Young musicians feature first at jazz festival

ON STAGE : Tauranga Boys' College Big Band performs at the National Youth Jazz Competition yesterday morning.

The National Jazz Festival kicked off yesterday with the National Youth Competition held at Baycourt.

It is the 38th year the youth competition has been held, with performances from 10 big bands from all over New Zealand set to perform at the event.

Tauranga Boys' College Big Band and the Bethlehem College jazz band were among those who performed.

National Jazz Festival Tauranga festival director Becks Chambers said each of the schools performed a 20-minute set, before a workshop with the head judge, Rodger Fox.

"It's been amazing, absolutely phenomenal ...

"There is a great audience in there of all ages enjoying it."

About 500 people had gone through the doors of Baycourt by lunch time yesterday.

Ms Chambers said she was expecting about 15,000 for the Downtown Carnival on The Strand today.

"It's going to be a big weekend full of a lot of jazz, funk and blues, lots of music and thousands of people having fun," she said

Ms Chambers said there were four stages on the Strand and another one on the waterfront.

The carnival would probably be the biggest event of the weekend.

Ms Chambers said one of the best jazz bands in Australia, Galapagos Duck, and Fantine were performing tonight, acts not to be missed.