University Of Auckland Brings Jazz Great To Town

12 April, 2002

University Of Auckland Brings Jazz Great To Auckland

American jazz piano legend Andy Jaffe is visiting New Zealand this month, giving two public lectures and a concert at The University of Auckland.

Jaffe, who is Artist-in-Residence and Director of Jazz Performance at Williams College in Massachusetts has written over 100 jazz and other compositions and authored one of the most influential text books on jazz theory.

He will be in Auckland for three weeks as Visiting Lecturer in Jazz in the University's School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCAPA).

During this time he will be working primarily with students in the jazz major of SCAPA's new Bachelor of Performing Arts degree, offered for the first time this year.

He will also give two public lectures - Duke Ellington: Jazz Composer on Thursday April 18 and John Coltrane: Worlds of Music on Tuesday May 7, and a public concert Sunday May 5.

Head of SCAPA, Alan Smythe says Jaffe's visit is a great coup for the University.

"We make a big effort to expose our students to the best international academics and performers in creative and performing arts whenever possible.

"Having Andy Jaffe here and working intensively with our jazz students for three weeks is a fantastic opportunity for them. They'll have a chance to learn from and observe one of today's most prominent and influential jazz musicians and composers.

"It's also a great opportunity for the public to hear him lecture on two outstanding jazz figures of the past, of whom he is a scholar, and perform a solo concert, which jazz-fans won't want to miss," he says.

Jaffe has been a jazz educator for over 25 years, having taught in a range of institutions in America and Europe. As well as directing the jazz programme at Williams College, he is currently Director of the Williams Jazz Ensemble.

He is the author of "Jazz Theory", republished in 1996 by Advance Music as "Jazz Harmony", now one of the most influential and widely used jazz theory textbooks.

He has contributed to the Grove's Dictionary of Jazz and the International Association of Jazz Educators' Research Papers.

As well as being a top jazz academic, Jaffe is also an acclaimed performer, having recorded extensively with Playscape Recordings. He has performed with jazz greats such as Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Bill Lowe, Wallace Roney and Tom McClung.

Jaffe has twice won fellowships in music composition from the Artists Foundation, and is a member of the College Music Society, the American Federation of Musicians and the National Association of Music Publishers.

Andy Jaffe's two public lectures on April 18 and May 7 will be held at the Kenneth Myers Centre, 74 Shortland St, from 7-8:30pm. Tickets costs $10 and can be purchased through he University of Auckland's Centre for Continuing Education, ph. (09) 373 7593 ext 7831 or 7832.

The concert on May 5 will be held in the School of Music Theatre, 6 Symonds St from 4-7pm. Individual tickets are $15, families $25, and students are free. To book, contact Alison Booth, ph. (09) 373 7599ext 2546.

Ends

© Scoop Media