Now in its fourth year, Jazz and Koalas is a charity event run by Brisbane-based Body and Soul Music and Events, under the stewardship of vocalist, Sandra Beynon.
Held at Sandi’s Bar in Horseshoe Bay, the event features a range of performers playing jazz and other genres across a 6 hour program from 1pm to 7pm on Saturday 13th August, 2022.
“We donate our time to make this event happen each year, and what better cause than the preservation of the koala,” said Beynon.
The Australian government in March 2022 officially listed thekoala as endangered after a decline in its numbers due to land clearing and catastrophic bushfires shrinking its habitat.
Magnetic Island hosts one of the healthiest populations of koala, currently around 800, thanks in no small part to the efforts of local vet, Alison Bee, who runs the Magnetic Island Koala Hospital.
“We are proud to be helping preserve a healthy population of koala on the island. This population may indeed one day form the basis of re-population schemes on the mainland,” said Dr Bee.
The event features Koala Trivia, educational information, raffles, merchandise and great music by professionals and amateurs from in and outside the region.
“As well as raising awareness and funds for conservation and rescue operations for the koala hospital, we encourage patrons to contact their local MP with a petition to support Recovery Plans for all koala populations in Australia,” said Ms Beynon.
Entry is by polymer note donation at the door.
Booking a table is strongly advised due to the popularity of this event.
Contact the venue directoy on info@sandis.com.au or phone 4758 1673.
Congratulations to Sandra Beynon for pulling off another Jazz and Koalas event at Sandi’s on Magnetic Island last Sunday 22nd August 2021.
The event was a sellout and judging by the frivolity of the patrons, a much-needed diversion from the constant threats of lockdown, cancellations and general confusion about where we are all headed.
Joined by island local, Andrew Djaski, on trumpet, and Townsville guitarist, Jeremy Hawker, plus the very competent Graham Ross on drums, the music spilled out over 4 hours.
After a special set by some music students, Sandra Beynon took to the stage with a set of tunes made famous by Ella Fitzgerald.
Later, Sandra would get the crowd swinging to some samba tunes with a full set of bossanova made famous by Astrud Gilberto.
Of course, the idea of the event is to raise money for the Magnetic Island Koala Hospital and lots of raffle tickets and donations later, just over $1000 was handed over to Dr Ali Bee, local vet and woman behind the koala hospital on the island.
“There’s a constant need for donations to help us feed the injured and sick koalas which come into our care. We’re extremely grateful to Sandra for putting this event on for the third time. It was a great day to raise awareness of the need to treasure this precious creature, wherever we might be in Australia,” said Dr Bee.
Murmurs abound as to whether the event will re-brand to enable the inclusion of other music genres. Perhaps next year’s event will be “Jam for Koalas” or “Groovin’ the Koalas” or even Rockin’ the Wildilfe”.
Sandra Beynon is a Brisbane-based vocalist and event organiser with Body and Soul Music and Events, and also My Chilli Festival.
It’s happening again! Magnetic Island’s favourite jazz event is taking place on Sunday 22nd August 2021 at the beautiful foreshore location of Horseshoe Bay at Sandi’s Bar.
The event was conceived by Body and Soul Music and Events’ CEO Sandra Beynon, to fill in some time while on holiday with London-based jazz singer, Trudy Kerr.
It raises money for the island’s koala hospital, hence the title of the event.
“We need all the money we can get to help care for our little special friends on the island. Cars, illness and accidents mean they are brought into my vet clinic and we rely on donations and sponsorships to help us continue our work in returning them to good health where possible, and then releasing them into the wild once they are ready,” said Ali Bee of Magnetic Island Koala Hospital.
With international travel still not happening, regular Trudy Kerr won’t be able to fly in for some tropical fun, but long-time friend and festival organiser, Sandra Beynon, will be keeping her spot on the stage warm until better times come again.
Sandra is one of Australia’s most versatile singers, covering rock, country, pop, as well as jazz.
Having just appeared at Warwick’s Jumpers and Jazz in July Festival on 18th August, Sandra will again sing her Ella and Astrud Tribute repertoire.
Sandra will be accompanied by Townsville guitarist, Jeremy Hawker, who also teaches.
The inimitable Andrew Djaski will feature on flugelhorn and vocals, and his colleague and fellow island-dweller, Graham Morris, will be on the drums.
Look forward to meeting some up-and-coming players as Jeremy Hawker’s Guitar Studio students will take to the stage to strut their stuff.
“Entry is by donation – so make that a gold coin or a lovely bouncy polymer note – we’re grateful for anything,” said Ms Beynon.
No need to book – just swing by and enjoy the vibe and help out a good cause while you’re ther
Jazz and Koalas organiser Sandra Beynon with Trudy Kerr, and Ali Bee of Magnetic Island Koala Hospital.
