FESTIVAL OPENING: Stonnington Jazz opens on Thursday, 16 May with Jazz Vocals Showcase
There were two options last night — stay home and watch the Opposition Leader respond to the Budget, or hear two vocalists at Malvern Town Hall. Not a difficult choice, really. One wonders whether Tony Abbott would judge these accomplished singers as “vocalists of calibre”.
As usual it was a great night at the festival’s opening concert, on this occasion featuring vocalists Kristin Berardi and Michelle Nicole, each with top bands. It’s not an evening — or the venue — for hard core jazz fans, but in the elegant setting of the town hall, with patrons at candle-lit tables, it is fitting for the launch of this festival celebrating 100 per cent Australian jazz.
Here are a few images from the concert, which will repeated tonight, May 17, at the same venue.
The sets were very different, as you’d expect from these vocalists, but both demonstrated their immersion in, and the joy they obviously take from, the music they present.
Kristin Berardi at Malvern Town Hall with Brendan Clarke and Carl Morgan.
Kristin Berardi and Carl Morgan.
Kristin Berardi
Kristin Berardi and Brendan Clarke.
Michelle Nicole
Michelle Nicole
Michelle Nicole with Jonathan Swartz and Geoff Hughes.
Michelle Nicole
Michelle Nicole
ROGER MITCHELL
Ausjazz Blog 