Art & creativity  |  13 Mar 2019

Five-time Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist, arranger and composer Billy Childs will headline the Cavell Leitch New Zealand International Jazz and Blues Festival when it returns to Christchurch later this year.

The festival is New Zealand’s biggest combined jazz and blues event.

Twenty-five shows will be staged in Christchurch from 30 May to 3 June.

Jazz great Billy Childs

Jazz great Billy Childs will perform at the Christchurch Town Hall.

Childs, a giant of the Los Angeles jazz scene, will perform on 1 June at the restored Christchurch Town Hall.
 
“Billy is a multi-talented musician, arranger and composer. We are delighted to bring him to Christchurch, and the restored Town Hall will be a sensational venue for him to perform in,” says festival director Jodi Wright.
 
Childs won the 2018 Grammy Award for best jazz instrumental album.

He is a native of Los Angeles, and grew up immersed in jazz, classical, and popular music influences.
 
He has arranged for, and performed with, many top artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Sting, Renée Fleming, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chick Corea, The Kronos Quartet, Wynton Marsalis, Gladys Knight, Michael Bublé, David Foster, and Phil Ramone.
 
New York guitar great Miles Okazaki and talented locals Adam McGrath, Jennine Bailey, Naomi Fergusson, Midge Marsden and Harry Harrison will also join the line-up at this year's festival.
 
The complete festival programme will be available from the festival website in early April.

Tickets to see Billy Childs on 1 June are available through Ticketek.