about us
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The Great Tropical Jazz Party is a three-day festival, held each spring on World-Heritage Magnetic Island in Tropical North Queensland.
It was founded in 1997 by the late Max Brown – Island resident, musician and teacher – in order to give local musicians and music lovers the opportunity to hear artists who may not otherwise have come to this region.
With a few "fellow travellers" Max formed The Magnetic Jazz Association and, using his broad musical network, the first group of top-line jazz musicians were enticed to the Island to perform at no charge, simply in return for the chance to get away and have a great time into the bargain.
The response from both musicians and audience was such that a second festival became inevitable. The word spread throughout the jazz community and musicians from all over Australia and indeed, overseas, began to express a wish to be involved. The response to the second event guaranteed the third and the list of musicians wishing to be invited has continued to grow year-by-year since.
In 2001, the Great Tropical Jazz Party shifted to the more intimate atmosphere of the poolside at the International Resort, in Nelly Bay, where it has remained since.
After eight annual festivals, it has become a ‘get-away’ for musicians who see it as an opportunity to catch up and perform with their peers. The intimate and informal tropical garden setting provided by the International Resort provides the perfect backdrop for the audience to fully appreciate and enjoy the quality of the performances. The ambience created is such that although the musicians are not paid a fee for their performances they are eager to return year after year. |
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WHAT
THE MUSICIANS SAID
"the
accommodation, the people, the climate, the food, the nature :
it was perfect"
"The
spirit and hospitality is overwhelming and a great sense of
music community where no stylistic barriers occur"
Most
jazz festivals I have been involved with (mostly in Vic) are
always quite stressful and almost competitive – but at your
festival, all musicians were equal and everyone shared.
“To
get musicians of this calibre to play at a regional festival for nothing
is unheard of. As far as we are concerned, it could only happen on
Magnetic Island……………………”
"For
Julie and me the festival was a great opportunity to play and mix with
like-minded musicians from Australia. It was wonderful to perform ( and teach) in such a fabulous setting and to experience again the delights of the island and its hard-working hosts.
Look
forward to seeing you in 2004"
"Thanks again for inviting us to the MI jazz Fest. Diana and I had a wonderful time meeting such generous and supportive people. The island boasts a wealth of talent and the enthusiasm of the close community was an inspiration for us both, viva MI, Doug de Vries and Diana Clark"
Doug
De Vries (guitarist
from Melbourne)
"We keep looking at the lovely photos of Mag and wonder when we'll get back - what a magic time. The Magnetic Island Jazz Festival has all the ingredients to be a major international Jazz Festival - like Manly in Sydney, Montreaux in Switzerland and Newport in the USA etc. It has the stunning scenery and climate of the Island itself, the hard work and dedication of its organisers – the support of the Australian (and now New Zealand) jazz community all of whom work tirelessly for no payment." Malcolm McNeill (singer and vocal coach from NZ) |