Dorothy – 01/06/01
What do we look for in an Arts Festival? We want variety in the programme and the chance to see new artists as well as relive artistic works we have been familiar with in the past.
Christchurch Arts Festival 2001 offers a diverse and exciting programme to Festival audiences.
Guy Boyce, Festival Director, says that he sees as important continuing the Festival tradition of exploring the diversity of New Zealand arts, mixing innovative and challenging new work with established popular programmes. He has aimed to couple the legacy of past success and audiences’ expectations with his own ‘view beyond the plain’ and place work developed within Canterbury alongside the very best national and international work.
In the next four issues of NZine I shall be presenting a section of the Festival programme each week with some information about some of the artists involved.
- Week 1 Jazz and Cabaret
- Week 2 Opera, Instrumental and Choral Music
- Week 3 Drama and the Spoken Word – poetry and debate
- Week 4 Dance, Crafts and the Visual Arts
Important information about booking for the Festival or contacting the Festival office is at the end of this article.
JAZZ AND CABARET The Telecom Jazz & Cabaret Season will offer Jazz and Cabaret every evening for the duration of the Festival.
The venue in itself will be a key attraction. It’s different. A European-style carnival tent based on the famous and much loved Dans Paleis and Spiegeltent will be specially built for the Festival. Don’t be misled when you hear it described as a tent or even a Wooden Tent. Far from what most of envisage as a tent it will be lavishly equipped with wooden walls, bevelled mirrors, and stained glass. The pavilion is designed with audience comfort as a prime concern and it will have excellent catering facilities.
Where will the Telecom Pavilion be? That is another of the exciting aspects of the venue. The Pavilion will be built in Victoria Square in the heart of the city. This means that it will be really close to the Town Hall, the James Hay Theatre, and the Festival Repertory Theatre, and only a short walk away from the Arts Centre and the Theatre Royal.
Programme times Art for lunch performances July 21, 22, 28, 29. 12.10 pm – 1pm
From 6-7pm each evening there is the FREE Cool Heat Series which features the best of young local talent.
At 8pm top New Zealand and international players perform.
At 10pm jazz and cabaret artists are featured.
This means that you can visit the Telecom Pavilion before and after attending other Festival shows.
Highlights of the season
THE LARS MOLLER GROUP Denmark August 3 – 5, 8pm These players have been hailed as the best jazz musicians to have come out of Denmark. Lars Moller b 1966 Lars Moller himself is a tenor saxophone player who has played and recorded with leading American and European artists such as NHOP, Jimmy Cobb, Billy Hart, Hermeto Pascoals and John Abercrombie, and released six CDs including Kaleidoscope which was awarded a Danish GRAMMY in 2000 for the best Jazz-CD in Denmark. Among other awards he has won the JASA Award 2000 given by the Danish Jazz Media Society. For several years he studied Indian music and a special quality of his music is the incorporation of both Nordic themes and East Indian rhythms. John Kotow in The Barfly in 2000 commented: "Lars Moller’s tenor saxophone was astounding: it is swinging, ebullient, a rich full tone, and amazingly articulate. Technically and creatively his playing is masterful with delicate rubato and he can negotiate the fastest tempos effortlessly." The group Kaleidoscope was described in Jazz Special in 1998 as "a beautiful and clarified CD filled with integrity… A team of musicians that have an almost telepathic relation." Jacob Christoffersen, piano and keyboards b 1967 He has played with many outstanding musicians, has recorded more than 50 albums, leads his own band Jacob Christoffersen – JazzXperience and has won significant awards and been nominated for the JASA Award. Thomas Ovesen, bass b. 1965 He has recorded more than 80 CDs, performed in more than 27 countries, played with many well-known musicians, won awards and been nominated for the JASA Award. Ole Theill, tabla and drums b. 1956 He has recorded more than 100 records, played with some well-known musicians, written music for TV and for the United Nations video against war (2000).
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MIKE NOCK New Zealand/Australia July 31, August 1, 2, 8pm Mike, a New Zealander, pianist and composer, will perform with Australian Brett Hirst on bass. Mike Nock spent twenty-five years in the United States working with artists including: Dionne Warwick, Coleman Hawkins and Art Blakey, before returning to Australia, where he is artistic director for Naxos/Jazz records. His recent CD releases as leader are Not We But One, Ozboppin and The Waiting Game and he can be heard on the New York Jazz Collective latest Everybody wants to go to Heaven. His group The Fourth Way has regrouped after a 30 year hiatus and were featured at the recent San Francisco Jazz Festival. When Mike Nock played a solo concert in Christchurch in November 1999 The Press reviewer wrote, &His playing was sublime. A supreme sense of rhythmic invention underpinned the performance."
