The National Jazz Festival is the longest running Jazz Festival in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the oldest in the world. For 49 years the Festival has entertained hundreds of thousand of residents and visitors to the Bay of Plenty region. 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the Festival. The Festival is governed by the Tauranga Jazz Society (Incorporated Society with charitable status), which also runs monthly Jazz Club concerts.
Regarded as an iconic event in this country, the Festival attracts more than 60,000 people to events during the long Easter weekend.
The Festival has a triple focus:
- quality jazz in the concert series at Baycourt Theatre and Holy Trinity
- community entertainment at outdoor venues in Downtown Tauranga (The Strand and Red Square), the Jazz Village at Tauranga's Historic Village and other venues around the city
- New Zealand's most prestigious Youth Jazz competition (since 1978), the National Youth Jazz Competition
People behind the Festival
Festival Director – Arne Herrmann
With more than a decade of experience in Arts and Festival Management Arne has worked as Marketing Director of the New Zealand International Arts Festival (Wellington), the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, UNITEC School of Performing and Screen Arts and Manager of the contemporary dance company The Human Garden. During this time he worked with many international artists including Grammy award winners Pat Metheny and Ornette Coleman, Natalie Cole, Mavis Staples and Meat Loaf.
Artistic Director – Liam Ryan
Renown New Zealand keyboardist and songwriter Liam Ryan made his name with The Narcs in the 1980s. He has recorded several albums including his recent release Mississippi 2 Mauao. Musically he has returned to his roots playing keyboards and Hammond organ as a session player touring recently with local and international artists including Charlie Musselwhite, Midge Marsden, Long John Baldry and Robben Ford. Liam presently holds a lecturing position at Waikato University.