New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra

For the fourth successive year the New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra will perform in concert at the Expressions Arts and Entertainment Centre. This concert will be the first in a short North Island concert tour being undertaken by the orchestra.

Selected by a New Zealand wide audition, this exceptionally talented group of musicians including vocalists represents the best of New Zealand’s young jazz musicians.

The orchestra’s programme will feature a wide selection of big band jazz material in traditional and contemporary styles. As demonstrated in past years, the concert promises to be a great evening’s entertainment for the whole family.

This year the orchestra will be under the musical direction of internationally renowned American jazz drummer, percussionist, clinician, author, and educator, Steve Houghton. Steve initially received acclaim at age twenty as the drummer with Woody Herman’s Young Thundering Herd. Since then he has shared stage and studio with luminaries Gary Burton, Clay Jenkins, Shelley Berg, Toots Thielemans, Christian McBride, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Freddy Hubbard, Lyle Mays, Billy Childs, Rosemary Clooney, Peggy Lee, Arturo Sandoval, Joe Henderson, Karrin Allyson and Maureen Mc Govern. Steve is currently Professor of Percussion and Jazz at Indiana University.

Despite the youthful nature of these musicians, previous overseas musical directors have always rated them highly and the equal if not better than their contemporaries in the United States, the home of jazz. Over the years the NZYJO has produced a significant number of New Zealand’s leading jazz musicians. Come and enjoy a wonderful evening of jazz

Event listed by Expressions Arts & Entertainment Centre

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