IT IS a wonderful world with jazz.
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Shirley Ansell, the oldest jazz musician in Wagga at 87, will again play at this year's Jazz and Blues Festival, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary.
The pianist, who only took up the ivories when she was 33, has been involved in the festival since day dot, as a member of the Riverina Jazz Band and then freelanced, before forming her own band.
"I learnt (piano) when I was going to school but dropped it going into my intermediate years," Mrs Ansell, a devout Louis Armstrong fan, said.
The rest is as predictable as a jazz score is unpredictable.
She was drawn to jazz by her husband John, who formed the Riverina Jazz Band in 1960 after relocating from Cootamundra.
He taught her to play piano and the pair became regulars at jazz festivals across Australia and abroad.
"We'd go anywhere for jazz," she said, adding John once played drums with a band on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
"Living with my husband, he was a band master for 50 years when he died.
"I just liked hearing great jazz.
"It's happy music."
Mrs Ansell later formed her own band so she could perform with her singing daughter.
"I still go to jazz festivals," she said.
"Im the second oldest musician that plays in jazz festivals.
"There's one fellow who beats me by a fortnight."
Mrs Ansell will perform with Two States Jazz Band, featuring Wagga locals and Victorians, and will perform with her daughter and granddaughter at the gospel service.
Wagga Jazz and Blues Festival president Mike McCall hopes the 20th anniversary festival from September 12 to 14 will be the biggest yet.
Previous years have drawn up to 4000 people, with Mr McCall estimating two thirds of those were from Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas.
The festival runs across five venues at the Commercial Club, Romano's and Home Tavern, featuring five headline acts and 45 support bands.
Five bands from three Wagga schools will also play.
"It'll have the biggest variety of music they'll see at one time in Wagga," Mr McCall said.
"I've been saying it's 100 hours of music for $100."
Mr McCall will play bass in the Sydney-based Geoff Power Band.