Media Release |
www.banffcentre.ca |
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For Immediate Release
May 7, 2004 Dave Douglas, Hugh Fraser, Bill Frisell, Sam Rivers headline Jazz at Banff Legendary jazz musicians will be blowing the roof off The Banff Centre’s Margaret Greenham Theatre every Saturday night from May 15 to June 12 as part of the month-long Jazz at Banff concert series. New York-based trumpet player Dave Douglas, Canadian jazz composer Hugh Fraser, gifted guitarist Bill Frisell, and many other great musicians are in Banff for the Centre’s annual workshops in jazz and creative music, and they’ll be treating fans to a month’s worth of shows in traditional arrangements and improvisational riffs. The series kicks off with a jazz orchestra concert led by Hugh Fraser on May 15, then swings into an orchestra gig headlined by legendary Canadian-born trumpet soloist Kenny Wheeler on May 22. On the 29th, Dave Douglas picks it up with Bill Frisell on guitar, Canadian musicians Mike Murley on saxophone, Brad Turner on trumpet, and New York-based drummer Clarence Penn and James Genus on double bass. Douglas jams with trombonist George Lewis, keyboardist Jason Moran, and Canadian musicians Dylan van der Schyff on drums and Andre Lachance on double bass on June 5, and the series wraps up June 12 with one of the most exhilarating of the free-jazz sax players - Sam Rivers. Weekday jazz junkies can hit The Club, on the lower level of The Banff Centre’s Theatre Complex. On the evenings of May 25 to 28, June 1 to 4, and June 8 to 11, participants in the workshops will be joined by visiting musicians for by-donation impromptu jams, and the music moves to the patio outside the Centre’s Music & Sound building for free al fresco noon-hour gigs on May 26, June 2, and June 9. The Banff Centre’s jazz program was launched in 1974 by Canadian greats Oscar Peterson and Phil Nimmons, who began with a week-long educational program for emerging Canadian jazz artists. In less than three decades, it has grown into a mature, internationally acclaimed program at the leading edge of developments in jazz. Today, Dave Douglas heads up the Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music, while Hugh Fraser directs the annual Jazz Orchestra Workshop. “The difference between the two programs will be reflected in the concerts,” says Janet Amy, who manages Jazz at Banff. “The May 15th and 22nd events will feature both classic and new works for jazz orchestra, while those on May 29th, June 5th and June 12th will feature small ensembles performing original music created during the International Workshop.” Individual tickets for Jazz at Banff concerts are available through the Banff Centre box office at (403) 762-6301 or 1-800-413-8368. Holders of the $75 Banff Summer Arts Festival Arts Lover Pass can get into all jazz events free. --30--
For background information on all visiting musicians, please go to: Media Contact
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