The International Music Forum began in June 1989 as a single page jazz newsletter photocopied….and distributed to music shops in Auckland New Zealand. The first issue was a review of a concert featuring LA based New Zealand jazz pianist Alan Broadbent. In 1990 the highlight of the year was an issue with reviews of Stephan Grappelli and Trevor Watts Moire Music ….both having live concerts in Auckland!!!
From 1992 to 1996 the newsletter went international with sponsorship from the Finnish Music Information Centre.
In 1999 with the purchase of my first computer the newsletter went from hard copy to email. This was a major period of growth going up to 70 subscribers.
This was an exciting time with live reviews of local concerts, and recordings sent for review from overseas. I reviewed both the Carlo Actis Dato band, and Bruce Springsteen’s E Street band when they did concerts in Auckland
From 2008 due to changing jobs and health issues output and subscribers declined.
In 2023 I went to England ,Europe, and America….where I was able to meet my penfriends of many years…Cyrille and Simonia in Belguim, Roberto Magris and Nadja in Trieste Italy, then meeting Paul Cheneour in Dover.
I was delighted to watch The Roberto Magris Trio live at the Trieste Jazz Festival, and Paul Cheneour’s Zen Bicycle band at the Dover Wine Bar.’
Thanks to Cyrille, I am entering a new era of the music website.
Geoffrey Totton, August 2024
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