The history of the Jazz Club

In July 2004, the Lismore Jazz Club emerged onto the scene, born from the vibrant energy needed to organize the 60th Australian Jazz Convention.

Lismore was the chosen host city for the December 2005 event, thanks largely to the irrepressible Davey Rankin, who championed the town as the perfect venue.

The club’s first official fundraiser hit the stage in late Spring 2004 at the Lismore RSL Club, nestled behind Heritage Park. Local bands and impromptu jam sessions kicked off a series of gigs across the region. Venues like Lismore City Hall, The Frog and Peach Restaurant in Wyrallah, Ballina Seagulls Club, Lismore Heights Bowls Club, and the Winsome Hotel in North Lismore buzzed with the sweet sounds of jazz. The tireless efforts of musicians and singers, who often played for little more than “beer money,” laid the groundwork for the upcoming Convention.

By April 2005, the Lismore City Bowls Club became the heart of ‘Sunday Arvo Jazz,’ earning its reputation as Lismore’s premier live music venue. The unwavering support from the management, staff, and members of the City Bowlo has been invaluable, making it a beloved spot for both LJC events and performances by broader music and arts communities.

In 2005 and 2006, LJC spiced things up with cabaret nights in the Fountain Room at Lismore City Hall. These Jazz Supper Club events, complete with a licensed bar and BYO finger food policy, featured stars like the legendary Bob Barnard, the George Washingmachine String Band, and ensembles led by Elizabeth Lord, Sharny Russell, and Marilane de Mello.

November 2006 saw the club’s crowning achievement: a grand cabaret concert in the City Hall auditorium. “Opera Does Jazz” fused the classics of Gershwin and Porter with the talents of Opera Australia’s Kate Sheppeard and Juan Jackson, backed by the Jack Thorncraft Trio. With this event, the Lismore Jazz Club had truly come of age.