Douglas George Caldwell MNZM (22 March 1928 – 10 May 2022), sometimes referred to as The Maestro, was a New Zealand jazz pianist, arranger, composer, music teacher, and author.

Doug Caldwell
Birth nameDouglas George Caldwell
Born(1928-03-22)22 March 1928
Christchurch, New Zealand
Died10 May 2022(2022-05-10) (aged 94)
Christchurch, New Zealand
GenresJazz
InstrumentsPiano

Biography

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Caldwell was born in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1928 and attended St Bede's College. He began working at Christchurch venue the Winter Garden in the 1940s and later co-founded a jazz club called the Jazz Inn in the 1950s. He studied musical arrangement and composition at Michigan State University in the United States.[1]

He taught music from 1977 to 1981 at Christchurch Boys' High School and then from 1983 to 1989 at Christ's College. In 1992 he became a tutor, and later lecturer, at the Christchurch Polytechnic Jazz School (now the Ara Institute of Canterbury Jazz School).[1] An auditorium at the school is named for him.[2] He was known as "The Maestro" in Christchurch.[1]

Caldwell became the first New Zealand jazz composer to be given full writer membership to Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA).[3] In the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to jazz music.[4]

Caldwell died in Christchurch on 10 May 2022.[2][5]

Discography

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  • The Doug Caldwell Trio (Kiwi Pacific,1990)[6]
  • Off the Cuff (Kiwi Pacific, 1992)[7]
  • Willows – Doug Caldwell live (Polyjazz, 1995)
  • Legacy (Polyjazz, 2003)
  • I Hear Music – with Susan de Jong (Polyjazz, 2005)
  • Waiting at the Red Door (Polyjazz, 2009)
  • Colette Jansen Meets Doug Caldwell (Colette Jansen, 2013)

Guest artist:

  • Don Rader Down Under 'Collaboration' – (Polyjazz, 1994)

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Doug Caldwell". Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Legendary Canterbury jazz musician Doug Caldwell dies aged 94". Radio New Zealand. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  3. ^ Jules, J. (2009). A passion for jazz: the Christchurch scene then and now. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology. pp. 46–47. ISBN 9780908668717.
  4. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2006". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 5 June 2006. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Douglas Caldwell". The Press. 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  6. ^ Caldwell, D.; Haines, K.; Meagher, T. (1990). "The Doug Caldwell Trio". Te Puna Search. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  7. ^ Caldwell, D. (1992). "Off the cuff". Te Puna Search. Retrieved 14 May 2021.