A lot of people, myself included, had their eye on the jazz festival this year; I thought the event got pretty much everything right.

It was widely touted as a smaller festival this time out, which indeed it was in some aspects, but describing it that way does rather a disservice to what a huge event it actually was. Five days of music, participants from the age of eight to the age of eighty, sell-out concerts, and huge crowds downtown and at the Historic Village. Not a lot to complain about there.

This was obviously something of a make-or-break year for the festival, though it seemed to go so smoothly that in the end it seemed more like a mild transition – all the upheavals behind the scenes of the Jazz Society were largely forgotten in the goodwill that such a friendly and open event inspires.

But the subtle differences were noticeable and, I think, well appreciated by many who have watched the festival's evolution over the years.

A Kiwi approach
One obvious change was that the concert series at Baycourt featured New Zealand artists. This was a small but significant return to the National Jazz Festival showcasing homegrown performers, something that was slowly being lost in the past few years' move towards a more 'international” festival. I fully support a Kiwi approach and, looking at ticket sales, it would seem that the audiences agree.

Ironically, the concert I thought would be the most popular, New Zealand's biggest worldwide jazz star Nathan Haines, proved to be an underachiever in terms of tickets sales. So what do I know? But almost all the other Baycourt shows had the majority of seats taken, with three of them completely selling out. This demonstrates a couple of things: firstly, Kiwi audiences will happily watch Kiwi musicians; secondly the programmers – thank you Becks Chambers and Liam Ryan – have a good grasp on what local audiences like, be it the songs of Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald or a big band night.

It will also have steadied the Jazz Society's financial position which will help with the years ahead. Not that the festival was ever about making money. The Jazz Society constitution says the aim is 'to foster the playing and appreciation of jazz music” not ' to make a bunch of money from a festival”. A surplus just means next year will be easier.

Not enough jazz
Yet still there were those who complained. The most common negative point I heard – and I still find it hard to believe – is that there 'wasn't enough jazz”. Actually, this year I heard that comment aimed most specifically at the Downtown Carnival. And I still find it hard to believe.
I guess it depends upon your perspective. If your expectation of a jazz festival is that it should feature solely jazz - and, let's face it, jazz covers a wide territory - you might have been upset at the inclusion of blues bands. But I find that people who say there 'wasn't enough jazz” often have a very small range of styles that they define as 'jazz”. Usually just Dixie in fact.
I spent quite a while at the village and can certainly say there was plenty of jazz on offer there: Torch Songs, The Queen City Big Band, Viva Jazz, the BBC, and many many youth performers for starters. But the same was true of the Downtown Carnival. I'm baffled that people reckon they couldn't find jazz downtown when there was Shaken Not Stirred playing each day, Spiral playing each day and The Shake ‘em On Downers playing each day. Oh, and Edwina Thorne, the Paul Van Ross Trio, the Twin City Stompers, five youth jazz bands and more.
Granted, the electric blues bands (of whom I count five) might have made more noise, but to say there 'wasn't enough jazz” is a little rough, especially since it only cost a gold coin donation to take your pick of that lot.

More detail needed
Perhaps the main problem, and one that I'm sure will be rectified at future events, is the lack of information on the programmes as to what style of music each band played. A little more detail and people could have more easily found their preferred style of sound.
But that's a minor detail. Niggles aside, it was a great festival, and the jazz society committee, volunteers, and official organisers deserve a big slap on the back. May there be many more.