U.S. Jazz Ambassadors Tour Nigeria
The best in classical music took centre stage in Abuja,
Port Harcourt and Lagos when visiting US Jazz Ambassadors, Scott Robinson, Larry Ham, and Pat O'Leary, entertained jazz lovers from June 12 - 15, 2001. The trio are currently undertaking an extensive tour of eleven West African countries.
In Abuja, the Jazz Ambassadors played a rich repertoire of select composition from late jazz legend Louis Armstrong to thrill the crowd on June 12. The U. S. Ambassador to Nigeria Howard F. Jeter was the host of the event. The show, held at the Safari Club of the NICON Hilton Hotel, attracted an impressive crowd of jazz enthusiasts, including ministers, high level Nigerian officials and leading members of the business and diplomatic communities.
Ambassador Jeter, who introduced the group, noted that this year's Jazz Ambassadors tour commemorated the centennial of America's jazz legend, Louis Armstrong.
The Millennium Jubilee Jazz trio gave a fine account of their musical talents with contemporary renditions of several Armstrong compositions, including the perennial favourite "Someday."
The group also performed at Aso FM Radio during "The Showbiz World" segment and followed up with a tour of the Katampe Hills, often referred as "the centre of Nigeria."
In Lagos on Thursday June 14, an interactive workshop was organized to enable the trio share their knowledge and skill and teach new jazz techniques to local musicians at the Public Affairs Section of the U. S. Consulate General. More than 40 Nigerian musicians, including Afro-Juju King Sir Shina Peters, attended the workshop.. The Jazz Ambassadors were thoroughly amazed at the dexterity with which their local counterparts utilized the "talking drum." All three Jazz Ambassadors expressed interest in learning to play the instrument. The picture shows the Jazz Ambassadors in an interactive session with local musicians in Lagos. Click the thumbnail to see the larger version.
Source: CROSSROADS published by the Public Affairs Section, US Consulate General Lagos, Nigeria. Vol. 8. No. 6, June 2001
