What’s On in The Coolroom
Duration: 2024
Hotel Blog
Liminal Slide: Stories for a Friend
Duration: 60 minutes Monday 31 March at 7.30pm | Thursday 3 April at 7.30pm
Monday 31 March at 7.30pm
Thursday 3 April at 7.30pm
The Coolroom, Northern Arts Hotel
Thursday 3 April at 7.30pm
The Coolroom, Northern Arts Hotel
In this original work lasting about 60 minutes new group Liminal Slide, comprising composer/musician/writer, Paul Ryan, and composer/musician, Victor O. Circumstances uses digital piano, and recorded sounds to explore original poems and musical landscapes based on a range of related themes, traversing fanciful, poignant and sometimes surreal spaces of imagination.
Long time friends Paul Ryan, and Victor O Circumstance aim to reinterpret the notion of song. Unknown pianist and lyricist Ryan emerges from obscurity to present his own works, and accompaniment for the words of Circumstance, one of Australia’s most widely unpublished authors. Be prepared to laugh at, cry foul, experience involuntary emesis, and take part in mass walkout. An experience guaranteeing eternal happiness and life’s fulfilment, as travesty becomes pleasantly redefined.
Bar Open. The members of Liminal Slide will join audience members for a drink after the show.
Tickets: $20/$15 | Until sold out
Limitless Possibilities: Visual Theatre & Newspaper Puppetry
Duration: Wed 26 March & Wed 2 April Workshop 2-6.30pm. Performance from 7.30pm-8.30pm
Castlemaine Fringe Festival 2025: The Coolroom at the Northern Arts Hotel presents Limitless Possibilities: Visual Theatre & Newspaper Puppetry
Create, make and perform a story in a day with newspaper puppets.
2 Sessions: Wednesday 26 March & Wednesday 2 April
Workshop 2-6.30pm.
Performance from 7.30pm-8.30pm
Background:
Based upon bunraku Japanese form of puppetry, the workshop begins with an introduction to puppet theatre and a process of getting to knowing each other. The workshop then looks at story creation and examine the seven basic plotlines, and each group develops one plotline to tell a story. With the help of Helen, you then create the puppet characters and the world of puppets using newspaper and tissue paper. The stories are presented to a live audience.
Presenter:
Helen Sandercoe [Stories That Matter] has been a Drama/Theatre teacher much of her life. One of her focuses is puppetry ranging from newspaper puppets to shadow puppetry. She has shared her practice over many years for Drama Victoria, Drama Australia Conferences, and several IDEA Congresses. One of the great pleasures, is to give participants a rich experience in drama and/or performance which is grounded in skill development and collaborative creativity.
For several years, she has been lecturing in Drama, Dance and the other Arts for Primary Pre-service Teachers and teaching Secondary Drama Method at three universities, after many years of Secondary Drama teaching.
Contact: Mob: 0431 747 504 E-mail: helen.sandercoe@bigpond.com
Requirements:
Willingness to play, imagine, collaboratively create and perform. No previous experience needed. Comfortable clothes and shoes/runners to move in. It’s and great to have black pants & top for the performance. Only adult participants as the storytellers need to be able to consider stories that include adult themes.
Performance
See the original stories with visual theatre and newspaper puppetry. Performance 7.30pm Adult $10 [warning the stories may involve adult themes.] Afterwards Q&A led by Workshop leader Helen Sandercoe.
Workshop Cost: $55.00 (Commitment from 2pm-8.30 pm) for the day’s workshop. Includes workshop notes, refreshments and dinner.
