A Night Of Symphony

Porsche Centre Calgary and Glenmore Audi present the Calgary Jazz Orchestra Director's Cuts, featuring Johnny Summers' favorites from the past 20 years and premiering original work in the Africa Suite by Summers and featuring guest African musicians.

A Night Of Symphony

At Bella Concert Hall located at Mount Royal University was a night filled with music, passion, talent, joy, and dedication to the craft of orchestra music. Within the celebration of the Calgary Jazz Orchestra celebrating its 20th anniversary, the first part of the evening was highlighting the Artistic Director Johnny Summers' favorite hits throughout his career. Then after the intermission, was the premiering of the Africa Suite where there was the blending of African music traditions with the Calgary Jazz Orchestra’s. Throughout the night Summers shared the stage with highly talented musicians and singers that complimented the evening's overall performances.

The Event

As a true star of the show, Summers is a highly regarded and decorated artist. Not only is he the director of the Calgary Jazz Orchestra, but he has received plentiful music awards including 13 Global Music Awards and two Gospel Music Awards. Summers reflected his talent in the evening's celebration of 20 years and the premier of Africa Suite.

“Finishing 20 years, that's incredible! With this team, and constantly the realization that we've grown this team, we have this incredible community of people that come to the shows, that support us to our sponsors and getting to revisit and relive some of the moments that we've had over the last 20 years, that's amazing,” said Summers.

Although the orchestra celebrated their traditional hits and legacy that supported their achievement to their double decade mark, Summers was very inspired to start making new and unique pieces to share with their audience in the African Suite. King Udofia was a resource for Summers as he shared artists and information that Summers was not yet aware of.

“Listening to my friend, Kingsley, who's singing and playing piano a bit tonight, and he's from Nigeria. So he walked me through all of these great artists that I'd never heard of from Africa because we don't hear that music in North America,” said Summers.

The effect that Summers hoped to create was one of combining both foreign music and artistry with aspects that he is familiar with regarding African music.

“So kind of mixing all that together and blending it into something that will move the audience, that's what I hope I did.”

Summers is not only a talented musician but a passionate car enthusiast as well. He is a rally driver and enjoys all the experiences that come with the driving emotion.

“I love cars mainly for the driving experience. When your worlds collide and you have such a passion for something like that, yeah, I do rally racing and I do track stuff, but when I get to have Glenmore Audi and Porsche Centre Calgary as the title sponsors. It's powerful, having two huge loves and having one support the other, it's a massive feeling.”

Johnny Summers performing

The Man Of The Hour

King Udofia performing on the piano

The Musicians

Making up an orchestra means there are many moving parts and each musician's role within the orchestra is crucially important to the overall success of the group. Since the evening was filled with individuals who are dedicated to their craft, it was valuable to learn why music is such an important aspect to the following two musicians. Both Allan Muyrhead and King Udofia performed. Muyrhead played the trumpet and Udofia both sang and played the piano.

“My brother, who was a bandmaster with an army band back in Saskatchewan, and he's the one that got me going,” said Muyrhead when asked what his inspiration for playing the trumpet was.

“So for me, I'd wake up every morning of my dad playing records, and one day we were watching a concert together and I was like, 'Yo, dad, get me a piano.’ I was probably like 13 at the time or something and that was it,” said Udofia.

As the Africa Suite premiered that night, Udofia shared why being able to perform the music and being part of the orchestra is important to him.

“If you bring it down to the basic thing of African music, it's drums, and it's singing, right? Then everything else just kind of flourishes. That's why I'm looking forward to just sharing that with everybody and you know, hopefully some people get to dance, pretty much.”