A Hurricane is Blowing into Town

Last year I was fortunate enough to go to the Hurricane Party in a hangar at Classic Flyers. Trombone Shorty who I had come to love (after learning of his duet with my number 1, Lenny Kravitz), was headlining. It turned out to be a pretty wicked night when I danced the night away right in front of centre stage. I’m pretty excited that I get to go again.

It won’t by any means be de ja vu, because this Hurricane Party will feature some of NZ’s quintessential talent that we are proud to call our own. I’m looking forward to a not so sneaky dance to the beat of Batucada Sound Machine. They’re the kind of multi-piece band that you want as a permanent feature in your backyard, so you can selfishly press play while you indulge in a few ciders in the summer heat.

Joining them will be The Eggs, Adam Page & Riki Gooch and Spiral. These names may not be familiar on their own, but I can tell you that they are important pieces to the puzzle of great Kiwi music; including Trinity Roots, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Crowded House, The Phoenix Foundation, Tahuna Breaks and dDub… just to name a few. Name dropper I know, but I’m sure I have your complete attention now and don’t have to tell you twice that The Hurricane Party will blow you away. And you get to party with these guys out in town on Good Friday!

For a late night fling with the dance floor and some of Aotearoa’s finest music, come down to The Hurricane Party on Good Friday, 10pm at The Bahama Hut. Tickets at www.ticketdirect.co.nz

Hello Kurt Elling

As you probably are aware by now, I’m all for a bit of jazz. Not the kind that jumped into bed with popular 80’s exercise and made a jazzercise baby; but the type that forces you to stop what you’re doing… or helps you melt into the couch a little bit more with a good book. Well if that’s your cup of tea in Grandma’s floral China set with a slice of cake, then this is a sweet treat.

Another Grammy Award winning virtuoso is performing right here in Tauranga for the National Jazz Festival. Regarded as a favourite jazz male vocalist by many worldwide and revered by The New York Times as “The standout male vocalist of our time”, Elling is setting foot on stage in New Zealand for the very first time.

I listened to ‘Nature Boy ‘, closed my eyes and woke up on a red velvet chaise with martini in hand and telling clever jokes. Those who know me know that my jokes are never clever. So for a musician to make me appear classy in my imagination is something quite special.

Mr Elling is performing with world renowned saxist* Eric Marienthal who has played with the legendary Elton John & BB King and the illustrious Wellington Jazz Orchestra. It really would be a shame to miss this bit of aural pleasure.  

If you’d like to flirt with a bit of Kurt, he is performing on Friday 6^th April, 8pm at Festival Hall – Baycourt, Tauranga. Tickets available from www.ticketdirect.co.nz

                                                                                                                                              

*My bid for a better term than ‘saxophone player’

You’re Personally Invited to a Once in a Lifetime Event

Think of the best birthday party you’ve ever had and the thing that made it absolutely stand out. Now let’s say you’re the National Jazz Festival in Tauranga. What would magnify your 50^th birthday celebration and make it beyond amazing? Well, I guess you could say ‘by having Earth Wind & Fire come and perform at the Domain’, of course. But let’s not leave it at just that… let’s have multi-Grammy award winning Keb Mo as icing on the cake and chart-topping Patty Austin as the cherry perfectly placed on top.

When I first heard Earth Wind & Fire were coming to Tauranga for their first concert ever, I was gob-smacked to say the least. These smooth cats have provided many a dance soundtrack to my super 70’s style groovin’ in Boogie Wonderland, Wellington. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, youtube them and I can guarantee that you’ll start bopping your head to the familiar dance tunes and in actual agreement that you really do know who they are. While you’re there, google some pictures of them and let your jaw drop at their classic superstar outfits that can only really be vacuumed sealed on.  And if you’re still umming and arrring, Earth Wind & Fire have sold 90 million albums, 50 Gold and Platinum and seven Top Ten US singles.

Then there’s the illustrious Keb Mo. Even his name sounds like he’s got it going on. A blues maestro from the Deep South of the U.S.A., with an amazing talent to behold. Just listening to him strum and sing sends shivers up my spine. He’s an artist with sell-out concerts across the globe and has acquired esteemed music accolades along the way.  This is nothing to ignore, when it’s in our own backyard.

And Patti Austin who began performing at the Apollo Theatre at the tender age 4, and has gone on to sing with legendary Michael Jackson, George Benson and Luther Vandross. Her voice is divine, liquid velvet.

So witnessing this live is more than an opportunity begging to taken advantage of and worth celebrating.  Come and join me at the National Jazz Festival’s Birthday Bash. I’ll be the one that can’t stop grinning and dancing (it’s a special talent, reserved for amazing occasions).

Earth, Wind & Fire, Keb Mo and Patti Austin perform live in concert at the Tauranga Domain on Sunday 8^th April, from 5pm – 10pm. Tickets available at www.ticketdirect.co.nz

A Very Jazzy Affair

I began my love affair with jazz over a year ago. I’d come across a Miles Davis album and unexpectedly pressed play. Now that was one of my supremely great ideas, as I had completely lost myself (in a good way, not a driving down the wrong street in a foreign city kind of way).  My eyes widened to the prospect of wanting more; including visiting the New Orleans Jazz Fest. One day that will be checked off the list, but in the meantime I think it’s safe to say that we are sufficiently lucky to have an annual National Jazz Festival of such high calibre on our backdoor in the paradise that we casually call ‘home’.

To also note that this will be 50 years of jazzy festival history in Tauranga is phenomenal. That’s like when you admire your grandparents for their golden wedding anniversary, as they continue to hold hands and still smile at each other.  And to think it began ‘with a 50 pound overdraft at the Soundshell in Memorial Park’ to now being the longest running National Jazz Festival in the Southern Hemisphere, is a much respected feat in itself.

The photographs of yesteryear speak volumes in the Jazz Fest booklet. From musos with mutton chops, to shaggy ‘fros, stubbie dressed trumpeters, to cigarette dangling banjo players, renders what I would deem an eclectic mix of artistes throughout those 50 years. And just a teeny bit amusing to look at.

To be given the opportunity to be part of this accomplishment is not only reserved for myself as festival blogger, performers and those who do all the ground work behind the scenes; but also for you who has the chance to tick off a Bucket List worthy experience. I’m ready to lose myself in an Easter weekend moment or two with local legends and international greats.

  

The 50^th National Jazz Festival is on 5-9 April in beautiful Tauranga. Kick start this with a visual feast at the anniversary exhibition. 30 March – 10 April at Creative Tauranga, corner Wharf & Willow Streets. And it’s FREE!

Hi everyone,

With the BIG 50 coming up in only 3 weeks, we thought we'd invite the princess of the words, Nickie Jean, to start our very own Jazz Festival blog. Watch this space and follow Nickie's journey through the lead-up and during the festival. I am just as curious as you are about what we might read on this page. ENJOY!

Arne Herrmann (Festival Director)