AT first glance, Wangaratta seems a strange place to hold a jazz festival.
After all, it is a rural city of over 15,000 where country music and pub rock holds sway.
The lone nightclub pumps out the latest dance hits.
Jazz barely has a presence in Wangaratta except for one weekend of the year when Sydney's entire jazz scene effectively relocates to the city, takes it over, invites some of the world's best players, and throws a big party.
The soundtrack is an astounding array of jazz and blues that ranges from the soothing to the mindbending.
Last weekend's festival - the 19th - was no exception. Such is the growing popularity that venue size is becoming an issue. Hundreds of people were locked out of the weekend's showcase gigs featuring jazz giants John Scofield and Joe Lovano.
Like all good festivals, the Wangaratta Festival Of Jazz began as one of those ``best kept secrets'' and it will be interesting to see how it handles its continuing growth.
Here are five reasons from this year's festival as to why this is longer a minor gig on the nation's musical calendar:
John Scofield-Joe Lovano Quartet
THESE are two behemoths of the modern jazz scene and a testament to the pulling power the festival has on the international scene. The New York Times called saxophonist Joe Lovano "one of the greatest musicians in jazz history'', while guitarist John Scofield is considered one of "the big three'' in modern jazz guitar (along with Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell). Their Saturday evening show was not only a stunning display of their virtuosity but also a fine example of their melodic chemistry. They were backed by double-bassist Matt Penman and drummer Matt Wilson, whose chops were well up to the task of the energetic hard-bop and funky jazz fusion of the quartet's legendary leaders. The added bonus of the gig was the appearance of former George singer Katie Noonan for the encore - a magical epilogue to an already incredible set.
Sean Keevers Nonet
SUCH is the talent in this line-up - "all-star'' is a good description - that getting these nine in-demand players together in one room for a gig was another coup for Wangaratta. Including the talents of pianist Keevers, veteran alto sax player Bernie McGann, bombastic trumpeter Scott Tinkler, much-lauded drummer Simon Barker and former National Jazz Award winner Steve Magnusson on guitar, this is not a line-up to be sneezed at. Their set met the lofty expectations, driven by a four-piece horn section and the afro-rhythms of percussionist Javier Fredes, who paired perfectly with Barker's effortless punctuations.
National Jazz Award finals
EACH year, the festival hosts the National Jazz Awards, cycling annually through a list of regular jazz instruments. This year it was the bass players' turn, with finalists having to perform three songs - a Charles Mingus or Dave Holland composition, a ballad (standard or original) and a 12-bar blues (standard or original). Sam Anning, Phil Stack and Ben Waples battled it out in the final, with Stack's boundary-pushing set, led by a jazz-fusion solo piece, winning on the day. An interesting piece of trivia - Sydney Conservatorium graduate Stack is the bass-player for rock band Thirsty Merc.
James Muller Trio with John Scofield
SAVING the best for last, Wangaratta's swansong this year was this mindboggling meeting of the minds. Wunderkind guitarist James Muller, who tied with Steve Magnusson in the National Jazz Awards final in 2000, is a massive Scofield fan, and to see the two on stage together felt like a truly special moment, almost like the passing of a torch. Despite some initial nerves from being on stage with his hero, Muller rose to the occasion. Watching him and Scofield trade licks, bouncing melodies and wailing bent notes off each other, was an unforgettable experience. Scofield doesn't play with just anyone and he accurately described Muller as "one of the most exciting guitarists'' in jazz today.
Ilmiliekk i Quartet
AN unexpected early treat was this Finnish quartet which has been picking up awards around the world since forming in 2002. Led by virtuoso trumpeter Verneri Pohjola, whose sound built from sweet to dirty throughout their dynamic original compositions, the band are renowned for their re-arrangements of alterative songs and opened the set with a Bjork track. The originals that followed sparked and soothed, swinging from enigmatic free sections to composed moments of subtle group harmony.
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