Big Band Festival 2008

Over Four Days of Big Band Music, ten venues and over 150 performers.
CPIT Jazz School, Octagon, James Hay Theatre, Fat Eddies & Other Central City Venues

For the second year the Big Band Festival will feature some of the very best Big Bands in New Zealand including Auckland's Queen City Big Band, West Coast Jazz, the Dunedin City Jazz Orchestra, Sideline Swing, the Mainland Big Band and the Garden City Big Band.

Festival Program

Tuesday 29 July - Thursday 31 July
9am - 3pm JAZZQUEST Majestic Theatre
Three days of competition for secondary school jazz bands and musicians will culminate in a concert on the Thursday night where these young talents can showcase their music. Organised by the CPIT Jazz School. Entry by donation.

Wednesday 30 July
7.00pm THE OCTAGON BIG BAND CABARET.  A wonderful meal and a complete evening of entertainment at the Octagon  on Manchester Street.
Reservations essential Ph 03 3666171

Thursday 31 July
7.30pm JAZZQUEST SHOWCASE CONCERT Majestic Theatre. Tickets $10 Waged, $5 unwaged from the CPIT Jazz School Ph 03 9408063

Friday 1 August
1.10pm - 1.50pm LUNCHTIME CONCERT Great Hall Arts Centre
The Garden City Big Band with sixteen of Christchurch's big band jazz musicians led by Stu Buchanan will perform a selection of big band charts.
Tickets $10 Adults, $8 Seniors, $6 Students from the Arts Centre.

5.30pm - 6.30pm AFTER WORK CONCERT in the Doug Caldwell Auditorium.
The CPIT Jazz Band conducted by Scot Taitoko. This recently-formed big band is comprised mostly of students from the CPIT and the University of Canterbury.
Tickets $10 waged $5 unwaged from the CPIT Jazz School Ph 03 9408063

8pm - 12 midnight THE STAR BIG BAND BALL at the Richmond Club.
Five Big Bands from New Zealand and one from Australia will provide plenty of dancing music for this "Ball of the Year".
Entry will be ticket only and the price includes a light supper.
Tickets $25 are available from Music Works in Colombo Street next to South City or you can order online by contacting us here.

Saturday 2 August
9.30am WORKSHOPS at the CPIT Jazz School
Tickets $15 from the CPIT Jazz School Ph 03 9408063 or you can order online by contacting us here.

1. MAKE SWING YOUR THING A vocal workshop with Denise Harris. Denise, a superb jazz vocalist and vocal educator, is an expat Wellingtonian who has been living in Australia for some years.

2. WRITE A BIG BAND CHART IN 15 MINUTES with Gwyn Reynolds. Gwyn, a tutor with the Jazz School, has an extensive knowledge to share with composers and arrangers.

3. IMPROV WITH STU BUCHANAN & CALDER PRESCOTT ON PIANO. The combined teaching careers of Stu and Calder extend more than one hundred years. What better way to start improvisation than with these two great musicians.

4. DRUM CLINIC with Ted Meager Jazz School tutor. Ted has experience in a variety of percussion styles and is a master drummer.

2pm - 4pm BIG BAND JAZZ AT LARCOMB VINEYARD
Enjoy the great selection of wines and relax in wonderful vineyard while the Sideline Swing entertain.
For bookings phone Larcomb Vineyard 03 3478909.

1pm - 2pm CONCERT AT THE GALLERY - the Christchurch Art Gallery.
The Queen City Big Band from Auckland will perform a free concert.

1pm - 5.45pm BIG BANDS GO TO TOWN Boaters in the Christchurch Town Hall.
An afternoon of Big Band entertainment where a selection of Big Bands will play and some of the best musical instruments and accessories will be on display. Entry by donation.

8pm 1593 COAST RADIO PRESENTS OL' BLUE EYES. James Hay Theatre Christchurch Town Hall.
Come Fly Away with Max Miller and his 16 piece Australasian All Star Big Band when they present Sinatra's Tenth Anniversary Concert, with special guests, jazz ensemble Paul Gibens' Decahedron and vocalist Denise Harris.
Tickets $45 adults, $40 seniors and students from Ticketek Ph 03 3778899 or you can order online through Ticketek. Transaction fees apply.

Sunday 3 August
9.30am WORKSHOP at the CPIT Jazz School
Tickets $15 from the CPIT Jazz School Ph 03 9408063 or you can order online by contacting us here.

1. BIG BAND WORKSHOP.

2. Jazz And Big Band History an illustrated talk with Neill Pickard founder of the CPIT Jazz School.

12.00 Midday BIG BAND BRUNCH at the Crowne Plaza. Wine and dine in luxury while listening to the Dunedin City Jazz Orchestra.
Bookings essential contact Crowne Plaza Ph 03 3657799

2pm BIG BAND CONCERT James Hay Theatre Christchurch Town Hall
A concert featuring five of the Big Band Festival bands.
Tickets $15 Adults $12 seniors and students from Ticketek Ph 03 3778899 or you can order online through Ticketek. Transaction fees apply.

7pm SUNDAY JAZZ SERVICE Christchurch Cathedral. The Mainland Big Band will perform as part of this evening service.

7.30pm BIG BAND JAM. Wind Down at Fat Eddies
A jam with some of the top players from the Big Band scene.

Monday 4 August
1pm SPECIAL JAZZ CONCERT CPIT Jazz School Concert
With the Ian Edwards Group. Well known to Christchurch we welcome Ian back for this special concert.
Tickets $10 waged $5 unwaged from CPIT Jazz School Ph 03 9408063

www.bigband.co.nz/festival08