FROM A PREVIOUS WORKSHOP
More From Helen Sandercoe
Articles from ADEM [Australian Drama Education Magazine] Magazine
Whale Dreaming: an approach to ‘Teaching in an Aboriginal Way>>
‘I wish I could Fly’: A process drama based on ‘Circle’ by Jeannie Baker>>
It’s time for Agit Prop Theatre! Reviving Political Theatre>>
Summer of 2025 : Coolroom Jazz
Duration: Saturday 25 January - Saturday 22 February
Summer of 2025 : Coolroom Jazz
From Castlemaine’s home of Cool live jazz we bring you five great concerts, from a new tradition of starting the year with The Anticlinal Fold [25 Jan], and return of Jack Pantazis Trio [1 Feb] during the Castlemaine Guitar Weekend, to the world premiere of a new live sound track to accompany Greta Garbo’s last silent film, The Kiss [8 Feb]. Then Gianni Marinucci returns with a band and his sublime trumpet playing to celebrate the music of Louis Armstrong [15 Feb]. Finally recent graduate and rising star Greta Williams [22 Feb] brings her intimate, collage-like lyrics to create songs with evocative specificity + fearless honesty. Greta is joined by her band three fantastic musicians from Melbourne.
Tickets from: https://bit.ly/coolroomjazz
Sat 25 Jan 7.30pm, The Anticlinal Fold
A big evening of modern jazz and song. This event will include world premieres, jazz favs & music from the band’s leader, Jem Challender.
Sat 1 Feb 7.30pm, Jack Pantazis Trio
The JPT will again be presenting original music of Jack’s along with a selection of other great tunes and even a few new originals.
Sat 8 Feb 7.30pm, Sun 9 Feb 2.30pm,
A world premiere! Greta Garbo’s The Kiss with live music by Maggie Jackson NY Jazz Trio, composed by band leader, Castlemaine’s Maggie Jackson
Sat 15 Feb 7.30pm, Swing that Music: Louis Armstrong. Gianni Marinucci & Band
A truly stellar band will showcase the music of one of music’s most loved performers + many of his hits.
Sat 22 Feb 7.30pm, Greta Williams Jazz Quartet
Greta Williams is an emerging performer whose work pairs intimate, collage-like lyrics to create songs with evocative specificity + fearless honesty.
Supported by the 10,000 Gigs Program from Victorian Government through the Community Support Fund & Creative Victoria delivered by Music Victoria.
Castlemaine Guitar Weekend
Duration: Friday 31 January - Sunday 2 February
We have recently announced the inaugural Castlemaine Guitar Weekend to be held from Friday 31 January to Sunday 2 February and includes three concerts – [blues & roots; jazz; and rock], three workshops – [acoustic blues guitar, acoustic jazz guitar, and songwriting for guitar] featuring the guitar talents of Geoff Achison, Jack Pantazis, and Eric McCusker [Mondo Rock], and Gerry Smith. Jazz Pantazis will also host our Free Secret Movie Matinee on Sunday.
Cost for each Concert is $25, and workshops $25. And we are pleased to announce a special Golden Guitar Ticket for $95, a saving of $55. Tickets can be obtained at: https://bit.ly/maineguitars
Concert and Workshop details
Fri 31 Jan 7.30pm Geoff Achison in Concert
‘Geoff is one of the finest blues guitarists I know with a completely individual style’ Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna).
Sat 1 Feb Noon Acoustic Guitar Workshop – Geoff Achison
Geoff will discuss & demonstrate his approach to acoustic guitar including fingerstyle /flat-pick techniques plus tips on arranging & songwriting. Learn trade tricks, crafty chords + lightning riffs! BYO Acoustic Guitar.
Sat 1 Feb 3pm Jazz Guitar Workshop – Jack Pantazis
This workshop aims at unlocking a few skills & tools that can help beginners or intermediate guitarists on their jazz guitar journey. BYO Acoustic Guitar.
Sat 1 Feb 7.30pm Jack Pantazis Trio in Concert
The JPT will again be presenting original music of Jack’s along with a selection of other great tunes & a few new originals that will be premiered. Stay tuned!!!
Sun 2 Feb Noon Songwriting for Guitar Workshop Eric McCusker & Friends
In this special, intimate workshop, experienced songwriters Eric McCusker, Jessica Paige & Gerry Smith will explore the fundamentals of songwriting for guitar before an extended Q/A.
Sun 2 Feb 2.30pm Free Secret Guitar Movie Hosted by Jack Pantazis
Join Jack Pantazis to watch a movie about a world class guitarist over a drink amongst fellow guitar enthusiasts. The Coolroom Cinema is a lounge type room full of comfy eclectic lounges chairs.
