JAZZ CO-ORDINATION

This section includes articles that throw light on  “jazz co-ordination”. Jazz co-ordination was devised by the Australia Council, the Australian Government's arts funding and advisory body, in the early 1980s to increase government support for jazz. Part-time jazz co-ordinators in all states were appointed in 1983. Most State arts ministries subsequently provided funds for jazz coordination programs. Eric Myers was a Jazz Co-ordinator from 1983 to the end of 2001. His position became full-time in 1986.

FORMATION OF THE NATIONAL JAZZ ALLIANCE

by Eric Myers

JazzChord, Nov/Dec, 1993

On Melbourne Cup day, November 2, 1993, a meeting was held in Sydney to discuss the formation of a national jazz lobby group. This meeting was initiated by Paul Grabowsky, then a member of the Performing Arts Board (PAB) of the Australia Council, and chair of the PAB’s Music Committee, and organised by National Jazz Co-ordinator Eric Myers…

CARLO PAGNOTTA & UMBRIA JAZZ 2001: PRELUDE TO A FAILURE

by Eric Myers

October, 2018

In July 2001, three Australian groups, with support from various funding bodies, did multiple performances at two major international jazz festivals: Pori Jazz in Finland and Umbria Jazz in Italy. It was referred to as the Austage 2001 tour.  The three  groups  were the Bernie McGann Trio (from Sydney), Tim Stevens Trio (from Sydney) and the quintet Ishish, led by Melbourne’s Ronny Ferella. Additional performances, other than those at Pori and Umbria, were done in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Rome, Italy…

THE AUSTRALIAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA: SPREADING THE WORD OF JAZZ ACROSS THE LAND

by Eric Myers

Letter to the Editor, Sydney Morning Herald, December 29, 1988

Sir, It has always amazed me how journalists, apparently trying to give a comprehensive coverage of arts activity, can blithely ignore one of the two most important art forms of the 20th Century — jazz (the other being film). So it was with Pamela Payne Heckenberg (Herald, December 21), who wrote on various aspects of the Bicentennial Arts Program — including theatre, classical music, painting, dance and new music — but failed to mention the Australian Jazz Orchestra (AJO)…