[Dixielandjazz] 28th Manly International Jazz Festival by the Sea

[Zenith Sydney]

Hi DJMLers,

I have attached my letter of thanks to John Speight the organiser of the Manly Jazz Festival in Sydney, Australia for general information.  This endorses once again that jazz festivals catering for all tastes with a free outdoor program on stages in tandem with fringe events (at least in this country) are not flagging.  Please refer http://www.manly.nsw.gov.au/manlyjazz for programme which included many performers from overseas.  OKOM is not dying, but is in fact alive and well with the average man in the street and overseas tourists. (We even accepted US dollars from some wanting CDs).  Please note that the majority of those people were not jazz fans, in the strict sense of the word, they were simply an audience out for a good time and liked what they heard.  What we call impulse CD buyers.  

I am not at liberty to discuss any cost details but suffice to say this festival (although much smaller) runs on a budget of about 5% that of Sacramento and closes the town to traffic with all parking stations full and free bus transport in, featuring over 60 jazz groups during the weekend buzzing with 100,000 holiday atmosphere crowds.

Tom (OKOM lives!) Wood
www.sydneyzenith.com

  From: Zenith Sydney 
  To: JOHN SPEIGHT 
  Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 7:38 PM
  Subject: 28th Manly International Jazz Festival


  Dear John,

  What a great music/weather weekend for Manly JF.  We wish to thank you for inviting us to play.  As you mentioned, we certainly confirmed it was a great day and time spot with a massive audience squeezed into Short Street.  The Manly Council team were most helpful and pleasant and we also thank Kristi Franks.  Our stage manager Jim and the sound guys were exceptionally good.  They were very concerned to make everything perfect, going to the back of the street continuing to check everything out, even as we played.  

  I feel we proved yet again that there is always a place in jazz festivals for old good-time music.  We sold 80 CDs during our one hour set and quite a few of the audience danced in front of the stage. The aging population seem to be looking for New Orleans/Traditional/Dixieland kaleidoscope of music styles and the younger people are dancing swing style.

  Once again, many thanks, the boys really appreciated the invite as did the last minute Zenith Strollers.

  Cheers,
  Tom