TICKETS go on sale on Wednesday for the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues, which will be held from Friday, November 1 to Monday, November 4.
Following a 'Last Hurrah' event held last year, the event has been 'reimagined' by a new festival board and its artistic director Serge Carnovale.
The four-day program across more than a dozen local venues is set to feature performances from jazz heavyweights including Vince Jones and well-known blues artists like Jimi Hocking.
Host venues will range from the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre (WPACC) to local businesses including The Railyard Wangaratta, The Bulls Head, Pinsent Hotel, Dock 5, Old Faithfulls, The Vine and the Wangaratta Club, the latter of which will host the free community stage during the day on the Saturday of the festival.
The Old Baptist Church, on the corner of Baker and Docker streets, will host a 'Tiny Jazz Concert Series' on the Saturday and Sunday, while Holy Trinity Cathedral will again be the backdrop for Sunday's Jazz Mass.
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The pre-Melbourne Cup Monday of the event has been christened 'Milawa Monday', and will feature a full day of music concluding at Brown Brothers Winery, with activations across gourmet region venues Lancemore, Henleys and Milawa Cheese Company.
"It feels great being able to finally share what so many people have been working on behind the scenes for the festival," event director Andrew Nunn said.
"We are really rapt with who we have coming to town, and we can't wait to show off what Wangaratta has to offer."
Mr Carnovale agreed: "I'm really excited to be involved in a re-launch of this iconic festival, featuring an all-Australian line-up of some of the best jazz and blues artists in the country."
The festival will launch on the Friday at The Railyard Wangaratta with an official opening party featuring Mark Fitzgibbon and special guests.
The party continues with Glenn Skuthorpe, who will open for award-winning bluesman Jimi Hocking with singer Nardia.
Vince Jones, a decorated singer, songwriter and trumpeter, will perform a headline show at the WPACC on the Saturday of the festival, joined by his band.
Other artists on the program include The Shuffle Club, Mosaic, Checkerboard Lounge, Solomon Sisay, Ilaria Crociani with her ensemble including Paul Grabowsky, Mirko Guerrini and Nicko Schauble, pianists Bob Sedergreen and Adam Rudegeair, Toshi Clinch's Not So Big Band, The Greater Melbourne Breakfast and Tweed Society Orchestra, Cookin' on 3 Burners with Stella Angelico and Raleigh Williams, and CJ Commerford and The Supertones.
The National Jazz Awards are back again this year, featuring the saxophone, with six finalists to battle it out supported by a backing band comprising Mark Fitzgibbon, Ben Robertson and Danny Fischer.
They will be judged by a panel comprising Julien Wilson, Angela Davis and John Mackey.
Mr Nunn said in its new direction, the festival was proud to keep alive the rich 34-year history of the festival.
The full program can be viewed at www.wangjazzblues.com.au, where tickets can also be purchased from today.
This year there will be no festival pass, with each event to be individually-ticketed.
Also on that weekend, the Tarrawingee Blues Festival will run on the Saturday and Sunday.
