With national treasures like Errol Buddle - who played on a continuing basis with the greats including Billie Holiday and Dave Brubeck and Miles Davis - MI continues to astonish the world in the quality of its community events.

This year's memorial Jazz Party, dedicated to the memory of Island jazzman Max Brown, will, over two days and three nights, feature over 35 musicians and 10 bands presenting the cream of Australian and New Zealand Jazz.

The party begins on Friday evening (October 18) with a Mayoral Reception followed by a poolside concert featuring the teachers and students from the JazzCraft series of Master Classes that will immediately precede the festival (see pg 2 last issue).

Concerts on Saturday and Sunday from 1pm-6pm, each featuring five groups, will also be poolside.

As with the Party's tradition, things are expected to get hot on Saturday evening with a two-set concert and Big Jam Session from 8.30pm until late at the International's Cleveland Room. Sunday evening's Wind-up Party will be back around the pool.

Top billing for the festival goes to Errol Buddle. Arguably Australia's most experienced international jazz musician, Errol was the first Australian jazz musician to work continuously with top American Jazz players. He has worked and toured with Billie Holliday, Dave Brubeck and Miles Davis and has been a feature player with Henry Mancini and the Daly-Wilson Big Band.

Other stars include guitarist, Doug De Vries, the fabulous trumpet of American jazz master John Hoffman - who liked Australia so much he moved here - vocalist, Malcolm McNeill and pianist, composer and educator Phil Broadhurst, bassist Greg Lyon and percussionist, Andrew Dickeson.

Tickets can be purchased from: Magnetic Jazz Assoc. Inc (47 785 918), Magnetic Travel, Townsville Community Music Centre and Sunferries' terminals.

Ticket Prices are: $32 for a weekend pass, $20 for a one day and night, $16 for a day only pass and $8 for a night only pass. Group bookings are also available (min 8) for $28 each for a weekend pass.

For more program details visit http://www.cichappell.com/jazzparty/