Many people were wringing their hands last year over the future of the jazz festival: I wasn't one of them.

The National Jazz Festival has, throughout the fifty years it has been running, been in a constant state of evolution. It has been a small festival at the town hall, a huge festival at the race course, a smaller festival at Bureta Park, many things over the years. Size doesn't matter. What's important is musicians playing and audiences enjoying their music. And, despite the ructions after last year's festival, no one could deny one thing – there was a pile of great music and a whole bunch of people enjoying it.

New direction

This year's festival got running a little later than in recent years. There wasn't a big pre-Christmas push as we've become used to. But the new regime, under the capable watch of new Festival Director Becks Chambers (by the way, the festival's first-ever woman director) has refined and refocused the event's direction and has returned to working within a philosophy, one that seems well suited for the National Jazz Festival: showcasing the Best Kiwi Jazz in the World.

And when I popped into the festival office last week – now located at the Historic Village where much music and good cheer will be on offer over the Sunday and Monday of Easter – it seemed that things were well in place for another splendid bash this year.

Most importantly, and the question I most wanted to ask, is how are ticket sales going? The answer is actually very well. There's been an online advertising push over the last few weeks and the Baycourt concerts have really started to sell fast. I'm told that a lot of the sales are to visitors which is nothing but a good thing for Tauranga but does pose the possibility that locals might miss out on shows. With only three weeks to go it's probably time to make some decisions.

I've been trying to do that but, in all seriousness, I'm kinda conflicted as I'd like to go to pretty much everything that's on at Easter.

Top of the list is, of course, Nathan Haines. After some years of moving in a more dance-floor direction Nathan's new album, The Poet's Embrace, released at the end of last year, saw a return to his jazz roots and puts his extraordinary tenor sax playing - which first brought him international acclaim - front and centre.

Upbeat variety

But it's not just the big stuff that's attractive, though for people who like a good jazz tune the opening and closing concerts, tributes to, respectively, Sinatra-style swing and Ella Fitzgerald, will be right up their alley. There are some really interesting acts in the Jazz Café (Baycourt's Exhibition Hall) and also down at the Trinity Wharf where ace pianist Phil Broadhurst is leading a series of concerts.

And some of the Jazz Café gigs come with added extras. Richard Adams and Nigel Gavin, both Nairobi Trio alumni who were last in town at the Art Gallery, are not only playing a concert but are conducting two workshops, one for Youth Band Competition participants and one on Friday afternoon for anybody. They explore techniques for improvisation and these guys are about the best musical improvisers you could hope to hear.

Also in the Jazz Café is sensational flautist Miho Wada, who will blow many a mind, jazz piano from Kevin Field and his band, and an evening of blues from Mike Garner and Kokomo, combining for what they call The Downhome Blues Revue. There's also a concert to accompany the awarding of the 2013 Tui Award for Best Jazz Album where Whirimako Black, Nathan Haines and Jennifer Zea will all play.

I suggest you grab a programme from Baycourt or check it out on-line at www.jazz.org.nz.

And, before I go, a quick heads-up. I'll be writing about this next week but, in case there's a rush on tickets in the meantime, R&B purveyors Brilleaux are doing two acoustic gigs at Driver's Bar on 23 and 24 March. The shows will include a three course meal and a support set from blues guitarist Ian Goodsman. They're a fund-raiser for the band's upcoming tour of England and tickets are available from Driver's.

More to come on that...