Sun 2 Feb 6.30pm Eric McCusker (Mondo Rock) & Gerry Smith’s Well-Oiled Machine in Concert
Eric McCusker is an award-winning iconic songwriter & musician who showcases his incredible guitar & bass skills. Gerry Smith is a Melbourne disabled singer-songwriter whose indomitable spirit & positive energy is an inspiration to all who meet him.
Supported by the 10,000 Gigs Program from Victorian Government through the Community Support Fund & Creative Victoria delivered by Music Victoria.
The Anticlinal Fold ASRC Fundraiser
Duration: 6 December 2024
The Anticlinal Fold is coming back to The Coolroom at the Northern Arts Hotel in Castlemaine on the 6th of December for another big evening of modern yuletide jazz and song, and this time, with another very important ingredient — Christmas spirit. Proceeds from the gig will be donated to the Asylum Seeker’s Resource Centre so come down and join a bunch of local jazz musos in supporting a great cause.
Featuring Jo Huf, Jem Challender, Ben Gibbons, Arron Light and special guests: Gretas Williams, Pip Avent, Thomasina Challender, Mary Challender, Matt Colin and many more …
The Anticlinal Fold is coming back to The Coolroom at the Northern Arts Hotel in Castlemaine on the 6th of December for another big evening of modern yuletide jazz and song, and this time, with another very important ingredient — Christmas spirit. Proceeds from the gig will be donated to the Asylum Seeker’s Resource Centre so come down and join a bunch of local jazz musos in supporting a great cause.
There will be the quartet’s usual complement of swinging standards and their own contemporary Jazz compositions. But the event will pivot around one particular piece of Yuletide genius that has been fascinating them for more than one festive season and that’s the “Carol of the Bells”, written by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in 1914.
The band welcomes back Jo Huf to the fold. Jo is a Castlemaine-based singer and guitarist, and a Brazilian music wiz. Jo has featured in Triple J’s Unearthed and is making an impact everywhere she performs with her virtuosic skill and raw talent. Jem Challender on piano is the Anticlinal Fold’s MD and a past winner of the Australian Songwriters Competition.
The lineup boasts the remarkable talents of Bendigo-based double bassist, Ben Gibbons, known for his time with the folk band The Waifs, and the exceptional jazz drumming virtuoso, Arron Light, whose work with the band Husky has been shortlisted for an ARIA. Plus, there’s a huge list of special guests including violin star Thomasina Challender, tuba virtuoso Pip Avent, crooner and country singer Matt Colin plus many more. Expect some brand new Jazz compositions and some progressive jazz arrangements of the most swinging Christmas songs, and a lot of surprises besides.
Tickets will sell fast so make sure you fold this event into your plans for the silly season.
Tickets $25 Preshow order 2 tickets and bottle of wine $65 [saving of $15]
Tickets can be purchased here: https://events.humanitix.com/taf-asrc
All proceeds to Asylum Seeker’s Resource Centre
if You wish to make a direct donation then you can do so:
The Anticlinal Fold will perform two sets on stage. Doors open from 7pm.
The Coolroom at the Northern Arts Hotel, 359 Barker St Castlemaine
Friday 6 December at 7.30pm.
Links: ————–
Castlemaine Piano Guerrillas
Duration: 21 March-6 April
The Maine Piano Guerrillas are coming to Castlemaine Fringe 2025!
During Castlemaine Fringe 2025 (21 March-6 April), The Coolroom at the Northern Arts Hotel are joining forces with an underground piano movement to put donated upright pianos in prominent locations around town to encourage a new movement targeting the spontaneous mellifluous, mesmerising and melodious machinations of music in public places. The Program see: bit.ly/pianoguerrillas
PIANOS AT LARGE
During the Festival we will perpetuate piano mayhem at six as yet undisclosed locations around Castlemaine led by our very own Pianists at Large.
PIANISTS AT LARGE [PIANO PALS]
Maggie Jackson • Jem Challender• Paul Ryan • Jude Russell •John Meir + you!
