The winners of the 2009 National Jazz Writing Competition were announced this week. the competition this year focused on the essay form. Entries were received from all over Australia and winners are from three Australian states: New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.
Entries reflected the breadth of interpretations possible for the term ‘essay’ and ranged from referenced pieces to writing that could also be classified as creative non-fiction. All had something interesting to say about some aspect of jazz and improvised music.
First Prize The Fearless Note by Andrew Lindsay
Second Prize The Certainty of Risk by Peter Mitchell
Third Prize The Scene… Sydney, way back then by Paul Pax Andrews
Editor’s Choice Award Facing the music - the critic under review by Roger Mitchell
Second and third prize-winning essays by Peter Mitchell and Paul Pax Andrews will be published in Issue 4 of extempore in May 2010. Pieces by Andrew Lindsay (First Prize) and Roger Mitchell (Editor’s Choice Award) appear in Issue 3, published 1 November 2009.
As the convenor of the National Jazz Writing Competition, I would like to thank all who submitted entries. We’ll be publishing a number of them in future issues. The competition has been a great way to unearth writing talent!
A big thanks to Birdland Records who support us year after year after year.
And an especially big thanks to our judges, Professor Catherine Cole and Gerry Koster (ABC Classic FM Jazz Up Late)
Miriam
Entries for this year’s National Jazz Writing Competition are officially open so it’s time to get writing! 
