazz in the Vines, you’re paying for an experience. You should be able to enjoy all that’s on offer, rather than being forced to decide whether to queue to get alcohol and miss hours of entertainment or go without.
For our party the decision was a no brainer. We drank the little bit of wine we could procure slowly, and purchased some softies from the guys from the Men’s Shed before they sold out. It was much more important for us to watch the music, which as always impressed. The first act I got to see was Monica Trapaga, performing with John Morrison’s Swing City. I’ve always loved Monica since growing up with her on Playschool and I’m not sure she’s aged a day. What a vivacious entertainer, a proper old-school jazz artist with a clear, pure tone and a little va-va-voom in her delivery. She was over far too soon.

The next act Ondawon was so intriguing. Lead singer Neilsen Gough has one of the best soul voices I’ve ever heard. His classic sound reminded me a little of Luther Vandross mixed with Bill Withers. He could easily have stuck to soul standards, but instead the set featured covers of songs like Elvis Costello’s “Alison” and Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” performed in really unique ways. I enjoyed it, although it was probably a shade too long at an hour.

I could feel the crowds getting restless until John Morrison’s Swing City returned, this time with John’s Brother James, Dale Barlow, and Emma Pask in tow. James Morrison really is Mr Jazz in the Vines. He has such charisma and is always a blast to see. I’d watched him play the festival with Emma years ago, long before The Voice, and I was thrilled for her return. Her voice truly is something else. The playful chemistry between them, showcased perfectly in songs like “Quizás, Quizás, Quizás,” made this set an absolute joy.

Lisa Hunt was up next, another Jazz favourite who always gets the crowd up and dancing with her Motown covers. Up near the stage really was the best place to experience her set, not just because you could feel the electricity from her, but also because the sound suffered back near our seats. I’m not really sure what happened – this was the only act where sound quality suffered – but judging by a couple of Facebook comments I wasn’t the only one who noticed.

Thankfully there were no such issues for Leo Sayer, my favourite act of the day. I’m not sure I realised just how many Leo Sayer songs I knew or what a dynamic performer he is. I was held transfixed and loved every single second of his set which delivered hit after hit including excellent renditions of “When I Need You,” “One Man Band,” and “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing.” What a treasure he is. I really must see him playing his own show, because he is exceptional.

After being in raptures over Leo’s set, I felt a little let down over the closing act, Mental as Anything. It seems I wasn’t alone, as I saw many people exiting the venue when they took the stage. Playing some relatively obscure songs up front probably didn’t help matters. Musically the band is still strong, but the vocals from Greedy Smith and Martin Plaza aren’t quite what they used to be. I had a little boogie to “Live It Up” and “Nips Are Getting Bigger,” but I felt a little underwhelmed.

On the whole though, Jazz in the Vines delivered many of the outstanding musical performances I’ve come to expect. It’s just a shame that the well-publicised problems took the gloss off what should have been a very special curtain call for one of the Hunter’s most loved festivals.

Image source: Stephen Katulka

Jazz in the Vines @ Tyrell’s Winery, Pokolbin – 30 October 2010

When I’m unwell, it takes a lot for me to leave the comfort of home and venture out. But I found myself doing just that on Saturday when I took in the annual Jazz in the Vines festival. This is always a highlight of my yearly concert calendar, and I wasn’t going to let any virus hold me back.

Being sick made this a different kind of Jazz in the Vines for me. I couldn’t indulge in the all that brilliant wine, or dance up the front near as the stage as I usually do. But I could enjoy the music, and enjoy it I did.

Sadly it took me a bit longer to get out than it might have if I were well, and I missed the Silver Bell Quartet. But I’m so glad I arrived for the Adrian Cunningham Quartet. Led by the incredibly sexy and talented Adrian Cunningham, the quartet treated us to instrumental jazz gems. The set only became stronger when Steve Clisby joined them for several numbers. Their version of “God Bless The Child” was exquisite, and I also loved their swinging version of “Moondance.”

Somewhere around the end of their set the unseasonably summery weather started to get to me. It’s terrible to be sick when you’re supposed to be out having fun, but the gentle acoustic guitar strains of Bruce Mathiske were probably the best medicine for it. I must admit, I was a bit dizzy and faint to remember much of his set, but his version of “Classical Gas” was outstanding.

