Jazz School Comes Home

Jazz School Comes Home

CPIT’s Jazz School is back in its building and staff and students are celebrating this Monday, 1 to 2pm, with the first ‘One O’Clock Monday’ concert since the February earthquake.

A stellar band of talented CPIT tutors, all regularly seen in gigs around town, will launch into their favourite jazz standards to get the series off to a flying restart. The collaboration, Gwyn Reynolds on saxophone, Cameron Pearce on trumpet, Darren Pickering on piano, Michael Storey on bass and Andy Keegan on drums, are keen to re-establish the lunchtime concerts says Programme Leader Cameron Pearce.

“One O’Clock Mondays has been running for four years so it would a shame if it didn’t continue. It’s a big part of what we do at Jazz School, getting people into our building and showcasing great music by our tutors, our students and local musicians. We used to have people who would come every week so we hope to see them back here again.”

The CPIT Jazz School had a couple of relocations following the February earthquake, but all of the programmes continued, which Cameron says is a credit to the attitude and flexibility of the school’s staff and students. While there was virtually no structural damage to the Jazz School building, its location on High Street meant it remained within the emergency cordon. Term one was spent at St Michael’s Church and the Celebration Centre; for term two the Jazz School moved in with the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art (NASDA) on the Madras St campus.

“It was brilliant,” Cameron said. “Although it was challenging because we went down from 25 rooms at the Jazz School to three at NASDA, but we were incredibly grateful to NASDA for sharing their space with us.”

Now back in their specialist facilities, the Jazz School is looking forward to many more One O’Clock Mondays including Jazz School drummer Ted Meager on 5 September and veteran Christchurch musician Doug Caldwell on 12 September.

ENDS