20th Dubbo Jazz Festival
Dal and I have been going to the Dubbo Jazz Festival for several years now and we can thoroughly recommend it. Unlike most festivals it is held in one building, the RSL Club Resort, so you have an opportunity to hear a lot more bands.
Four rooms are used plus the auditorium on Saturday night.
Bands range from traditional, big bands, swing, Dixieland, blues and mainstream.
DJ Gosper and the Karisma Kats from Canberra were very popular and Nigel Date who will be in Canberra later this year, was playing with Rob Shannon as a guitar duo.
Always popular trad bands Jack Wiard Swingtette, Tiger Ragtime Jazz Band and Caxton Street Jazz Band all drew enthusiastic audiences.
Jack Wiard’s band played some oldies such as The River’s Taking Care of Me, For Pete’s Sake (which Bert Kaemfert wrote for Pete Fountain and features “going over the break”), Fidgetty Feet and Wolverine Blues. All most enjoyable with that wonderful zest Jack’s band always has. Going over the break evidently involves quite tricky fingering.
The Australian Army Band – Oxford Street Swingers with Rachel Beeton on clarinet was a big hit.
The Junior Dixieland Band speaks well for the future of jazz in the Czech Republic. Last year we heard a band from Hungary.
The Dr Clare Hansson Trio featured Adam Barnard on drums following in his Uncle’s footsteps. He told us a few anecdotes about Len and mentioned his biography. Adam seems to have inherited a great sense of humour. I remember Clare’s wonderful piano playing at the Top of the Cross many years ago.
The Dubbo Jazz Club members are very friendly and even put on a meet and greet night at the West Dubbo Bowling Club on the Thursday night with entertainment and refreshments.
Dubbo is also worth visiting for the open plains zoo. Buy tickets one day and the next day is free. You can easily spend two days enjoying the animals especially if you attend some of the talks which usually include seeing the animals fed.
The town also has a museum, art gallery, a Japanese garden and the old Dubbo Gaol- all worth a visit.
Maybe we’ll see you there next year.
Barbara Newman
