Brisbane Jazz Club Big Band Festival

Brisbane Jazz Club President, Mr Paul Day; Vice-President and Festival Director, Mr Alan Western; fellow guests.

I too, would like to acknowledge the original custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and extend respectful greetings to Elders, past, present and emerging.

And I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge the passing of our beloved late Sovereign of 70 years, Queen Elizabeth the Second, and the accession to the throne of King Charles the Third.

Graeme and I, as Joint Patrons of Brisbane Jazz Club, are delighted to be here tonight at the Brisbane Big Band Festival, which is celebrating its tenth year.

We’re excited, but in no way surprised, to see that in this time, the event has become so popular that you’ve had to expand to the Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre around the corner.

More than 350 musicians will be performing over the three days of the festival, a remarkable feat of organisation considering the hurdles the Jazz Club has faced in recent times.

The Kangaroo Point clubhouse, set in spectacular surrounds overlooking the Brisbane River, suffered its third major flooding event earlier this year.

That, on the back of a global pandemic that crippled the live music scene, delayed the club’s plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary in April.

But celebrate you have, and in fine style – hardly missing a beat!

The great composer George Gershwin, born 124 years ago this week, is reputed to have said, ‘Life is a lot like jazz. It’s best when you improvise.’

Your resilience and ability to pick up on the beat of whatever life throws your way is admirable, and we extend a much-deserved congratulations.

We look forward to the performances tonight by Brass Roots Live, the Pepperazzi Big Band, and the Jindalee Jazz Orchestra.

I would now like to invite my husband Graeme to join me to present a certificate of Vice-Regal Patronage to Brisbane Jazz Club President, Mr Paul Day.