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Hot news tips are coming in by the minute, disrupting this well-planned jazz festival column.
First up, local singer-songwriter Frances Ellen, fresh off a support gig for Search For Yeti at the Jam Factory last week, is going to open for Reb Fountain at Totara St next Thursday, April 10.
Reb’s new album ‘How Love Bends’ debuted at #1 on the NZ chart and she has a great, well-travelled band; Frances Ellen released an EP last year, co-produced by Reb, and will be backed by violinist Jackie McCaughan and Auckland guitarist Dylan Storey.
Meanwhile, Wellington bluesman Darren Watson, who we’re big fans of here at the Watusi Country Club, is crowdfunding for a new album of John Hiatt songs to be recorded at his home studio in Ngaio.
‘Mr Stanley’
This is the same approach used for his most excellent 2020 album, ‘Getting Sober For The End Of The World’, and as of writing this he already had more than $1000 towards the $5750 target. A first track, ‘Mr Stanley’, is on YouTube and Bandcamp. If you want to help, pop along to the PledgeMe website and search for Darren.
On to the jazz festival. I’ve been chatting with trombonist and band leader Damian Forlong – a great musical success story from Tauranga, who went from humble beginnings playing with Ritchie Pickett and others here to performing with the Rodger Fox Big Band at the Monterey Jazz Festival and recording with them at Hollywood’s Capitol Studios.
For 20 years he’s also led Wellington swing band Shaken Not Stirred, and he’ll play at the jazz festival in both roles.
Remembering Rodger
Damian said the Big Band concert, at Baycourt on April 19, is the same show they played at the Wellington International Jazz Festival and Christchurch Big Band Festival celebrating Rodger’s life. They’ll be led by new director, the band’s former lead trombone player, Rodger’s younger brother Chris Fox. It’s a retrospective from 50-plus years during which the band, remarkably, produced more than 40 albums. Rodger’s partner in life and music Erna Ferry will sing too.
That band, and Shaken Not Stirred, also comprise two other musical success stories from Tauranga in the form of saxophonist – and trumpeter and trombonist and many other musical instruments – Oscar Lavën and guitarist Deane Hunter. Damian promises “several gospel tunes with free wine for all!”. They will also offer original tunes inspired by 1970s TV shows and some raging 1950s rhythm and blues.
Blues show
Shaken are very busy this Easter, starting at the Historic Village on Friday, April 18, where there’s a bunch of cool music on the big stage, including blues from Kokomo, Latin grooves from Radio Rebelde and rockabilly from Irish outfit The Mafia Cats.
And much as I hate to draw people away from the jazz festival by mentioning other events, there’s also an unrelated blues show at the Jam Factory on Sunday, April 20, where Australia’s Checkerboard Lounge Trio play classic blues with support from Taranaki’s Karen Clarke.
For more jazz festival information, visit: www.jazz.org.nz
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