Dior Part Of Big Bill At Bellingen

THE 16th annual Bellingen Jazz and Blues Festival looks set for another successful year.

The festival runs from August 19 to 21 and has confirmed a solid line-up of musicians.

Organisers have secured the Dale Barlow Sextet, Ray Beadle & the Vipers, Allan Browne's Australian Jazz Band, Continental Blues Party, Lily Dior Quintet, David Helfgott, RAAF Air Command Band, the Sandy Evans Trio, Brett & Clare's Dilemma nffeaturing Carol Ralph, the Tony Locke Trio, Neil Levis, Roy Mitchell, Alan Dean and Lily Dior.

Dior's musical life began in Bellingen and has since taken her around the world to performances with Mark Murphy, with whom she studied in New York, and The Manhattan Jazz Quintet, led by the famous arranger Dave Matthews.

A graduate of Jackie Orszaczky's soul/funk academy The Godmothers, known to Sydney audiences for many years, Dior possesses a warm, flexible voice that lends itself easily to the subtle shading of jazz.

She first became involved in radio as a teenager at Bellingen's 2BBB. Her weekly program Voices has enjoyed a dedicated following since it began in 1998.

Since the release of her acclaimed ABC release Invitation , Dior and her band have been in demand for concerts at many of Australia's leading jazz clubs and festivals including Wangaratta, where she came second at the National Jazz Awards in 1998.

In 2001, Dior was a featured artist in The Pulse series on ABC showcasing the finest of Australian contemporary jazz.

In 2002, she performed with the Australian Art Orchestra at the premiere of Sandy Evans' highly- acclaimed production of the life of Charlie Parker, Testimony in the Opera House Concert Hall.

Dior has spent the past two years performing overseas in China, New Zealand, Japan and the UK.

Get tickets at www.bellingenjaz zfestival.com.au or by telephoning 02 th 6655 9345