Jazz @ Scirocco and Table 51
Over a period of 12 years the 4TTT Palmer Street Jazz Festival grew, from humble beginnings, to become an icon among Australian Jazz festivals – featuring the cream of Australia’s most celebrated jazz musicians as well as showcasing the talents of Townsville’s local musos and rising young stars.
In 2009, with the advent of the inaugural Townsville 400 V8 Super Cars event, the Jazz Festival has had to take a back seat – with Palmer Street Traders concentrating their efforts on the extensive Pit Stop preparations and celebrations.
However, to ensure that the Jazz Festival retains its nationally recognised timeslot of the second weekend in August, two Palmer Street restaurants plan to hold a mini Festival on that weekend to ensure that Jazz can be enjoyed by the travellers who follow Jazz Festivals from year to year as well as local jazz enthusiasts.
Darren Noble - owner and head chef of Table 51 - and Wee Banchongphian - owner and head chef of Scirocco Bar & Grill – both agree with the importance of maintaining the Jazz Festival presence until its future form becomes clearer. They also both agree that good live music enhances the dining experience and there is no better form of music to accompany fine dining than soft jazz with its vitality, immediacy and unpredictability.
Scirocco is noted for presenting Jazz wherever possible throughout the year and Wee is well aware of the high standards of jazz musicians resident in Townsville and on Magnetic Island. Most feature at Scirocco from time to time.
Darren and Wee agree on another issue – “It is possibly a little unfortunate that we all got carried away with the hype and glamour of the V8’s and neglected a formula that has worked well for us in past years. The 4ttt Palmer Street Jazz Festival played a significant role in establishing national recognition of Palmer Street. Not only that, but it enhanced Townsville’s cultural reputation and provided enjoyment to many Townsvilleans over the last twelve years. We must ensure that it doesn’t wither and fade away through lack of a little energy and foresight”.
The Palmer Street Jazz Fest for this year will present most of Townsville’s well-established jazz musicians and emerging young stars in various combinations and styles.
Both restaurants will be presenting three sessions with Jazz over the weekend - on Friday evening (7.00pm – 10.30pm), Saturday evening (7.00pm – 10.30pm) and again at Sunday lunch-time (11.00am – 2.30pm) building on the well-known Jazz Brunch format pioneered by Scirocco.
Bookings essential for all sessions. Patrons are encouraged to book early:
Scirocco: (07) 4724 4508
Table 51: (07) 4721 0642
| Scriocco Restaurant (Palmer Street) |
Table 51 (Palmer Street) |
Picnic Bay Surf Lifesaving Club (The Strand) |
N Q Jazz Club (PCYC Wellington St) |
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| Friday | 7-Aug-09 | 7 pm - 10.30pm | Vince Power & Larry Thomson Trio | Vicki Salisbury & Sam Glanville Trio | ||
| Saturday | 8-Aug-09 | 7 pm - 10.30pm | Vicki Salisbury & Justin Cataldo Trio | Larry Thomson Trio | ||
| Sunday | 9-Aug-09 | 11am - 2.30pm | Marilyn Sheather & Larry Thomson Trio | Sara Shaw Quartet | ||
| Sunday | 9-Aug-09 | 4pm - 8pm | Sara Shaw & Reg Braun Trio | |||
| Sunday | 9-Aug-09 | 5.30pm-9.30pm | eXposé + TGS Big Band |
