Mike Hallam - Moruya Jazz Festival's Patron
* * * A Tribute * * *

Mike Hallam's participation in the Moruya Jazz Festival came throughe initiative of the late John Fearnley. Back in the Mid-Seventies, Mike, already a renowned Dixieland jazz trumpeter in Sydney, and long-time leader of the popular 'Harbour City Six', sought out drummer, John Fearnley, and invited him to join Mike's new band, 'The Hot Six'.

In the early Seventies Hallam's band played each week at 'Soup Plus', a restaurant and popular jazz recital venue, located down the bottom of George Street, Sydney. Mike also played with the Ray Price Quintet, an outfit in much demand to play at Sydney venues in the Seventies, including the Sydney Jazz Club. Later in the Seventies Mike's new Band 'The Hot Six' outfit, received an invitation to play at the famous Marble Bar, located in the palatial Sydney Hilton Hotel on Saturday evenings.

At that time the band also had a regular gig on Wednesday evenings at Red Ned's Wine Bar, Chatswood. The gig at the Marble Bar lasted some eight years, thereby cementing a firm friendship between Mike Hallam and John Fearnley. In the ensuing years Mike participated regularly in Australian and overseas Jazz festivals, as well as practising as a civil engineer.

Mike Hallam's recently formed 'All Stars' band, as well as another popular Sydney jazz band lead by Lloyd Haberfield called 'The New Wolverines' were the headliners for Moruya's First Jazz Festival, held the second week in October, 1997.

Following the success of that first Festival, Mike Hallam's band continued to return to Moruya in successive years. In recognition of that strong support from Mike, the newly elected committee, formed to organise the Festival for 2000, invited Mike Hallam to become our Patron. This accolade was an acknowledgment by the Committee of Mike Hallam's continuing efforts to persuade Sydney musicians of quality and variety to participate with him in our Festival each October.

We look forward to the return of Mike Hallam and his 'Trad Jazz' players at the MJF for 2007, and take this opportunity to pay tribute to him for his support and encouragement of the Moruya Jazz Festival.

Belmore Basin Jazz Band &
Mike Hallam's Dixieland Allstars