After all the build-up, it's here – the 49th National Jazz Festival starts today in Tauranga.

And, with over 50 bands and musical variations of every conceivable jazzy kind, it's hard to know what to say about it at this late stage.

So I've sought help.

Jocelyn Buchanan is one of the stalwarts of the Tauranga Jazz Society, involved with the organisation now for nearly a decade. For the past couple of years she has been the society's president. She's going to suggest some of her favourites for the weekend.

But before I get to Joc's picks I'd just like to urge everyone to get out and go to the festival. I know times are alarmingly rocky financially in New Zealand. Money is tight. But one of the joys of the jazz festival is how much music – and music of the highest quality – is free to the public.

The Downtown Carnival with four stages running on Saturday and Sunday is completely free. Highlights: well it all looks good… R&B kings Brilleaux are on Saturday afternoon and promise special guests and their usual kick-ass show. They are followed by phenomenal keyboard player Grant Winterburn.

Midday Sunday, another keyboard player, possibly New Zealand's finest boogie woogie and New Orleans specialist, Will Sargeson, is on the Red Square Stage while down The Strand the Dave Maybee Band plays. Dave is a stunning Raglan guitarist who used to inject wild flamenco flourishes into the band Torch Songs.

There's simply piles of great stuff everywhere you look.

Try the TV3 Jazz Village on Sunday and Monday, $15 for adults, kids free, and free if you have a TECT card. Again the programme is outstanding. Just the line-up of Women in Jazz at the Lafayette Church there is worth two full days attendance, with keyboard players Julie Mason and Alana Milson, singer Carol Storey and a very special set from Marion Arts on Sunday where she leaves for a moment the gypsy jazz of her group Bonjour Swing and is accompanied by fretless bass, flugelhorn, sax, and a Brazilian percussion section. It will be fantastic to hear her original songs in this context.

Marion is back at the village with Bonjour Swing on Monday morning and there's another keyboard showcase with the virtuoso relay of Alan Brown, Murray McNabb and Phil Broadhurst, while the main stage features blues from Tom Rodwell and Kokomo, as well as killer young guitarist Joel Shadbolt. And there's more and more and more.

But back to the esteemed Jazz Society president, Jocelyn Buchanan, who'll be there from the start at tonight's show by Bela Kalolo & The Soul Symphony.

'I love the anticipation of the opening gala,” says Jocelyn.

'Everyone's dressed up and there's an excitement that the festival has begun.

'I am so proud that I live in this town where something as special as our jazz festival happens each year.

'I've been here 10 years now and the artistic directors have never once disappointed me in the selection of performance to open the festival.”

She has some other recommendations for things you might not have previously noticed.

Saturday night in the Exhibition Hall features Latin jazz from Chico & The Soneros. 'Last year I heard some of these musicians when they were called Orchestra Nouveau Zealande.”

'It was a fabulous concert, so lively and entertaining; the audience gave them a standing ovation and you know that doesn't happen much in New Zealand, so of course I'm going back for more this year.”

Joc also picks out a lesser-heralded item in the programme, a presentation from writer Chris Bourke about his 2010 book Blue Smoke, a history of the ‘lost dawn of New Zealand popular music'.

'I heard Chris in a national radio interview when the book was first published.

'It's a fascinating history of music in NZ and he's an entertaining speaker. It's nice to know from where my musical taste has grown.”

And, of course, she's not going to miss one of the gigs by Trombone Shorty.

'I'll leave the Hurricane Party for the younger crowd, but I am so pleased that I won't be missing out on this new sensation.

'Imagine – we have someone here in New Zealand who Wynton Marsalis thinks will surpass him.

'He's only 24 and we'll be able to say: ‘I remember him when he was just starting out'.”