Visitors eclipsed by local talent US pianist Gerald Clayton and his trio's opening set was a crowd pleaser. Picture: Marc Bongers Source: Supplied MUSIC Wangaratta Festival of Blues & Jazz 2013 Various venues. November 1-3. THE camaraderie of jazz musicians was on display at the 24th Wangaratta Festival, where numerous touching tributes were paid by artists honouring the late saxophonist Bernie McGann. The weekend opened with a poem dedicated to McGann, one of the festival's top-line regulars, read by poet Geoff Page at a Friday night function. This year the overseas headliners were often overshadowed by a superb collection of great Australian players, once again selected by artistic director Adrian Jackson. Most of the best imports - guitarist Peter O'Mara, vocalist Chris McNulty and pianist Barney McAll - were actually born in Australia. US pianist Gerald Clayton and his trio were the openers, playing a program of originals from their album Life Forum. Although Clayton played with advanced technique, the content seldom reached an adventurous or original improvisational level. The easily accessible material was certainly a crowd-pleaser, though. In a later appearance, Clayton generously performed with several groups of Monash University jazz studies students. Another crowd-pleasing headliner was the Netherlands quartet Gatecrash, led by trumpeter Eric Vloeimans, featuring heavy use of electronics on keys and trumpet and rock-inspired drums 'n' bass. Vloeimans looked the total showman in pink trousers, Hawaiian shirt and silver shoes, but it's doubtful if persistent reverb added value to his competent, easy-listening trumpet style. Unusually for a jazz combo, the Mace Francis Nonet has leader and composer Francis out front, this time directing nine fine young Perth musicians, all capable of impressive section playing and soloing. His compositions were interesting and intelligent with something to say, while the voicings, using tenor and alto sax, bass clarinet with trombone and trumpet, were remarkable. Trumpeter Peter Knight's well-established Melbourne group Way Out West has achieved a combination of Asian and African influences with contemporary jazz. Employing a wide range of percussion by maestro Ray Pereira, including the marimba-related balafon, and the multi-stringed, flatbed Japanese koto beautifully integrated by Satsuki Odamura, the group adds the imaginative guitar of Lucas Michailidis to saxophone and trumpet plus double bass and drums. A section featuring koto and double bass brought a rare, exhilarating blend of Asian and European strings. Melbourne saxophonist Julien Wilson appeared in several groups, notably leading a quartet including New York pianist Barney McAll playing pieces from their new album This is Always. When Wilson's tenor sax opened with the title track ballad, the depth of feeling and consummate playing was like a stunning re-creation of US tenor great Coleman Hawkins. With Jonathan Zwartz's perfect bass lines and veteran drummer Allan Browne subtly underpinning, adding McAll's filigree piano, this was a memorable festival moment. Young Sydney quartet the Vampires were joined by New York trombonist Shannon Barnett, further colouring the front line of sax and trumpet, to present numbers from their various recordings, including their latest, Tiro. An electric quartet, Affiliation, was headed by Austrian-based guitarist O'Mara, featuring vibes and keyboards plus drums in attractive mixes with adequate space for all to solo in a smart collection of electronica colorata. Belgian pianist Jef Neve in his third appearance at Wangaratta played solo piano, beginning by strumming the bass strings for a thrumming effect that segued neatly into a florid rendition of the ballad Lush Life, ornamented with dramatic musical flourishes. Neve didn't hit a groove until his third piece, Monk's Avenue, breaking into stride piano for a couple of choruses. Vocalist Josh Kyle, sensitively accompanied by pianist Sam Keevers, performed a program of all-Australian jazz compositions for which Kyle has written lyrics. The 27-year-old singer has a high alto range capable of sustained notes, exacting control and expressive depth. Another high spot involving Wilson came when together with guitarist Stephen Magnusson and celebrated pianist Mike Nock as the trio embarked on their own compositions. A highlight was in Wilson's Rebellious Bird when the three virtuosos, interweaving an abstract narrative, lifted a momentous performance into climactic magic. One of just three vocalists this year was New York-based McNulty, ably backed by guitarist Paul Bollenback and Ugonna Okegwo on acoustic bass. It was a trio with high professional gloss and McNulty delivered various standards in her expressively individual style, using touches of scat interspersed with fine solos from the other two. Prizemoney of $10,000 and a recording contract for first place in the National Jazz Award (piano) went to Joseph O'Connor from Melbourne. Organisers confirmed that attendances were more than 25,000, up from 20,000 last year. An ecstatic late-night session was the Sunday night closer, led by pianist Paul Grabowsky with a stellar line-up of soloists: Jamie Oehlers, Andrew Robson and James Greening as inspired raucous abandon stomped the stage. McGann would have loved it.