Locals’ wish for more jazz comes true

Local jazz legend Sandy Evans entertained Northern Beaches crowds this spring as part of the Sydney International Women’s Jazz Fest (SIMA).
With over 60 artists performing from around the world, SIMA took place from 24 October to 3 November across seven venues.
“It was absolutely brilliant, locals loved it,” Sandy told Keeping News Local. “The venue was full and people were so enthusiastic. People were asking for more of this type of music. Locals don’t want to travel too far to listen to diverse types of music”.
Recently, the Northern Beaches council has been spearheading a drive to bring back the local jazz music scene.
“The Northern Beaches is an interesting area because there’s so many great musicians that live here but they perform less commercial music. We don't get a lot of opportunities to perform locally with our type of music, “ said Sandy who grew up in Freshwater.
For Hyphenated Sounds, which took place at Manly Art Gallery, Sandy teamed up with Noriko Tadano, an award-winning shamisen virtuoso and traditional Japanese vocalist who has appeared at festivals and concert halls worldwide.
Fusing their musical worlds, Noriko’s modern and ancient sounds blended traditional music and frenetic rhythms with rock, jazz, and blues to create a dynamic sound world with groove.
“It was really special. Noriko is a phenomenal performer. Her energy was amazing and people were really moved by it.” Sandy, one of Australia’s most revered jazz saxophonists, composers, and improvisers, was honoured to be part of the duo. With more than 40 years of experience, she’s proud of the increase in women in the jazz industry over the last 10-15 years.
“The Northern Beaches is such a beautiful part of the world. I love the beach, walking and appreciating the beautiful part of world we live in. It’s a great inspiration for me. The environment has always been important to us, but we’re realising now that connecting our music to the
environment is helping bring attention,” said Sandy.