Friday 13th brings good fortune to jazz lovers

Friday the 13th promises to be a day of good fortune for Christchurch's jazz lovers.

That's when they will get the chance to hear one of the world's finest jazz trumpeters combine with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra for a tribute to the great Duke Ellington.

The James Morrison concert will be one of the highlights of the New Zealand International Jazz and Blues Festival, which is on in Christchurch from April 11 to 15.

The festival brings together more than 110 international, national and local musicians. Morrison's Friday, April 13th concert will see the virtuoso combining with Christchurch's own orchestra to perform the music of jazz legend Edward Kennedy 'Duke' Ellington, a musician many regard as the greatest composer of the 20th century.

With over 1000 compositions and a career spanning 50 years, Ellington's music stretched beyond jazz into blues, gospel, film scores, popular and classical music. His best known titles include; It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing), Sophisticated Lady, Mood Indigo, Solitude, In a Mellowtone, and Satin Doll.

"The most amazing part of Ellington's creative process was that he was at his most creative when he was on the road. It was during this time that he wrote, not only, his most famous piece, Mood Indigo, but also the featured piece of this tribute concert, the haunting A Tone Parallel to Harlem,'' says festival director Jodi Wright.

"This is a stunning, large-scale orchestral piece that will really highlight the talent of both Ellington and Morrison. Morrison will also lead the orchestra through a selection of other well-known Ellington compositions so it should be a fantastic night - a once in a life-time event,'' Ms Wright says.

Tickets for the concert, which is being held at the CBS Arena, are available through Ticketek.

For more information on the New Zealand International Jazz & Blues Festival check out http://www.jazzfestivalnz.com