Phil Broadhurst

Phil was one of New Zealand’s leading jazz artists. A pianist, composer and educator, he became the first jazz musician to be awarded the MNZM for services to jazz in 2001. His numerous credits included work in the U.S., U.K. and other foreign parts, and collaborations with many jazz greats including saxophonists Johnny Griffin, Ronnie Scott, and Scott Hamilton.

Phil played regularly in Auckland, notably at the premiere jazz venue The London Bar, where he was resident for many years. Through the 80s and 90s he both organised and performed frequently at the annual Winter Jazz Series at the Auckland Art Gallery. Three times winner of the “Jazz Record Of The Year” award, he was also a well-known broadcaster, presenting his own programme “The Art Of Jazz” weekly on Concert FM.

Phil frequently performed and taught at the Magnetic Island Jazz Festival (Queensland, Australia), and also played with his own group in Paris and London. Other concert appearances included the Wellington International Jazz Festival with John Bell’s Immaculate Trio, the Tauranga Jazz festival with the Jazz Divas and Mojave, the Queenstown Jazz festival with Rodger Fox’s All-Stars, and the Nelson Jazz Festival with the Jazz Divas and Frank Gibson’s Rainbow Bridge.

For many years, Phil presented, or was a major soloist, in concerts at the Tauranga Jazz Festival. These included tributes to Chick Corea, Miles Davis and Duke Ellington, a celebration of Kiwi jazz composing, a jazz/classical crossover concert and the Jazz Divas. He also performed at the inaugural Samoa Jazz and Blues Festival, and the Wellington International Jazz Festival with John Bell’s Immaculate Trio.

In 2003 Phil released The Road Ahead, featuring his trio and septet in live recordings, including a jazz suite commissioned by Massey University. Later, he appeared as sideman and composer on Colin Hemmingsen’s album The Rite of Swing. Panacea, the third album of his “Dedication” trilogy on Rattle Records, was released in 2015. This followed 2013’s Flaubert’s Dance and 2011’s album Delayed Reaction, dedicated to French pianist Michel Petrucciani, the subject of his Masters thesis. Both albums were finalists in the Tui Jazz Album of the Year Awards. January 2012 saw the release on Ode Records of a jazz/classical crossover release, Sketches, featuring a composition by Phil for jazz quartet and chamber ensemble called Byways. Commissioned by the NZ School of Music where he served as Head of Jazz Studies, it features the saxophone of Colin Hemmingsen alongside works by Mike Nock and John Rae.

Phil Broadhurst passed away in April 2020.