Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Many will remember that last year I brought some jazz to this place in the form of James Morrison and his jazz academy. What many may not know is that my home town of Mount Gambier is where the academy is based. Mount Gambier is also home to one of the largest jazz festivals in Australia, Generations in Jazz. Thanks to the event and to James Morrison's academy, Mount Gambier is a global jazz hot spot. Forget New Orleans; last weekend Mount Gambier was the place to be for international jazz fans.

Generations in Jazz is so named because not only does it attract jazz legends of today but it also brings together tomorrow's jazz stars. This year's Generations in Jazz saw over 5,000 students from 128 schools converge on Mount Gambier for the weekend. They were joined by globally renowned acts The Cat Empire, James Morrison, Jeff Clayton, Patti Austin, Nasrine Rahmani, and Shannon Barnett. Set in the middle of a paddock, the 6,100 seat big top pavilion hosts the stage band awards, individual jazz and vocal scholarships and the daily concerts from the more established jazz legends. It's the ultimate jazz jam session. On the outskirts of our Blue Lake city the event attracts thousands of people, the majority of whom are performing themselves. It's a unique and spectacular event, something that fills me with pride as a local. The event would not be the success that it is year on year without the hard work and dedication of the organising committee and the hundreds of volunteers that help everything run so smoothly. (Time expired)