MAINE PIANO GUERRILLAS PIANOS AT LARGE LOCATION
- Market Building Front Portico 44 Mostyn St Castlemaine, 24 Hour access outside
Piano: Hapsburg, Hugo Wertheim Melbourne made – nice instrument # 3396. Tuned to 320hz - Senior Citizens Centre Flamin’ Galah Fringe Hub next to Castlemaine Library Open from 3pm each day, Gigs most nights.
Piano: Ronaldi, Berlin Piano [20s-60s] Beale Agents. Tuned to concert pitch 440hz. - Castlemaine Community House through foyer 30 Templeton St Castlemaine, Open 9-3pm Monday to Friday but not Tuesday morn cooking classes.
Piano: Klingmann, Berlin [Honky Tonk] Not being tuned. - The Tap Room, The Mill 9 Walker St Castlemaine, Open from 12 noon 7 days.
Piano: Hans Rose Berlin, #12271, Tuned to 320 Hz. - The Mill Castlemaine Bazaar 9 Walker St Castlemaine Open 9-5pm 7 days .
Piano: Thürmer #35689 Existing in-situ: was workers piano for the Mill when a carpet factory. Tuned. - Northern Arts Hotel 359 Barker St Castlemaine, 24 hour access outside.
Piano: Hugo Wertheim Melbourne Excellent tune near concert pitch. - The Albion Hotel, 152 Duke St Chewton Inside accessible during open hours unless gig on. Thur & Fri 5pm-10pm, Sat 12pm-10pm, Sun 2pm – 6pm
Piano: Yamaha Upright? Tuned to 440 hz. - Maldon Bakery, 51 Main St Maldon Contact: Rebecca Barnett. 24hour access outside.
Piano: Gors & Kallmann Piano Tuned to 312hz - The Bridge Hotel 21 Walker St Castlemaine Open Hours: Wed/Thur/Fri 3pm til late Sat/Sun 1pm til late
Piano: Thalberg Player Piano #8750 Tuned. - Roving depending on need! Will vary! Contact Greg 0408 117 244
Piano: Yamaha Digital, Yamaha Y142R Rosewood. - Mystery Location: Rail Underpass, Corner of Forest and Kennedy St on way to Camp Reserve, 24-hour access
Piano: F Bauer, Hamburg #18812 total honky tony untuned, possibly untunable, but great echo!
MAINE PIANO GUERRILLAS LAUNCH CONCERT
Friday 21 March at 7.30pm, with a launch of a piano music fundraising concert at The Coolroom Northern Arts Hotel.
PIANOS AT LARGE GRAND FINALE CONCERT
Sunday 6 April at 6pm, end with a public perfectly played grand piano Concert at The Coolroom Northern Arts Hotel.
MUSIC GROUP OR CHOIR – JOIN IN!
Are you a community musician, choir, or small group that would love to be part of our planned and or spontaneous program? Get in touch as we want to program some weekend and mid week gatherings.
Contact Helen 0431 747 504 or mainepianoguerrillas@gmail.com
https://bit.ly/pianoguerrillas
ABOUT THE PIANO PALS
PIANISTS AT LARGE [PIANO PALS]
Maggie Jackson:
Our patron and well known local jazz pianist who can be seen playing piano and many local events including with her NY Jazz Trio, At Arcare for the residents and families, for the IWD Concert, at the Castlemaine Secondary College where she plays for students., Castlemaine Jazz Festival and more. Maggie enthusiastically joined us on this journey as great lover of the piano. Her baby grand Steinway and Maggie have had a 30 year love affair.
Jem Challender:
Jem plays with a variety of other musicians around Castlemaine and is a passionate Jazz pianist. He is the leader pianist and songwriter and inspiration behind the Jazz group The Anticlinal Fold, He has presented many concerts at The Coolroom , raised money for Asylum Seekers Resource Centre, presented our 2024 Christmas Concert involving his three children, Thomasina, violinist and Castlemaine Secondary College Musician of the Year, Mary another talented violinist, and his youngest is Albertine, who recently commenced her piano journey and is already showing promise.
Paul Ryan:
Paul started this journey for our group leading conversation about the need to save pianos been given away and put them to good use and proposed project to put them on our street and so The Maine Piano Guerrillas was born and now we have the Fringe project. Paul is also pianist who is presenting a unique show during Fringe with a colleague Victor O Circumstance where they use digital piano, and recorded sounds and projections to explore original poems and musical landscapes based on a range of related themes, traversing fanciful, poignant and sometimes surreal spaces of imagination.
