Sonny Rollins Receives Presidential Honour

7 MARCH 2011

Sonny Rollins Receives Presidential Honour

Ahead Of His First New Zealand Concert

Tickets are on sale now for Sonny Rollins’ only New Zealand concert on Saturday 11 June, 2011.

TelstraClear and the Wellington Jazz Festival present this headline event – Sonny Rollins’ first performance in New Zealand - which will take place at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington.

Known as the Saxophone Colossus, Sonny Rollins is considered a jazz legend. He has enjoyed a dazzling solo career and played alongside greats like Charlie Parker, Thelonius Monk and Miles Davis.

This month his exceptional contribution to the arts was recognised by the highest office in The United States, when he was awarded the prestigious National Medal of Arts and National Humanities by President Barack Obama in the White House on Wednesday. Other recipients included Meryl Streep, Quincy Jones, James Taylor and Philip Roth.

Sonny was honoured as "one of the most important and influential jazz musicians of the post-bebop era", whose "melodic sensibilities, playing style, and solos have delighted audiences and influenced generations of musicians for over fifty years."

Photo by Ruth David

Courtesy of the National Endowment for the Arts

This concert will be a rare opportunity for jazz lovers to see Sonny Rollins perform live – and he is backed by an acclaimed line-up of musicians. On bass is Bob Cranshaw, who has played with Sonny for over five decades. Chicago native Kobie Watkins plays drums, joined by percussionist Sammy Figueroa, who has shared the stage with an array of top shelf musicians including Aretha Franklin and Miles Davis. Peter Bernstein, known for his clean, warm guitar tone and his lyrical melodic lines, makes up the quartet.

Tickets are on sale from today, Monday 7 March from Ticketek.

The Wellington Jazz Festival gratefully acknowledges the support of Principal Sponsor TelstraClear, Wellington City Council, Wellington Venues Ltd., The Dominion Post, Radio Network and Positively Wellington Tourism.

“Any concert by Sonny Rollins, the great unflagging sovereign of the tenor saxophone, bears the promise of a momentous occasion.” New York Times, September 2010

For more information and high resolution images please contact Meg Williams meg.williams[at]festival.co.nz.

ENDS

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