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Friday, March 06, 2009

Wellington Jazz Festival - And Otis Taylor




Wednesdays Night kicked off the Wellingotn Jazz Festival with a very nice Corpoarate do and some fine music. The Pacific Blue Lounge, the major venue for the festival is actually the Wellington Town Hall. With a difference: By 'recycling' the floor from Last Year's festival show 'The Black Watch' back into the Edwardian designed Town Hall, the crew have raised the floor to the level of the 1st flr Balcony: 'We lowered the ceilng by raining the floor' - fran Wilde Festival Chairwoman. Cassie Taylor, daughter and Bassist for Otis, told the assembled that they'd 500 8 yr olds earlier that day 'testing' it out, as part of a workshop they held - and the floor was safe. thank mingus for that!

The intro evening went off wth a Bag! The Kid met Kirsten Johnstone from Music 101, Cassie Taylor, Members of Twinset and Fat Freedy's Drop plus Chilean Bandleader Cristian Cuttorufo (who played one wicked jam during the intro nite). Also plaing was LA Mitchell (Who brought the house down with her powerful voice, especially on Hall and Oates' "Rich Girl"), Mike Nock who palyed some introspective ditties and Otis Taylor - who'd already done a blues for Children workshop earlier that day ( See pic above).
The Coffee Bar Kid is in two minds about this year's festival. While this year it's gone big time as an alternation with the International Arts Fesitval and run by the International Arts Festival Team, the underground, skoey independence has gone. Gone, too is the intimacy of some of the venues. the Pacific Blue Lounge is great, but still an auditorium. BUT, but this year's international line up far supercedes what previous festivals could attain, given the sponsorship deals and team now on the board. Let us thank many times over the previous chairs and organisers and thank the new crews too for a great Festival. Last year's Venue Happy was just a little too dingy, so the new venue the Pacific Blue Lounge, uplifts and does give one the chance to pack in the Punters.
I also want to personally thank Sarah at Transmit, who understands that while Groove is a smaller pplayer, we can contribut to the Media mix. Sarah sends us CDs, interviewees and keeps us in the loop re the festival and many other artist endevours - Kia Ora, Sarah! Oh and love those funky hats!
The Kid took a couple of Photos of thePacific Blue Note which are on the next Blog - Check 'em out.
Laters - Coffee Bar Kid

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

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