Jude Russell:
Jude says ‘I would dearly love to take advantage of using these pianos in the street. I’m wondering if you could give me more info on their locations so that I may consider my accessibility to them beforehand. I’m highly qualified as a classical pianist, have had a major career in jazz but these days I prefer to freely improvise from the heart and I can imagine in this situation taking inspiration from surrounding environment and people. I’m an Australian Art Orchestra Alumni and these days am mostly involved with their events and their affiliation with Castlemaine-based Punctum.’
John Meir:
John is well known local jazz musician both on guitar and piano and leads the local group John and The Meircats. [more to come!]
The Coolroom supported by Music Victoria
Duration: 2024-2025
10,000 Gigs: The Victorian Gig Fund
We are very pleased to announce that The Coolroom has received a grant under the 10,000 Gigs: The Victorian Gig Fund which will support 20 gigs over the next nine months in the The Coolroom. s over the next few months we have already announced that will recieve this support includes Jesse Lawrance Music, Sally Ford and the Idiomatics, Hetty Kate Trio, Peter and the Wolves, and lots more to come.
The first round of 10,000 Gigs: The Victorian Gig Fund will fund 144 venues to stage paid gigs by local artists. Venues awarded grants include iconic Melbourne venues such as The Tote, The Jazzlab, Mamma Chen’s and Laundry, regional venues like Ballarat’s Volta, Barwon Heads Hotel and Theatre Royal, Taproom and The Coolroom in Castlemaine, along with suburban venues including Narre Warren’s District 14.
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Best Regional Venue/ Presenter (Over 50 Gigs).
We are also very pleased to announce we have been short listed for Music Victoria 2024 Awards Nominee: Best Regional Venue/ Presenter (Over 50 Gigs). This nomination is recognition, we believe, for the tireless work our venue has done to create a program that connects our regional audience with the best in small venue acts possible in our active listening venue.
We have embraced music from a range of genres from jazz to experimental, from country to blues, world music and singer songwriter, nurturing both local talent and some of the best of Melbourne and touring acts from elsewhere, whilst providing a venue for new work, album launches and regular income for musicians.
To Thank The Room
Duration: January 2025
Saturday 18 January 2.30pm, 7.30pm and Sunday 19 January 6pm.
Bookings: events.humanitix.com/thanktheroom-25
TO THANK THE ROOM
Winner Best Melbourne Documentary at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival 2024.
‘So few films try to capture everyday life… I enjoyed it so much. Just beautiful‘ – John Flaus – Australian screen and broadcasting legend.
Before there was the Northern Arts Hotel there was the Brooklyn Arts Hotel. A film about transition and change.
Maggie Fooke set up the 10 room Brooklyn Arts Hotel in downtown Fitzroy as a guest accommodation for ‘artists and lovers of the arts of all kinds – including conversation, activism and philosophy’ to stay, when visiting Melbourne.It was rather a well-kept secret, but Maggie and Brooklyn clocked up 25,000 guests stays over 13 years of operation – many of those return visits. In late 2019, Maggie emailed her regulars that she had reached the decision to sell the building and close the hotel. And that there would be a film. Join in and help me document Brooklyn’s last 100 days, she wrote. TO THANK THE ROOM is that film:
Documenting the courageous and compelling Maggie Fooke, along with her soft-voiced housekeeper Helen MacKay and Maggie’s feisty also-arts-focussed daughter Aphrodite through the final days of this beloved and ‘quirky’ institution. Maggie joins others in filming ad hoc, engages guests in conversation and the filmmaking process and we the audience are alongside her intimately as she, in her original wild way, is determined – at any cost – to enjoy and share her creation to the last drop.
Length: 77 minutes. 20m Q&A post-film.
Feature Documentary
Directed By Belinda Lloyd.
