Preparations are continuing for the 2013 Nelson Youth Jazz Competition. The date is Sunday 30 June, the venue is the Boathouse at 326 Wakefield Quay.
We are privileged this year to have Scott Taitoko, from Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology Jazz School, coming up to be one of the judges. Scott, a leading NZ trombonist and CPIT Jazz School tutor is a talented and accomplished trombonist in a wide variety of genres. His reputation has made him the player of choice for numerous ensembles around New Zealand and overseas. He has also worked around the world as a musical director, arranger and trombonist on board cruise ships for four years, and has worked with many popular local and international artists like Diana Krall, Patrick Swayze, James Morrison, Bill Cunliffe, Scott Hartman, Bobby Shew, Don Burrows, Gordon Brisker, The Adults (Julia Deans, Shayne Carter & Jon Toogood), Holly Smith, Salmonella Dub, Whirimako Black, Ruia Aperahama and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. He plays in Oval Office – a regular band at the Nelson Jazz Festival.
The other judges are our very own Liam Ryan and Annabel Boyes. Liam is well known in Nelson, as the co-organiser (with his wife Amanda) of the Nelson Jazz Festival, as the keyboard player in MINT, and as a tutor in the Nelson Marlboro Institute Technology Music Programme. Annabel is also well known in Nelson as a performer. She plays saxophone for Freewheelin – one of our local jazz bands, and is also lead tenor saxophone for the Nelson Jazz Club Big Band. The mother of three school age children, she is well versed in the trials and tribulations of encouraging Jazz among youthful performers!
We have a busy day lined up:
10:30 – 12:00
Scott will be holding an improvisational masterclass, open to all. Free to students and Jazz Club members, gold coin donation for others. Participants are encouraged to bring their own instrument, and singers are welcome. We will be working on a couple of tunes that the Big Band will perform later in the evening (see below) and we hope some of the students in the competition will be able to join in the performance. Please come along – this is a great opportunity to work with an accomplished Jazz musician.
12:00 – 6:00
Competition. With more than $1000 in prize money, and trophies up for grabs, the competition will be an opportunity to hear some of the great upcoming talent in the Nelson region.
7:30 – 9:00
The Nelson Jazz Club Big Band will perform, featuring Scott Taitoko. Scott will also be playing with a small combo featuring some of Nelsons best Jazz players. We hope that students will join the Big Band in the last few numbers, showing off their talents and new skills picked up earlier in the day at the improvisational masterclass.
Keep an eye on the website for further updates, but in the meantime – put the 30 June in your diary. This is an event not to be missed – a fantastic day of Jazz with some of Nelson and New Zealand’s finest musicians.
Dave North
NJC President
