“THIS has been the most concentrated soulful experience I have ever had in my life,” US jazz sensation Patti Austin said at Sunday’s Generations in Jazz finale and awards ceremony – the culmination of the annual three-day event which this year attracted around 6000 music students from across Australia.
“Soulful is a word that used to be bandied about a bit when I was your age and for the entire time I’ve been here, you have rekindled the meaning of that word for me.
“This experience is magic – so please take this magic with you and please spread this magnificent musical fairy dust on everyone around you.”
More than 350 school stage bands and vocal ensembles shared the limelight with some of the world’s brightest jazz stars, performing at the 6000-seat big top pavilion and a further 12 venues across the city.
They came from a record 128 Australian schools and between them performed more than 1000 musical pieces.
Austin delivered her only Australian performance exclusively at the festival, while party band The Cat Empire, jazz virtuoso James Morrison, US saxophone star Jeff Clayton, Madrid percussionist Nasrine Rahmani and Cologne-based trombonist Shannon Barnett also entertained and inspired massive crowds.
“We had the largest number of students and public that we’ve ever had, more concerts than we’ve ever had, more workshops and most of all more music,” GIJ chair James Morrison said.
“The big tent is the centrepiece of the event, but bands and vocal groups performed in 13 different venues throughout the GIJ precinct, which has been established in paddocks on Mount Gambier’s outskirts.
“We have venues all over the site – we use an onion shed, we use horse sheds – we use all sorts of things and put stages in them and turn them into venues for jazz, so it’s an amazing setting here out in the Australian countryside.”
Mr Morrison said the experience was unlike any other music festival.
“There are plenty of music festivals that young people go to, but the big difference with this one is that it’s all about jazz and everyone performs,” he said.
“What other festival do you go to where all 6000 people who are coming actually play?
“That’s the most unique thing about Generations in Jazz.
“If you just wander around these venues, you see all sorts of musicians of all different ages and standards all playing jazz – it’s an amazing thing and it’s incredibly inspiring for everyone.
“When people come to Generations for the first time – and I mean seasoned artists who have performed for decades all over the world – they’re astounded as they have never been anywhere like this.”
