The Noosa Jazz Party is one of Noosa’s most enduring events. It’s had to be, battling council permit issues and falling sponsorship over its more than 30 years, and more recently last year’s Covid restrictions.
But the little festival that could is now facing what might be its biggest challenge, following the loss of its main venue, the Tewantin Noosa Bowls Club. The unexpected decision by a new management team at the club has left the popular September event homeless.
Jazz Party co-founder Richard Stevens told Noosa Today that following last year’s roaring success, despite Covid, plus many other Noosa Jazz Club events during the year, he was extremely disappointed to lose what seemed like the perfect venue. “Of course, the Jazz Party has been in this position before and we’ve always found a solution, but this time around it seems particularly hard to find an alternative home,” he said.
The sousaphone-playing 76-year-old started the jazz festival in 1991 with wife Patsy and
the late and esteemed Melbourne and Noosa jazz legend Frank Johnson. “We had a dozen local musos and marched down Hastings Street playing music without a permit like we were in New Orleans,” said Richard. “Everybody loved the fun, the relaxed atmosphere and the great music, and it just grew from there.”
By the mid-1990s they were signing world class players like Australians Graeme Bell, Bob Barnard and John Sangster and internationals like New York trumpet wiz Jon-Erik Kellso, while leading Australian artist Robert Dickerson was creating brilliant charcoal art for the program cover.
Until the pandemic hit, Jazz Party 2020 was set to be the biggest in years, with Jon-Erik Kellso making a welcome return from New York as headliner, and a huge cast of musos from all over Australia and New Zealand in support. Airline tickets had been booked and paid for when Richard and Patsy got the news that events were off and financial support no longer forthcoming. But thanks to the boundless energy and spirit of the Stevens duo, and the patronage of the bowls club, the Jazz Party miraculously pulled off a winner.
Now they’re looking for another miracle, and another venue. If you can help, please contact Richard Stevens on 5447 2229.
