Festival year 1974

In February 1974 the Pori Jazz 66 Association asked local athletic clubs and other associations to make offers as to the cost for which they’d be willing to take care of the security services and clean up the concert venues along with the camping area. This caused a bit of a stirr when political associations made it clear that if they weren’t given the contract, they’d make sure the town wouldn’t be all that eager to develop the Pori Big Band. Pori Jazz decided to be non-political and independent even though politicians have tried interfering the festival every now and then.

The city of Pori decided to build a permanent bridge and also a stage in Kirjurinluoto. This was a great relief for the festival organization because now the audience didn’t have to use a narrow pontoon bridge and the organizers didn’t have to build disposable stages every year.

The festival started on July 12th and closed on 14th. Concerts were given by Gary Burton Quintet, Woody Herman Orchestra and Sonny Stitt, Idrees Sulieman & Kenny Drew just to mention some of the artists performing at Pori Jazz 74.

A local rock group also played a few gigs. “For quite awhile now Elonkorjuu has been one of the most prominent rock group of our country so it was truly justified that the free concert starting at 10 am on Saturday morning consisted of their spicy music.” (Satakunnan Kansa on July 17th, 1974)