Two of Queensland’s most versatile musicians, Sandra Beynon and Sean Mullen, put together a great little show as part of the Jumpers n Jazz Festival in July 2021, this Sunday 18th July 2021.
Hosted by The Coffee Club Warwick, vocalist Sandra Beynon sang two sets of tunes made famous by Ella Fitzgerald and two further sets of tunes made famous by Brazilian singer, Astrud Gilberto.
Sandra Beynon and Sean Mullen perform the great tunes as performed by Ella Fitzgerald and Astrud Gilberto.
Sean Mullen’s prowess on his beautiful Canadian Godin acoustic-electric guitar is more than evident in this show. Sandra fills out the vibe with her percussion, moving from brushes on a conga head, plus some lovely tingles on the Zildjan ride, some wonderful work on the shaker, the claves, and a maraccas.
The Jumpers n Jazz in July Festival celebrates all things woolly and jazzy, and is one of Queensland’s quirkiest festivals.
This year, the main street of Warwick played host to dozens of show cars as well which made for some great photos.
To book the Astrud & Ella Show featuring Sandra Beynon and Sean Mullen, contact them here.
It was very sad to read that the Beenleigh Show had been cancelled in 2020. We all know how much people look forward to their regional agricultural show.
But there’s still Chillogan – Logan’s own chilli festival – to look forward to this November 14 and 15, 2020.
Yes, we’re bucking the trend and GROWING, because we believe everyone wants to celebrate what’s still worth celebrating. Freedom, space to move, families and fun.
Yes, we have a Covid-Safe plan in line with State Government guidelines for events between 500-10000 patrons!
The Logan River Parklands at Beenleigh is our venue for 2020, and we love this place so much, we hope we have found the permanent home for Chillogan.
Lots of room for the kids to run around, different areas to enjoy a variety of activities and our “Sani-Elves” will be roaming the festival offering sani-gel to help keep your hands nice and clean.
Prices:
Adults $10 Concessions $8 Kids Free (14 and under). Online ticket purchasing reduces contact points on the day and means you swish past the gates with ease. No cash will be accepted at the gate.
Visit the Facebook event page and stay in the loop as we plan in the months ahead.
Chillogan chilli eating challenges
If competing in chilli challenges is your thing, then head on over to our Challenge page, or straight to the ticketing site to get one of the few challenge spots! Due to social-distancing requirements, we now have only 5 places per challenge instead of 10.
Like many musicians and artists, my livelihood was annihilated once venues were closed. About $7000 worth of bookings just gone up in smoke. And we all know how hard it is to secure bookings in the first place – just sheer determination, terrier-like commitment to following-up inquiries, negotiating fees etc. So, it’s just heartbreaking to have this happen to an already struggling industry and its cohort of gig-hungry musicians in a venue-starved environment
So few good gigs, so few well-paying gigs, so many great musicians not playing as much as they should be, and then there’s the young musicians just struggling to make a start, with stars in their eyes, and nobody willing to pay them more than a bowl of nachos in some cases.
We are an industry already on the brink of extinction. So will post-COVID19 be better, or worse? Will it be a nice ride, or a heavy incline back up to where we were before.
The website I Lost My Gig has collated the massive cost of lost gigs during COVID19 – it’s already gone past a staggering $340 million!
i believe that unscrupulous venues will use COVID19 as an excuse to pay musicians even less than the paltry fees they were already earning. ‘We lost so much money, we can’t afford to pay musicians much until we get back on our feet,” that’s the kind of discussion I fear may happen once venues open up again.
Reputable, large and gambling-based venues will hopefully maintain their high standards when it comes to paying musicians – venues like Twin Towns Resorts, Kedron-Wavell Services Club and the likes. Great clubs, great supporters of live music and giving back to the community. Great clubs where Body and Soul Duo, Trio and Missy Vader and the Dark Force have enjoyed being on stage, treated professionally and paid properly.
Queensland’s premier duo specialising In functions and anything else that needs great music!
Brisbane-based 4 piece band kicking arse with 70s and 80s classic rock.
It’s the smaller, less financial and/or less reputable and more exploitative venues that I worry about. The venues that already host nights where 5 bands play for $5 entry and young, vulnerable and naive musicians get paid in drinks and, maybe, the said bowl of nachos. Will it devolve to “pay to play”, openly and without any pretence of wages of any kind?
We all know that these venues will need live music to bring back the “zing” after the desolation we have encountered with lockdown. But just how much will they be prepared to pay for that “zing”. Will they have any budget for the zing? Or will the musicians again become the whipping-boy/girl for an ailing hospitality industry?
