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Meet the Stars of Jazz & Arts Fest

[Courtesy photo]
reporters@samoanews.com

She needs no introduction to the annual Samoana Jazz & Arts Festival — Edwina Thorne is a trumpeter, vocalist, composer, arranger, owner/operator of Gazelle Music Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand offering a 16-track recording facility in Auckland.

Edwina holds the record as the festivals' regular international performer traveling to American Samoa and Samoa to participate every year since 2014.

She has taught music specializing in ensemble performance and instrumental tuition for 20 years.

An excellent trumpeter, flugal hornist, a vocalist well trained in composition and improvisation from Berklee College of Music where she formed Thornebirds who performed at the New York Women’s Jazz Festival and noted in the book “Stormy Weather” about women in Jazz in America where Edwina lived for ten years. Edwina’s has enormous experience and the ability to facilitate any style of music.

She has a passion for teaching young people — and has taught many young Pacific music students in Auckland. 

Edwina has continuously performed at numerous jazz festivals in New Zealand and the U.S.A. including the New York Women’s Jazz Festival, Lincoln Centre, and Dewar’s New York Village Jazz Festival and upward of 20 festivals in NZ. 

Samoana Jazz & Arts Festival is one of those festivals that is dear to Edwina's heart. She teaches and performs with the students of the National Orchestra in Samoa and in American Samoa, and enjoys the opportunity to play with local musicians. The red headed trumpet diva injects character, humor and great improvisation to the local festival.

Don't miss her!

This year the Festival is set for Friday, Nov. 3 at the Tradewinds, and Saturday, Nov. 4, at Sadie’s by the Sea. Corporate tables and general admission tickets are available for both nights – but going fast.

Sponsors for the SJAF- AS event include: Samoa News, American Samoa Visitors Bureau, Talofa Airways, Sadie's Hotel, Tradewinds Hotel, Bluesky Communications, KHJ - South Seas Broadcasting. Chande Lutu-Drabble, ASPA - Utu Abe Malae, Pago Pago Trading Company- Ella Gurr, Congresswoman Aumua Amata, FADEZIGN, Paradise Pizza, American Samoa Community College, Te Matariki Festival Trust (NZ), and Sepp & Theresa Steffany group of companies.