Acrpost: A Project of the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres

Event Description

Two jazz greats with celebrated BC/US musicians will grace the stage at the 12th annual Jazz Affair hosted by Friends of Nanaimo Jazz Society May 25th at the Coast Bastion in Nanaimo.

Trumpet player Terell Stafford and pianist Harold Mabern will headline the evening. Stafford has performed with such groups as the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Alumni Band, Benny Golson’s Sextet and McCoy Tyner’s Sextet. He is also a member of the Grammy-winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Stafford is the Director of Jazz Studies and Chair of Instrumental Studies at Temple University, founder and bandleader of the Terell Stafford Quintet and Managing and Artistic Director of the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia. Stafford is renowned in the jazz world as an educator, performer, and leader and has received countless award nominations and accolades.

Mabern taught himself piano and fell under the spell of pianist Phineas Newborn Jr., an influence that would shape and linger with Mabern for the rest of his life. He has worked with Lionel Hampton, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Forrest and Freddie Hubbard. In recent years, Mabern has toured and recorded extensively with his former student tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander. To date, they have appeared on over twenty albums together. A longtime faculty member at William Paterson University since 1981, Mabern is also a frequent instructor at the Stanford Jazz Workshop.

In addition to Stafford and Mabern, top talent tenor saxophonist Cory Weeds, bassist Michael Glynn, and drummer Julian MacDonough are on the roster. Nanaimo’s ten-piece Decadence Jazz Band will also be on hand to entertain the crowd along with award-winning School District 68 students.

Friends of Nanaimo Jazz Society has been hosting Jazz Affair since 2006. It is their main fundraising event with proceeds going to support Jazz music education in School District 68. Funds raised go towards post-secondary scholarships, clinics with visiting professional musicians and help for students to attend music festivals. Scholarships have also been given to elementary music students in recent years.

Tickets for the evening are $65 and are available through the Port Theatre box office at (250) 754-8550, 125 Front St. Tickets include a delicious buffet dinner: Round tables of 10 seats. Tables of 8 to 10 can be reserved by calling Sue 250 616-4838. There will also be a silent auction and raffles. Doors open at 6 pm.

For further information contact Friends of Nanaimo contact Sue or on our website: http://friendsofnanaimojazzsociety.org/