Last week I visited Humber College in Toronto. I was invited by trumpeter, bandleader, and program director Denny Christianson. Denny has (among many other things) the distinction of having brought a young Flip Barnes (friend and trumpet colleague) to see Miles Davis at the Cellar Door in 1970, the same week that Live Evil was recorded. That’s not a bad first gig to see.

I was inspired that, among all the jazz ensembles at Humber, there is also an ensemble playing jazz and Eastern European folk music, jazz and Indian music, jazz and African music. These ensembles are playing at a very high level, and they are guided by experrts in the respective fields. I have never seen a program like that at any school. I will be visiting Toronto and Humber again in February, working with these ensembles in arrangements of my music and original compositions.

While I’m on Canada and jazz programs–I will be at the Banff Centre again in 2007, from May 21 to June 9. This will be my fifth year directing the International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music. Though their web site has not been updated for next year’s program, there is plenty of information over at the site. The dealine for applications is in mid-January 2007.

The roster of visiting artists, among others: Oliver Lake, Miguel Zenon, Danilo Perez, Steve Cardenas, Scott Colley, Clarence Penn, Jerry Granelli. Oh, and the entire Instant Composers Pool from the Netherlands. Misha Mengelberg, Han Bennink, Michael Moore, Wolter Wierbos, Mary Oliver, Thomas Heberer, Tobias Delius, Ab Baars, Tristan Honsiger, and Ernst Glerum.