Steeped in the history and tradition of jazz performance, Margie Lou Dyer admits she's a little astonished by next week's online festival in Wangaratta.
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"I can't quite get my head around it," she said.
"It's strange to be virtual because playing live is everything."
However the singer and regular at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues remains grateful the event's 30th edition can go ahead at all given the havoc COVID-19 restrictions have wreaked on the music industry.
"I think Wangaratta's a fantastic testament to those people who put together a festival and bring it to a different audience," she said.
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The seven-day digital program begins on Monday, October 26 and includes footage from the 2016 memorial concert to Dyer's partner in music and life, the late Allan Browne.
Dyer remembers that occasion as hard but beautiful.
"I just went there with a degree of great grief and joy at once because it was wonderful for Allan and I know how loved and respected he is in the music world," she said.
"Jazz musicians are generally a wonderful collection of people, they're very generous, they're happy to play, they want to play and they're very supportive.
"So I'm lucky to be part of that great group of people."
Go to wangarattajazz.com for the festival program and bookings.