Art Beat with Rosalie Crawford

While hunting for some live jazz music playing regularly in Tauranga, I discovered U4RIA are now performing weekly at the Raft in Chapel St.

In trying to describe their music, I came across their own ‘About Us' which states: 'This is the hottest jazz group in the Waikato/Bay of Plenty with a funky modern style of jazz with a twist”.

U4RIA now perform weekly in Tauranga.

As my sister also has a jazz group, and will be reading this, we'll have to amend this statement to: ‘This is one of the hottest jazz groups…”.

Now U4RIA certainly has a large repertoire, with highly competent musicians playing contemporary jazz with a mix of pop tunes done in a jazz-style that fits the description of ‘hot'. Soul, samba and blues permeate and enrich their performances – and it's clear they love what they do.

Carol Power's vocals are at their best in this clean acoustic environment, which seems to be the only place in Tauranga to support live jazz on a weekly basis.

Her voice, I think, is one of the best instruments in the group – soft, full of soul and lulling with a ballad, then becoming funky and sliding easily with the band into a freedom of improvisation that reminds me they're made up of arguably some of the best jazz musicians in New Zealand.

Originally, Carol brought the group together for the Bay of Islands Jazz Festival two-and-a-half years ago. Chris Williamson is a master on guitar, very versatile and experienced.

U4RIA, who play weekly at the Raft in Chapel St, has a large repertoire.

As a composer, he won a Tui for NZ Jazz Album of the Year with CL-Bob. He's also toured extensively, performing in California, Melbourne, London, Berlin and here in NZ.

Wayne Melville, on bass, makes it look so simple. I've always felt if you have a good bass player, then everything else just flows; and his ability and seemingly casual ease with the music makes the band. With this, it's no surprise he's in great demand throughout the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, as he can slip comfortably into any style of music from pop, country, jazz and blues rock, having played with Midge Marsden, Suzanne Lynch, Brendan Duggan and Ray Columbus.

Rounding out this highly-talented group is Jeff Baker, who has previously performed with some of jazz and blues' best artists, including Bullfrog Rata, Darby Tuhaka, Erna Ferry, Bruce Paulson of the Tonight Show band and Rodger Fox. He's also played with a Chinese circus, experimental musician Johnny Carson and American pop legends The Inkspots.

Put simply; Jeff is brilliant on drums.

U4RIA is working on a CD, and play in Tauranga weekly.

The group tell me they're working on a CD, as well as building their repertoire, adding in songs people like to hear. Looking at the audience, some dancing to the music, others sitting back enjoying it, I wonder how long before Tauranga realises we do have a very hot jazz band playing here weekly.