Festival Breaks New Ground With Jazz Alley

Festival Breaks New Ground With High Street Precinct Jazz Alley

Montana Christchurch International Jazz Festival
Jazz Alley: Saturday, 9 April 2005
Christchurch, New Zealand

Christchurch’s burgeoning fashion and design precinct will host a unique day of festivities on Saturday, 9 April with an event, styled “Jazz Alley”, including food, wine, fashion and more than 20 acts appearing between 11 am and the close at 6pm.

“We’re working together to create a vibrant, inner city atmosphere such as you would find in any global city”, says Festival Director, Jodi Wright. “This brand new venture is a credit to the cooperation we’ve received from High Street retailers and the City Council”.

The Jazz Alley event will combine live jazz with live fashion on the street and stage. Nearly two dozen bands from the Jazz Festival’s international line-up – ranging from original jazz material to standards, covers and classics – will perform during the inaugural event on High Street and Poplar Lane. On High Street, the stage will transform into a runway following each act, with parades from six design houses.

Hospitality will be provided by the precinct along the section of High Street running between Tuam and Lichfield Streets. Access to the Alley will be free from 11.00am until 6.00pm on Saturday, 9 April. The stage will be erected at the Tuam Street end of High Street. Street closures and security will be in place throughout the event for increased safety and convenience.

Participating High Street shops and cafes will also be running a Jazz Alley competition during the day. Entrants go in the draw to win a shopping and dining spree in the High Street precinct. Entries close at 5pm with a winner to be drawn at 6pm. Lucky entrants must be present to collect their prize. Drawings will continue until there is a valid winner present.

This new programme complements more established components of the Montana Christchurch International Jazz Festival, such as Jazz in the Hall, and other daytime events like Jazz for Lunch and Lunchtime Jazz at Harbour Light.

“We’ve designed this day around the family”, says Festival Director, Jodi Wright. “It’s a way for husbands and children to enjoy High Street as much as women do -- and all with a jazz-in-the-street atmosphere”.

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SIDEBAR: ANOTHER FIRST – THE ILLUSTRIOUS YOU

Jazz Karaoke – a new series and venue for the Jazz Festival – will feature a specially selected range of Jazz Greats for the public to sing the night away. Featuring favourites from Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, George Benson and Dionne Warwick, the evenings will also be MC’d by Susan de Jong and Janice Gray.
Jazz Karaoke: 1 - 9 April, 2005 8.00 – 9.30pm
Creation, 105 Worcester Street (behind the Press Building).
Gold Coin ($2) Entry. Cash Bar.

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About the Festival
The Montana Christchurch International Jazz Festival has been running since 1998 and is now an annual event. The largest jazz festival in New Zealand, the event comprises more than 100 national and international jazz artists performing at a range of venues in the Christchurch region. The Festival is core funded by the Christchurch City Council and receives donations from a range of other in-kind, contra and financial supporters.

Tickets:
Headline acts (Norah Jones, James Morrison and Mary Coughlan) as well as Jazz in the Hall Series are available from Ticketek All other ticketed events (Jazz for Lunch, Lunchtime Jazz at Harbourlight, Harbourlight Jazz and the Jazz Master Class Workshops are available from the Arts Centre Information Centre. All other events (Afterhours Jazz Club, Jazz Alley, Jazz City Series and Jazz in the Mall) free or entry by gold coin donation (Jazz on Film, Jazz Karaoke).

Festival Programme will be available from Tuesday, 22 February, 2005
http://www.jazzfestchristchurch.com

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