Blue Smoke (The Tannery) - Our Chisnallwood Jazz band kicks off a fantastic afternoon of music for a good cause.
Fundraiser Big Band Extravaganza ConcertVenue: Blue Smoke @ The Tannery
Sunday August 27th
Bands are playing from 12.20-5.30pm
12.20 Chisnallwood Intermediate Big Band
12.50 All Girl Big Band
1.40 River City Jazzmen
2.30 Garden City Big Band
3.20 Rangi Ruru Big Band
3.50 Ellesmere Big Band
4.40 Sideline Swing
Come and join us for a Big Band Extravaganza on 27 August where we are raising funds to support the Rodger Fox Big Band in their effort to get to the Monterey Jazz Festival in September. Rodger continually supports jazz all around NZ, and major centres around NZ are all helping with fundraising for this major trip.
The Christchurch Extravaganza is being held on Sunday 27 August at Blue Smoke in The Tannery at 3 Garlands Rd from 12.20pm right through to 5.30pm. The following bands will feature in a fantastic afternoon of big band jazz.
Entry will be by a minimum of a $10 donation (but more happily accepted for this good cause!) and there will be food and drink available for purchase at the bar.
Please spread the word amongst all your friends and family - it will be a wonderful afternoon and your support will be so appreciated
Below is some information about the invitation the Band has received:
The Rodger Fox Big BandBand has been asked to perform at the 60th Monterey Jazz Festival in the US in September.
Festival organisers have recognised the pre-eminent status of the big band and invited them to join the line-up in its milestone anniversary year. Musical Director Rodger Fox is delighted with the unexpected invitation -it reflects the overseas reputation he and his players have achieved over the 40 years the band has been running.
In rolling out the red carpet, CEO of the festival, Tim Jackson, says "It's a great honour to invite New Zealand's acclaimed big band" to join the line-up in a milestone year.This festival is renowned as one of the world's pre-eminent longest consecutively running jazz festivals, which makes the invitation to Rodger Fox particularly special.
Their programmes for the festival will include performances with US blues guitar master Chris Cain and a featured programme of New Zealand music.In addition to the Monterey Jazz Festival invitation, Rodger has arranged performances on the West Coast of America and a recording session at the acclaimed United Studios in Los Angeles. United is where top artists such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Harry Connick and Diana Krall recorded many of their celebrated albums.
Rodger's 20-musician big band is comprised of Wellington's leading young talent, including Lauren Ellis - drums, Ben Hunt - Trumpet, Eilish Wilson - saxophone and Oscar Laven - Saxophone are all seem around Wellington in bands such as the Richter City Rebels and the Mingus Ensemble.
This is an opportunity of a lifetime for Rodger and all of the musicians. However with these opportunities come significant financial challenges.The Rodger Fox big band is a not-for-profit society, and the total tour budget is set at a minimum of $128,000, which the big band has had only four months to raise.
By Judith Bell
