ERIC MYERS REVIEWS 1980-87
Eric Myers was the Sydney Morning Herald’s inaugural jazz critic, his first review appearing on February 2, 1980. This folder contains reviews and articles written by Myers up to his resignation in 1982. Text published in the newspaper is reproduced here, with the addition of photographs which may or may not have appeared in the newspaper. In 1983 Myers moved to The Australian, where he was that paper’s jazz critic, until he resigned towards the end of 1987. His reviews for that newspaper appear also in this folder. Articles which appeared in other publications are included here, if they serve to document the performances of Australian jazz musicians. Readers can click on the INDEX button for a list of reviews or articles in this folder.
Benny Carter
GOLD COAST INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL 1991
by Eric Myers
The Australian, June 12, 1991
One merit of this festival was that it stimulated earnest discussion. Was it a success? There were as many different answers to this question as there were commentators. I believe it was a considerable success, and it drew some 4,000 people. But it can be improved. The Gold Coast festival cannot be compared to international festivals in other countries. It attracts only a small core of jazz buffs; the majority are curious about jazz. rather than into it. Naturally they are drawn to the big names – James Morrison, Vince Jones, Tommy Emmanuel, Monica and The Moochers. Delilah — where the jazz content is sometimes minimal. It is not true, as some say, that these "popular" artists are merely serving up music at the lowest common denominator. The festival showed that many of these performers have not been standing still…
Eric Myers writes: I resigned as jazz critic with The Australian in late 1987 for the following reason. I was then the CEO of a jazz organisation, the Jazz Co-ordination Association of NSW (JCANSW), funded by Federal and State governments, and held the full-time position of National Jazz Co-ordinator from 1986. Running an organisation dedicated to supporting jazz musicians, I felt increasingly that there was a conflict of interest in simultaneously being active as a reviewer and/or critic. My last article for The Australian was the one on the previous page, “The AJO: A Bicentennial Boon for the Nation”, published in The Australian on December 11, 1987. For more information please refer to my article, “My Jazz Odyssey”, published in the February, 2021 edition of the magazine of the Australian Jazz Museum, AJAZZ 88, available on this website at this link https://ericmyersjazz.com/miscellaneous-postings-6