Sadly, after 10 years involvement, I have parted ways with the Tauranga National Jazz Festival.
The Tauranga Jazz Society Festival Committee have expressed that they wish to contract the size of the festival and present only middle of the road jazz acts. This is not my vision for the now internationally recognised festival for which I have been artistic caretaker for the last 5 years.
Through your column I would like to thank the many Tauranga musicians and volunteers, some of whom are my personal friends, who have helped stage the last 5 festivals which I have been involved in as both a Director (in 2008) and Artistic Director ( 2009 to 2012). It is a matter of some concern to me that the perceived failure of the 2012 jazz festival has been personalised and that I and the Festival Director have been held solely responsible in much of your press coverage in the last two months. All decisions taken by the festival team were signed off by the Tauranga Jazz Society Festival Committee.
The responsibility for both the successes and occasional failures in the festival fortunes over the last 50 years now rests squarely with them. Thanks for the great music and memories. I wish the festival every success as it moves forward.

Liam Ryan, Nelson.