Peter Wockner's interview with Wangaratta Jazz Festival Artistic Director Adrian Jackson 29

Historical article recovered from a Wayback capture dated 2018-02-24.

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May 2007

Peter Wockner:

The Wangaratta Festival of Jazz has been an annual event now since 1990. How do you measure the success of the festival from year to year from an artistic perspective?

Adrian Jackson:

My first measure is what I’ve heard : did the bands live up to my expectations ? Did they perform at their best ? Of course, I can’t get to hear everyone who is playing at the Festival, so I also rely on feedback from others whose opinion I can trust, whether they be musicians, fans, other industry figures or reviewers.

I do pay attention to what is said in reviews, and of course there is also feedback from patrons, which might vary from a casual comment in the street to a letter sent to the Festival’s website or PO Box.

PW:

Do you think your decisions as an artistic director are more influenced by the festival attending public or by a group of jazz reviewers?

AJ:

Hard to say…as I said, I do pay attention to what certain reviewers have to say; at the same time, you can’t ignore it if punters are crowded outside a venue trying to get in to hear a particular act, or staying away in droves.

PW:

As the artistic director of arguably Australia’s most important or influential jazz festival, how heavily do you feel the weight of responsibility in influencing the future direction of jazz in this country?

AJ:

Well, I don’t think I influence the future direction of jazz, that’s a matter for the musicians themselves. I do try to ensure that the Festival reflects and presents the more interesting developments in Australian and international jazz today ; hopefully there will be some relationship between the artists I book now, and those who will come to be seen, at some future point, as having been important figures in jazz of this era or the next decade.

At the same time, I’ve always thought it appropriate to present what’s new in jazz ‘today’ alongside exponents of earlier styles, who still have something to say ; I don’t expect that to change in the near future.

PW:

Do you have a longer term vision for the festival that you are working towards?

AJ:

Not really…I think the stylistic mix in the program has been about right for some time, and the program is kept fresh by the influx of new bands and artists every year, plus the ongoing development of those artists we have presented in previous years.

PW:

You have no aversion to risk taking as an artistic director: (as evidence I point to last years pairing of Elliot Dalgleish and Misha Mengelberg) What is the riskiest experiment you’ve presented at the festival and do you believe it was a success?

AJ:

I guess the biggest risk is pairing a couple of musicians who haven’t played together before, or perhaps not as a duo, and hoping they can make it happen without any prior rehearsal. Most of these (e.g., Mike Nock & Niko Schauble, Judy Bailey & Sandy Evans, Paul Grabowsky & Dale Barlow, Roger Frampton & Keith Hounslow, Tony Gould & Eugene Ball, Han Bennink with Paul Grabowsy or Sandy Evans or Scott Tinkler) have in fact worked beautifully. Maybe it isn’t such a risk when you’re working with musicians of this calibre.

With regard to Misha and Elliott last year, I thought it was masterful playing, but they were on different tangents ; I tended to agree with some reviewers who thought it didn’t work…although I should add that Elliott insists that it did work, and he has offered to send me a recording of the concert to prove it!

There have also been projects involving players from different cities and countries (eg Horace Tapscott Orchestra, Odean Pope’s Saxophone Choir, Mike Nock Project) that were put together with less rehearsal time than they required…but still produced some memorable results…maybe even because of the added risk factor!

PW:

When the 2007 festival finishes when do you start planning for the 2008 festival?

AJ:

Pretty much ; although I do have to assemble a draft program for the 2008 Festival before 1 June 07, for a grant application to the Australia Council…so you could say it’s a never-ending process.