Albury will host a five-day jam session when hundreds of music lovers arrive this week.
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Described as the world's longest-running annual jazz event, the convention began in 1946 and continues to put participants first and foremost.
"We really like jazz bands to come and enjoy it and the general public to come and enjoy it, but it's structured around musicians' needs rather than performing for the public," convention organiser and musician Chris Gildersleeve said.
With delegates coming from Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, Sydney, NSW, Victoria, South Australia and even Europe, the convention becomes an annual catch-up among friends.
"It's people who know each other and been playing with each other for years and in some cases people who get to know each other at the convention and start playing together," Gildersleeve said.
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His own group Post Office Band evolved out of a past convention.
"We knew each other, but we'd never actually played together, we were just having a jam session and it clicked so well," he said.
"People in the band come from Bendigo, Canberra, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, so we don't normally get to play together except when we get to a convention."
Program highlights include a street parade that begins from St Matthew's Church Albury on Friday at 10.30am and a free but ticketed public concert at Commercial Club Albury that evening.
Convention venues are Commercial Club, Albury Brewhouse, The Albury Club, Atura Albury, The Bended Elbow, Beer DeLuxe and the Circuit Sports Cafe, which will also host late night jams.
More details at 2019jazzconvention.org.au, with session passes also for sale.
"It's also a huge bonus for our local businesses to have so many people in our city during a time of the year when we traditionally don't host major events," he said.