MEDIA RELEASE

www.banffcentre.ca/music

For Immediate Release
August 3, 2001

The Effortless Mastery of Kenny Werner

Creating music naturally, fluently, and easily is what jazz pianist Kenny Werner is all about. He’s tapped into his own unique method of "effortless mastery", and is at The Banff Centre next week (August 13 – 17) to give a workshop on unblocking creativity to get to a state of uninhibited play.

Kenny Werner will culminate his week at the Centre with a solo jazz piano performance on Friday, August 17 at 8 PM in Rolston Recital Hall at The Banff Centre.

The Effortless Mastery method takes concepts from Eastern philosophy, Christian and Jewish mysticism, and ancient disciplines such as Yoga and Tai Chi in order to demonstrate how to remove creative blocks in our everyday lives.

While having taught the steps described in his book, Effortless Mastery, to individuals for years, Kenny Werner is giving his second workshop on his methods here at The Banff Centre. "Taking the fear out of performance, returning to the seat of inspiration, unlocking the mystical secrets of the musical universe" is how pianist-composer-author Kenny Werner describes the Effortless Mastery program.

Kenny Werner’s career as a pianist began at an early age. At eleven years old, he made his first TV appearances playing stride piano. Upon completion of his high school studies, he went on to earn a Concert Piano Major from the Manhattan School of Music. Being drawn to improvised music, Werner transferred to the Berkley School of Music where he studied jazz and began to find his creative direction.

Today, Kenny Werner is one of the most accomplished and in-demand pianists in the jazz world. His credits include performances with Bob Brookmeyer, John Abercrombie, Lee Konitz, Joe Henderson, John Scofield, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, Charlie Haden and Joe Lovano, to name just a few. He has also made a name for himself as a composer and arranger of music for his own groups as well as for various other ensembles.

Tickets to Kenny Werner’s concert are $15 adults, $10 students and seniors. Call The Banff Centre Box Office for more information: 762-6301.