THE RONNIE SCOTT LEGACY QUARTET UK July 18 – 20, 8pm This group is the core of the group who accompanied the late Ronnie Scott at his legendary club in Soho, London. They are currently on tour to celebrate the club’s 40th Birthday. John Critchinson and Pat Crumly have won great praise for their music and their presentation at many concerts they have played to celebrate the spirit and music of Ronnie Scott. The Quartet John Critchinson, pianist, is a true Cockney, but in his formative years he lived near Bath. Then in 1978 he moved to London, and joined Ronnie Scott’s Quartet in 1979 and remained there until it ceased work in 1995. For the last three years John has been Musical Director of the Young Jazz Musician of the Year TV series. Pat Crumly, saxophonist and flautist, began playing in the University scene in Oxford, but turned professional in 1978 forming his band Edge. During the 1980s and early 90s Pat also worked extensively in the Rhythm and Blues field. In 1987 he took his jazz-fusion group, Strata, to Cuba and also made several appearances at Ronnie Scott’s Club in London. He appeared regularly there after that with his Quartet, usually opposite a Cuban band. Ronnie Scott regarded Pat as one of his favourite saxophonists – “A true Jazz Musician.” Tim Wells, double bass, born in Baltimore, USA, has been playing double bass professionally since he was eighteen. After graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree he worked freelance, went to Europe and toured extensively with many major European and American bands and solo artists. Moving to London in 1989 he formed his own Quartet and worked with many fine American and European jazz musicians. Mark Fletcher, drums, born in Coventry, studied with Max Abrams. and has been playing drums for twenty eight years. He has worked with many British and American jazz musicians, such as Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Harry Edison, Mark Murphy, Kenny Wheeler, Tim Garland, Art Theman and the Ronnie Scott Quartet.
DENYS BAPTISTE UK July 27 – 29, 8pm This tenor sax player is one of the talented new generation who are giving a whole new meaning to acoustic jazz. He is one of the most distinguished graduates of Gary Crosby’s Jazz Warriors academy. In 1999 Baptiste was announced Best Jazz Act in the UK and his album Be Where You Are was nominated for both the Mercury Music prize and MOBO awards.
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| Jens Thomas |
JENS THOMAS Germany July 24, 25, 26 8pm This inspirational award-winning twenty nine year old pianist from Hanover has been described as the shooting star of the German jazz scene. At the end of 2000 he received several prestigious jazz awards, and was labelled by an eminent critic as ‘the Jimi Hendrix of the Grand Piano’. Thomas’s interpretation of the famous film music composed by Italian Ennio Morricone earned him praise by the master himself. "Jens handles my original material in a very imaginative way."
GERARD MASTERS TRIO New Zealand/Australia July 27, 28 1pm This trio of New Zealanders will play a blend of original compositions and jazz favourites. Gerard Masters, b 1977, began studying piano, violin and voice at age ten. In 1995, Gerard went to study jazz piano with Doug Caldwell at the Christchurch Polytechnic Jazz School and became very active in the local jazz scene and took part in many local and national gigs, including a tour with the New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra in 1996. From 1997 – 98 he was a member of the New Zealand National Youth Choir. After completing a Diploma in Jazz Studies, Gerard moved to Sydney, Australia and began studies with Mike Nock at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He has now completed a Bachelor of Music from Sydney University. Richard Pickard, b 1978, studied the piano and violin while at school. At Burnside High School he took up the electric bass and began studying with Brett Hirst. In 1995 he began studies at the Christchurch Jazz School and turned his focus to double bass. He completed his Diploma in Jazz Studies in 1999. He has played at many music festivals around New Zealand and has now firmly established himself as Christchurch’s first call jazz bass player. Daniel Kennedy b 1978 studied snare drum and classical percussion at the Christchurch School of Instrumental Music (now C.S.M). In 1994 he began tuition in jazz and rock drumming and in 1995 began studies at the Christchurch Jazz School and received lessons from renowned Christchurch jazz drummer Ted Meager. He completed his diploma in jazz studies in 1999 and is currently working as a freelance musician around New Zealand.
CABARET MIKA’S TRIBAL HOLLYWOOD New Zealand July 18 – 20, 10pm New Zealand’s true master of Cabaret is back with a show that leaves everybody aware that rules are made to be broken and that this Maori isn’t like the picture on your Auntie’s postcard. Tribal Hollywood This cabaret show combines all the performing arts. The score combines original songs and new arrangements of classics by Mika and Gareth Farr. The choreography merges Maori dance with the rhythms and patterns of diverse popular dance forms, including breaking, locking, funk/jazz and Filmi (Indian movie dance). The spoken word includes narrative, improvised banter and stand-up comedy. This work revives the true purpose of cabaret – to be both entertaining and thought provoking! The show passes through three phases:
MANIC OPERA July 21 – 23, 8pm Fiona Moir, Jan Calthrop and Anahera Higgins Manic Opera, described as "New Zealand’s Andrews sisters on Acid", entertain with their third comic, a’cappella show, Right Up Your Alley, Madam! The members of the group, one Scot, one Pom and a Maori bring their own cultural backgrounds and diverse experiences together in a rare combination of skill, smut and vocal slapstick. The Waikato Times described them as having "tongues from the gutter" but being able to "sing like angels". Right Up Your Alley, Madam! was funded by a Creative New Zealand grant and is written entirely from audience suggestions made over the past five years.
For a programme giving information about other artists, prices, and a booking form Phone 0800 ARTS 01 (0800 278 701) Email admin@chchartsfestival.org.nz Fax 03 365 5569