Am I being too hopeful to believe that the arts will be more appreciated after the extended closure of venues; will people more keenly appreciate music and what it brought to their lives, or will venues continue with the solo artist playing in the back corner of the back bar, being dwarfed by screens and relegated to “background noise” in a crowded bar?
As someone who cut their musical teeth in a 7 piece band in the 80s, I’d dearly like to see that same opportunity extended to the young, emerging artists and bands today. And that they be paid! Can we switch off the big screens and focus on the artists? Can we pay them a decent hourly rate and appreciate how much joy they (usually) bring to an audience?
My hope and prayer for our troubled industry is that each musician stand their ground and refuse to swallow the “we can’t afford to pay you” line if it comes their way. For in doing so, we stand together and can hopefully improve the music industry from the struggling thing that it has been, to a new, freshly-blossomed industry that has learned to appreciate its water before the well runs dry.
I wish all venues the best of luck in picking up the pieces after the enforced closures, and that they can grow from the experience.
I wish all musicians good luck in re-establishing themselves in the industry, and in holding their ground when it comes to pay and conditions.
Now is a time for a fresh start. Let’s not waste it.
Who said the end of the year was about being worn out and jaded after slogging it out for the boss?
On Saturday 30th November, popular club musicians Body and Soul Trio featuring Sandra Beynon (vocals) Sean Mullen (guitar) and Phil J (percussion) will be pumping out the dance grooves in the Bravo Bar once again. This band has the best cross-genre and intergenerational repertoire of any band in SEQ, and you won’t be disappointed by what you hear.
Come on! Dust off your glad rags and welcome in the silly season at Diggers.
Our second iteration of Chillogan Festival is just around the corner on November 16th at Meadowbrook Golf Club.
Enjoy the head at Chillogan Festival
As a sole event manager, our CEO Sandra Beynon of Body and Soul Australia – Events and Entertainment – takes pride in knowing I don’t need a committee to get things across the line. “Death by Committee” is definitely not something Sandra wants to know about.
So, when you see the PR pumping out in the last weeks before the festival, spare a thought for all the behind-the-scenes work that gets done, probably 18 hours of every day.
Social media posts don’t happen by themselves, and a lot of thought, time and creative writing goes into making posts that will hopefully excite viewers and elicit a ticket-buying response or at least a commitment to attend on the day. It takes time, focus and a lot of energy to ensure that supporters and stakeholders are recognised. Here is just a sample of who’s involved at Chillogan 2019.
Logan-based charity YFS
This year’s festival is supporting Logan-based charity YFS which provides essential services to so many in the Logan area who are marginalised, disadvantaged of struggling to cope in a variety of ways.
Viking Breed Social Motorcycle Club, headed by Mark “Rabbit” Pritchard, president of Brisbane/Ipswich Chapter, will again be lending their support to fundraising on the day through their “Viking for a Day” pillion ride auctions, as well as helping Miss Chillogan raise money through the “Hug a Chilli” fun promotion throughout the day. Raffle tickets will also be sold.
Viking Breed Social Motorcycle Club
Live entertainment on the day is by Sean Mullen who is an international-standard artist with a penchant for Joe Satriani’shttp://www.thesatrianitribute.com.au immensely difficult music. His show will astound listeners and be a great backdrop to the sunset at Meadowbrook Golf Club.
Young jazz outfit, Philip John Trio, will be setting some great grooves and Lobeau, the Logan-Beaudesert Country Music Club’s five piece band, will open the festivities with some great country rock vibes.
Phil North heads up Burning Bites Down Under
Phil North of Burning Bites Down Under will this year be co-hosting some of the 6 chilli challenges set to entertain the audience throughout the festival.
Rob Donn heads up Australian Extreme Chilli Condiments
Stalwarts like Australian Extreme Chilli Condiments’ Rob Dunn will be in Hellfire Alley to show off their huge range of award-winning artisan sauces and rubs.
Firing Line Gourmet Chillis is undoubtedly one of South-East Queensland’s best proponents of low-slow meat cooking and smoking. Don’t miss their stall as they sell out fast!
If it’s a little Mexican food you’re after, word is that Juan at the Carlos Tacos stall may have some much-loved Jalapeno Poppers on offer throughout the day. These little food items are in high demand so hot-foot it over to their stall.
If honey is your thing, go and visit the Australian Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award finalist Natasha Roebig and husband Jason at the Bee All Natural Honey stall. So many yummy ways to eat honey and even a diabolically hot 3 Stings chilli honey for the very, very brave (and you need to sign a waiver!).
Tash and Jason Roebig with daughter Miranda
There’s so much more to see and do than we can tell you here, so head on over to the Facebook event page and stay in the loop and have all the latest info at your fingertips.
