City gears up for another music-filled jazz festival

By MARK RAYNER, Aug. 15, 2014, 4 a.m.
The 24th Dubbo Jazz Festival will get under way this afternoon and one of the first acts to hit the stage at Club Dubbo will be local band the Footwarmers.

Made up of veteran musicians from across the region, the Footwarmers are inextricably linked to the festival because they formed in 2003 to be part of it.

They were involved in every festival until 2012 but after a brief absence, they are back and looking forward to entertaining the crowds.

"We formed the band in 2003 to play at this festival and other events but everyone involved has been playing for longer than that," drummer Ross Tighe said.

"I'm very interested to see the line up for this year's festival. There are a couple of bands that are coming with big wraps and that is always exciting. I'm looking forward to seeing the Fedoras, Moochers Inc and Greg Bumbleton. I haven't seen them before."

Ross was heavily involved in the organisation of the event when it established itself as one of the biggest jazz events in NSW and he was hopeful the event would return to similar heights.

"I was the secretary for 15 years and the coordinator for 12. The festival rose to great heights and at it's peak it was rated in the top three on the eastern seaboard," he said.

"The new organisers are getting in and having a go and that's really good to see. I wish them every success with it."


The Footwarmers is made up of Tighe, his brother Terry who plays the tenor and soprano saxophones, Stan Kenton on the double bass, Bruce Johnson playing the trumpet, John Pike working the clarinet and Steve Jewell and Jim Mills sharing duties on the piano for the weekend.
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