Results for "New Zealand"

New Zealand Jazz Icon Releases Album With Swiss Pianist

January 28, 2025

Despite 50 years age difference, Kim Paterson and Alex Ventling grew a bond through their common appreciation towards improvising and the jazz tradition. On regular visits to Kim’s house in Red Beach, Auckland, the two would listen to records, discuss music, philosophise, and play together. These visits first began 10 years ago and formed a lasting ...

Dylan Kay

Born: December 17, 1971

Dylan has been a guitar player for 35 years, a guitar teacher for 25 years and in his own playing has focused on slide guitar since 2005.
“Dylan Kay is a badass slide player and anyone who’s interested in slide guitar would greatly benefit by taking lessons from him.”
— Scott Henderson, legendary US jazz/blues/fusion guitarist

Dylan studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston (including studying with slide guitar great David Tronzo, legendary jazz educatorMick Goodrick, and contemporary jazz guitar giant Tim Miller) and the Guitar Institute in London (where he later taught for many years). 

John-Paul Muir

John-Paul Muir has established himself as one of the finest pianists to emerge from New Zealand in recent years and certainly one of the most versatile, equally at home in both classical, jazz and contemporary genres.

After completing studies at the University of Auckland with Rae de Lisle and Kevin Field, John- Paul moved to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. He has since graduated with distinction from their Artist Masters Programme and is currently enjoying a freelance career based in London. He has performed throughout New Zealand, the USA, and the United Kingdom. Highlights include performing for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, and several concert series at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as part of the Royal Over-Seas League concert programme in both classical and jazz settings. He was featured as the official pianist for the New Zealand exhibit at the Venice Biennale in 2011, where he performed daily for a week as part of the opening festivities.

Dexter Stanley-Tauvao

Born: May 8, 1995

Dexter Stanley-Tauvao is a Sāmoan jazz drummer, composer and educator currently based in New York, USA. Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Dexter studied at the New Zealand School of Music and graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz with First Class Honours.

His musical career has taken him to Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, the USA and Germany, and he has performed alongside jazz icons such as Alex Sipiagin, Antonio Hart, Rufus Reid and Scott Wendtholt. While he is most passionate about big band and straight-ahead jazz, (Alex Sipiagin, Roberto Manzin, Umar Zakaria, New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra, Lauren Nottingham) he also loves Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, funk, indie-pop and folk music. Dexter’s willingness to learn has led to engagements with a wide range of musical ensembles, including:

New Zealand Duo Release Splendid Isolation

January 28, 2024

Award winning composers and musicians John Rae and Ben Wilcock have produced a stunning fourteen song collaboration of unique original material. Joined by the celebrated New Zealand bassist Patrick Bleakley, the album has been described as—beguiling—(PBS, The Modernist). Featuring guest artists Scottish guitarist Kevin Murray the Tunesmith, former Black Seeds Irish based saxophonist Jabin Ward and ...

Darren Pickering Release - Small Worlds 'volume Two' On Rattle Records! From New Zealand

January 24, 2024

Following their acclaimed debut, VOLUME ONE, Darren Pickering Small Worlds continues their investigation of the intersection between cinematic aesthetics and electronic textures within the framework of contemporary jazz. Electronic textures are more prevalent on VOLUME TWO, a set that includes solo piano tracks that employ modular synths and resonators. VOLUME TWO represents a logical progression in ...

Bill Martin

Born: December 13, 1978

Bill Martin is jazz pianist, saxophonist and composer who is based in Dunedin, New Zealand. Working as a pianist, he is the leader of the Bill Martin Trio and has released an album of original jazz compositions titled "Dark Water" (2012). More recently, he has written compositions for jazz septet that have recorded live and released in the album "Over to You" (2022). He is currently working on a new album of studio recordings to be recorded by the septet in 2023.

Bill Martin is the Director of the Dunedin Jazz Club, a successful community organisation that stages monthly jazz concerts at Hanover Hall and the Dish Cafe in Dunedin. Through this venture, he has performed with a number of high profile touring artists, including Geoff Culverwell, Michael Gordon, Jake Baxendale, Nick Tipping, Edwina Thorne, Michael Storey, Gwyn Reynolds, Nick Granville, Nick Cornish and many others.

Claire Cowan: Jazz in Ballet

by Martin McFie
December 20, 2020

Composer Claire Cowan has been writing film scores since 2007. She branched out from her film work to accept a commission from the Royal New Zealand Ballet company, producing a completely new score for the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel." An old lady living in the woods who fattens up children with gingerbread to ...

Mathew Zachary

Born: April 6, 1984

Since I was five years old, I could already play poker and blackjack – the luck of growing up in an environment with gamblers. My parents used to host a monthly poker tournament in our living room and play with their closest friends and neighbours, and I was always the dealer. Twenty years later, I was already studying guitar courses and I knew I wanted to find a way to combine it with gambling. I will graduate soon and my aim is to become a guitar musician for an famous band and improve my skills and climb higher!

Dave Ball: Never Gonna Touch The Ground

by Jack Gold-Molina
April 5, 2015

Born March 30, 1950 in Birmingham, England, Dave Ball began playing guitar at the age of 13, and, at the age of 15, left school to pursue music professionally. Two years later, in 1967, he formed the band Ideal Milk with his brother Denny, who played bass, and drummer Cozy Powell, recording a blazing set of ...