International Jazz Stars deliver workshop for Big Band Directors in Brisbane

In partnership with renowned US organisation Jazz at Lincoln Center, Brisbane’s Jazz Music Institute are bringing out international jazz performers and educators Vincent Gardner, lead trombonist of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Reginald Thomas, Head of Jazz Studies at Northern Illinois University

Essentially Ellington is a program designed by Jazz at Lincoln Center to make Duke Ellington’s music accessible to as many high school musicians as possible and to support the development of their schools’ music programs.  It is unique among educational resources for high school jazz bands.

The Essentially Ellington Down Under Teachers Conference is designed to assist high school and community big band directors in interpreting and conducting big band music and methods of teaching the fundamentals of swing and improvisation to young students.

Leading these workshops will be, Chicago-born Vincent Gardner is a trombonist, composer, and bandleader with four albums under the SteepleChase record label. He’s the lead trombonist for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Gardner also performs often with his brother, trumpeter Derrick Gardner and his ensemble, The Jazz Prophets.

Gardner has worked with The Count Basie Orchestra, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Illinois Jacquet, The Saturday Night Live Band, Lauryn Hill, Matchbox 20, Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, and others.

Reginald (Reggie) Thomas can be seen fronting his own groups (Mardra/Reggie Thomas Ensemble; OGD) on both piano and Hammond organ and as a sideman with great artists including Hamiett Blueit, Ann Hampton Callaway, and the Carl Allen/Rodney Whitaker Ensemble. Reggie has been awarded the Excellence in the Arts award from the Greater St. Louis Arts and Education Council and was named in the Riverfront Times 2005 Best of St. Louis issue as Best Jazz Artist.

He is a consultant/clinician for Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Essentially Ellington Down Under Teachers Conference.

Registrations  please visit http://jazz.qld.edu.au/ee or  contact Jazz Music Institute at play@jazz.qld.edu.au or phone (07) 3216 1110.

Essentially Ellington Down Under Teachers Conference, 8-9 August 2015 at Marist College Ashgrove.

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