As JazzTimes‘ Christopher Porter discovered during a recent interview with Dave Douglas, the trumpeter meditates, digs the Zen experience and knows feng shui. So it comes as no surprise to find out that Douglas has accepted the Artist-in-Residence position at the Banff Centre, a Canadian learning center that sits peacefully at the foot of majestic Banff Mountain, away from the hustle and bustle of a city.
The Banff Centre is an institution dedicated to the arts, leadership development and mountain culture. Douglas will head up the Banff International Jazz
Workshop, a role once held by Dave Holland, Oscar Peterson, Anthony Braxton, Cecil Taylor, Kenny Werner, Steve Coleman and Ed Blackwell, individually, of course.
The workshop will take place May 19-June 7, 2003 and will focus on the creation of original music. Douglas will have his student musicians think about music in new ways and will address composition, improvisation, ear training, rhythm studies, instrumental technique, and band leading. “I recommend this program to anyone who wants to develop a deeper relationship with the creative impulse in jazz,” the trumpeter says. “It’s really about finding your own link to the tradition.”
Though he is the head honcho on this project, Douglas won’t be going it alone and will be joined by Mark Turner, Mike Murley, Brad Turner, Jason Moran, John Abercrombie, Peggy Lee, James Genus, Clarence Penn and Dylan Van Der Schyff, all able musicians worth learning from.
The application deadline for the Banff International Jazz Workshop is Jan. 15, 2003.
Program and application details are available at www.banffcentre.ca, or
by calling 1-800-565-9989.
