[Dixielandjazz] Gordon Au

[Steve Barbone]

Speaking about Gordon AU from Sacramento going to the Thelonious Monk
Institute, below is his biography, from his web site:

I wonder if he is related to my deceased San Francisco pal S.K. Au? Knew
S.K. in the 1960s when I lived in Sausalito. He had emigrated from China.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

Gordon Au's Biography

Gordon was born and raised in Sacramento, California, where his early
influences included classical piano, traditional jazz, symphonies, and big
bands. In high school he began to earn high recognition as a trumpet
soloist, touring with bands such as the Monterey Jazz Festival All-Stars in
Japan and Australia, as well as playing with greats such as Gerald Wilson,
Benny Green, and Ernie Watts. While attending UC Berkeley (and earning a
degree in genetics), Gordon worked with bay area luminaries such as Bevan
Manson, Mike Zilber, Wayne Wallace, and John Santos. His bands and
compositions saw debuts at Yoshi's in Oakland and the Fujitsu Concord Jazz
Festival (opening for Chick Corea, Poncho Sanchez, and Karrin Allyson), and
he won 1st Place in the Bix Beiderbecke ³Bix Lives² Jazz Award national
competition.

After school, Gordon spent two years teaching and playing in Hyogo, Japan.
In addition to appearing with his band at festivals, he also toured Europe
(including the North Sea Festival) and was responsible for creating and
coordinating a cultural/musical exchange tour between Takasago High School
(Japan) and Rio Americano High School (California).

Gordon began studies at Berklee College of Music in 2005, as a recipient of
the Berklee World Scholarship. He is a regular member of Greg Hopkin's
Concert Jazz Orchestra, with whom he has appeared at the IAJE Conference and
with Jimmy Heath and Bob Mintzer. In addition, he has played for clinics
with Makoto Ozone, Cuong Vu, and Dave Douglas, as well as for Berklee
clinics in Helsinki, Finland. He has been recognized twice with the Herb
Pomeroy Award for jazz composition, the Art Farmer Award for brass
performance, and the Clark Terry Award for brass performance. He has studied
under the tutelage of Greg Hopkins, Hal Crook, Tiger Okoshi, Joanne
Brackeen, George Garzone, Joe Lovano, Ed Tomassi, and Dave Santoro, among
others.

Most recently Gordon was selected as one of the inaugural students for the
New Orleans-based Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, which will begin in
August 2007 at Loyola University, under the artistic direction of Terence
Blanchard.