Festival year 1996
31st festival offered music from July 12th to July 21st. Growth in ticket sales was 3% with 71 500 tickets sold and altogether the festival attracted more than 120 000 people.
In a study conducted by Taloustutkimus Oy comparing Finnish music festivals Pori Jazz was rated as number one. Among other things the rating criteria included the images people had of music festivals and the special features of the festivals (including the repertoire and atmosphere).
On the 18 stages located at 13 venues there were 120 concerts of which 40 were free of charge. 708 musicians performed in Pori during the festival – there were 92 groups of which 35 were Finnish. 70% of music was rated as pure jazz and the rest as other rhythm music (blues, rock, pop, R&B, soul, ethno).The soul and blues artists were especially attractive.
Pori Jazz 66 Association chose Tapani Rinne as the artist of the year.
