Jazz Fans Gather in Toronto

Toronto, ON (January 9, 2008) - Beginning today, the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) will inhabit the Canadian metropolis of Toronto for its 35th Annual Conference. The conference will run from January 9-12, 2008 and feature live performances, industry tips and award presentations.

Some of the highlights of this year''s conference include:

More than 100 concerts: The conference will feature over 100 performances by internationally recognized artists and school groups and includes daily concerts featuring professional jazz artists representing the diversity of jazz worldwide, the IAJE Sisters In Jazz Collegiate All-Stars, the Clifford Brown/Stan Getz All-Stars, the Community College All-Star Student Big Band, and a number of outstanding school ensembles from around the world.

Evening Concert Series: A United Kingdom Showcase with performances by Courtney Pine, Dennis Rollin''s Badbone & Co., Martin Taylor''s Freternity, Empirical, and The Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra; also: a Canadian Showcase with performances by Francois Houle Octet, Les Projectionnistes, Barry Romberg''s Random Access Large Ensemble, and the Davidson/Murley/Braid Quintet.

8th Annual IAJE Gala Night: Wednesday, January 9, Canadian Senator Tommy Banks and Paquito D''Rivera will both receive IAJE President''s Awards and Bill Strickland will receive the Lawrence Berk Leadership Award during the 8th Annual Gala Dinner that kicks off IAJE. Grammy Award-winning vocalist Nancy Wilson will host this stellar event.

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Masters Awards Concert in memory of Oscar Peterson: Friday, January 11, at 8 p.m; The NEA Jazz Masters award is the nation''s highest honor in this distinctly American art form. 2008 honoree, renowned pianist-composer Andrew Hill, was notified of his receipt of the award shortly before his death in 2007. Hill spent 40 years composing, performing, recording, and mentoring young musicians. He earned acclaim for his innovative performances and compositions beginning in the 1960s. In addition to Hill, the other 2008 recipients include: rhythm instrumentalist Candido Camero; bandleader Quincy Jones; composer-arranger Tom McIntosh; trumpeter Joe Wilder; and the A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Master Award for Jazz Advocacy to classical and jazz composer-arranger Gunther Schuller. The NEA, in partnership with the Canadian Council for the Arts, will also posthumously award Dr. Oscar Peterson in honor of his unique role as a Canadian master of jazz. The awards concert will feature performances by Kurt Elling, and the Smithsonian Jazz Materworks Orchestra conducted by David Baker.

The 2008 IAJE Conference Industry Track: The 2008 IAJE Conference Industry Track will focus on career development, new media, the recording industry, and personalized consultation. These insightful and sometimes controversial panels and workshops are geared to members of the jazz recording, journalism, presenting, performing, retail, and radio industries. With sponsorship and support from JazzTimes, Jazziz, Down Beat, JazzWeek, the NEA, NARAS, the Jazz Journalists Association, Jazz FM 91 and DL Media, the Industry Track will provide an opportunity for industry members, jazz educators, and musicians to interact with each other in a series of sessions that encourage an honest exchange of ideas and strategies for the future.

Among the Industry Track highlights, one-on-one interviews with Oliver Jones and Candido Camero, Dan Morgenstern interviews Roy Haynes, Kurt Elling interviews Jon Hendricks, and A.B. Spellman interviews the 2008 NEA Jazz Masters. Other conference highlights include the Montreux Jazz Festival Competition winners; the world premieres of the works of the ASCAP, Gil Evans, and SOCAN award winners; research paper presentations; and pre-conference workshops to provide training and development for IAJE volunteer leaders and chapter officers.

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General Admission Tickets for selected Evening Concerts are available for $25 through Tickemaster in Toronto and on-site from 5-10 p.m.
For more information, including a complete schedule please visit the IAJE official website.