After getting plenty of water and some yummy calamari in me I started to feel a little better, just in time for James Morrison to take the stage. He’s always a Jazz in the Vines highlight, and this year was no exception. His exceptional talent and charisma just makes for a wonderful show. It was also kind of thrilling to see my new crush Adrian Cunningham taking his place in James’ band. While I was lapping up the instrumental stuff, the energy levels went up a notch when Doug Parkinson joined James. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to see this Australian legend doing his thing; he really is a truly magnificent artist. My parents have been seeing him since the ’70s and swear that his voice is only getting better. I really don’t doubt it. Those reality TV show contestants could learn a thing or two about performing a cover version from Doug; whether he was encouraging us to get up and dance with some Blood Sweat and Tears or Joe Cocker numbers, or wowing us with a show stopping version of “Somewhere,” he was incredible.
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Kate Ceberano, James Morrison and More for Motown Inspired Jazz in the Vines

The line-up for Jazz in the Vines, one of my favorite music festivals, has been announced.

This year’s chilled out event will feature a veritable who’s who of Aussie talent, including Kate Ceberano, Doug Parkinson, festival regular James Morrison, and Bruce Mathiske.

The 2010 show will have a soul flavour to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Motown. But don’t think the festival has abandoned its jazz roots; we can expect both styles of music to feature prominently in this year’s set.

If you’ve always thought about going, why not make 2010 the year? Grab your picnic blanket and head to Tyrells Vineyard for one of the most chilled out, positive festivals on the music calendar. It all happens on October 30, and tickets are on sale now from the Jazz in the Vines website.

Image source: The Harbour Agency

Australian Idol Brings Back Big Band

I have really missed Big Band night on Australian Idol. I’m so glad that now Kyle has gone, it’s made a reappearance. But before we could hear the old standards, it was time to give someone the boot. It was another all-male bottom three this week, with Nathan Brake, Scott Newnham, and James Johnston all facing the chop. It seems Scott’s fans couldn’t forgive a few weeks of subpar performances. It was definitely his time.

Kate Cook kicked off the show with Ray Charles’ “Hit The Road Jack.” I loved the way she built this, starting it slow and then upping the tempo. I also loved the Australian quip at the end. This was a great way to kick off the show.

Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” was always an unlikely choice, but Stan Walker pulled it off and then some. I was incredibly impressed by this. I was unsure whether he’d suit big band, but he showed he can apply himself to any genre. This was a highlight not just of the night, but the series.

Kim Cooper got slammed for her rendition of “The Man I Love,” but I actually loved it. Kim continues to impress me with her genuine interpretations and poise. Her voice may not be the strongest in the competition, but I her honest performances cut through that. She also looked stunning; not that it matters in terms of performance but as a girl I’ve got to admit that I loved the look.

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Jazz in the Vines Just Keeps Getting Better

Jazz in the Vines is gearing up for another big year with more food, more wine, more music and more fun!

The annual Hunter Valley jazzfest is scheduled for October 31. A stellar line-up has already been announced, including The Australian Army Band and Dixieland Jazz Band, Watussi, Galapagos Duck, the fabulous foursome Christine Anu, Grace Knight, Paulini, and Monica Trapaga, and perennial favourite James Morrison.

Add six of the area’s premier wineries and a host of local restaurants and you’ve got a recipe for a fantastic day out.

Tickets are available from May 11 for the bargain price of $65. Get yours from the  Jazz in the Vines website, and all Ticketmaster and Moshtix outlets.

Image source: Stephen Michael Barnett @ Wikimedia Commons

James Morrison, Renee Geyer, and More Play Jazz in the Vines

Great music, gourmet food, and green vibes come together at this year’s Jazz in the Vines. Experience it all at Tyrell’s Vineyard in the Hunter Valley on 25 October.

This year’s lineup brings together some Aussie music legends, and some of the hottest up and comers. Where else would you find James Morrison, Renee Geyer, and Glenn Shorrock sharing the bill with the brilliant Adam Miller, Force 10, and Lisa Hunt? These artists will perform on two stages, entertaining the crowds with non-stop music for seven hours!

After seven hours, you’re going to get hungry. Thankfully the festival also brings together some of the Hunter’s best food and wine. Acclaimed restaurants The Hunter Resort, The Mill, Redsalt, Esca, Elizabeth’s, and Majors Lane will be on hand with tasty treats, which you can wash down with wines from Drayton’s, Tamburlaine, Bimbadgen Estate, The Hunter Valley Wine Society, Peterson’s Champagne House, and of course, Tyrell’s.

This year the festival is going green with glass recycling, eco-friendly food packaging, and stacks more. And you can get into the environmentally friendly spirit by leaving the car at home! Rover Coaches will help visitors get there from Sydney, the Central Coast, and throughout the Hunter Valley. And if you don’t have to worry about driving, you can indulge in a few more glasses of that beautiful wine!

Aussie jazz legend James Morrison has played a few festivals in his time, yet he calls Jazz in the Vines “Australia’s premier outdoor jazz festival.” If it’s impressed him, you’re bound to have a good time! Check out the website for more details including ticket and transport information.