World class jazz festival returns to Tauranga

Four Grammy award winners, a legendary German jazz artist, a retrospective exhibition and a special birthday bash celebration concert will be some of the highlights at the 50th National Jazz Festival.

The world-class festival programme was unveiled last night at a function at Baycourt Theatre to a crowd of about 200 people.

Headline acts Earth Wind and Fire will visit New Zealand for the first time. They will be supported by three-time Grammy winner Keb Mo and Patti Austin in a special five-hour Birthday Bash on April 8, 2012 at Tauranga Domain.

Also featuring are jazz legends German Klaus Doldinger and American Kurt Elling, with special guest saxophonist Eric Marienthal and the Wellington Jazz Orchestra. Elling is one of the world's leading jazz vocalists and his records have garnered him Grammy award nominations.

Festival director Arne Herrmann said the calibre of artists involved in the 50th festival would put Tauranga on the world stage.

"This festival is absolutely world class but it's more than that. Other festivals try to expand their events by involving the wider community but with us the community brings the quality of this festival higher and higher." "

Mr Herrmann and festival organisers have spent almost three years putting together next year's event, which will involve about 500 musicians and nearly 80 bands.

"The magnitude of what we're doing to celebrate 50 years is going to be outstanding," he said.

About 95 per cent of the programme was made up of New Zealand musicians and artists and organisers were pleased to have five or six international artists coming.

The five-day event, held during Easter from April 5-9, 2012 will see the return of the free Downtown Carnival, the Jazz Village and the Sebel Trinity Wharf Tauranga Jazz Riverboat. Also marking the half century is an exhibition and concert - The History of Jazz ... According to Tauranga - that will tell the stories behind the creation of the National Jazz Festival. Full line-up and ticketing information: www.jazz.org.nz.