Featuring: Maggie Fooke, Helen Mackay, Aphrodite Feros-Fooke, and Bajjah [the dog]
Executive Producer: Maggie Fooke, Editor: Larry Lawson Original Score By Emily-Rose Sarkov
A KIND WORLD FILMS PRODUCTION
Saturday 18 January 2.30pm, 7.30pm and Sunday 19 January 6pm.
World Music at The Coolroom
Duration: August-November 2024
FRIDAY, SATURDAY SHOWS AT 7.30PM | SUNDAY AT 6PM
| Sat 3 August | Italian Songs: Kavisha Mazzella Trio Kavisha Mazzella, celebrates her Italian heritage with heartfelt songs and beautifully engaging stories. |
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| Sat 17 August | Bossa Nova: Anticlinal Fold & Jo Huf Celebrating Brazil with Jo Huf’s beautiful voice and deep understanding of the bossa nova |
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| Sat 24 August | Langue de Chat: French Musette French Musette with chanteuse voice, cajoling guitar, earthy double bass and of course, piano accordion |
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| Fri 6 September | Indigenous Music: Yirrmal Yirrmal Marika is a young dynamic singer from Yirrkala in Eastern Arnhem Land, |
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| Sat 7 September | Ms Onur Kurt & DJ Laqman Transport yourself to a night filled with a mix of classical and Anatolian Psychedelic remixes |
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| Fri 13 September | Namrock House: Solomon Islander Reggae Jimi’s Solomon Islander band Namrock House is based in Bacchus Marsh makes its way to Castlemaine. |
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| Sat 21 September | Trudy Fatnowna Edgeley With a rich Yidinji ancestry, Trudy Fatnowna Edgeley blends soul, gospel, work-song and tribal rhythms |
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| Fri 11 October | Raziel Gutiérrez Soto Duo with Julian Harrison Mexican Australian Now a local, Raziel Soto brings to us his unique Aztec sounds and guitar styling |
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| Sun 20 October | Miguel Rios | 6pm Rooted in Australia, Miguel Rios has strong connections to his Mexican and Native American heritage. |
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| Fri 15 November | Thieving Magpies: Balkan Gypsy Thieving Magpies bring us fiery folk music from the Balkans, Scandinavia, Ireland, Scotland & England |
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| Sat 16 November | Kavisha Mazzella & Charles Maimarosia Solomon Islander, Charles Maimarosia collaborating with multicultural musician, Kavisha Mazzella |
THE COOLROOM AT NORTHERN ARTS HOTEL | 359 BARKER ST CASTLEMAINE | NORTHERNARTSHOTEL@GMAIL.COM TICKETS: HUMANITIX
Castlemaine Jazz Festival – Live at The Coolroom
Duration: 8-9 June 2024
Castlemaine Jazz Festival once again comes to The Coolroom at the Northern Arts Hotel. We are just one venue with 38 bands performing in the 6 venues – Theatre Royal, Castlemaine Bowling Club, Phee Broadway Theatre, Coolroom at the Northern Arts Hotel and this year two nights at the Boomtown Winery.
You can wander from venue to venue at your leisure and enjoy some beautiful Jazz this Kings birthday weekend (June), or you can stay at just one! The Program at The Coolroom at the Northern Arts Hotel includes some current favourites and some new to the venue.
Saturday 8 June | 12-10pm
12.00noon Steamboat Whistlers [T]
1.20 pm The Django Fretts [T]
2.40pm Rebecca Barnard [T]
4.00pm TMT (Tamara Murphy Trio) [C]
5.20pm Meg Corson & Cam Scott [M]
6.40pm Nigel Maclean [C]
8.00pm Hargreaves Jazz Quartet [M]
9.20pm Stat [C]
Sunday 9 June | 12-8pm
12noon Ben Nieuwkerk’s Strange Awakening [C]
1.20pm The Anticlinal Fold [C]
2.40pm The Bird Conference [C]
4.00pm Kind Of Blue Trio [M]
5.20pm. The Clunk Orchestra [F] [cancelled]
6.40pm Maggie Jackson NYJazz Trio [M]
[T] TRADITIONAL [C] CONTEMPORARY [M] MAINSTREAM [F] FUSION
Tickets for the weekend are available from castlemainejazzfestival.com.au
