Umar Zakaria is a New Zealand bassist and composer filled with hope for the future. In 2018 he received the Tui Award for “Best Jazz Artist” with his debut album, ‘Fearless Music’. He has given performances across Europe, Asia and the USA alongside Myele Manzanza, Norio Maeda, Snorre Kirk, Fabia Mantwill and Ben Wendel among others. Ushering in a new wave of live music post-lockdown, this will be the first performance of a brand-new trio project.
Umar Zakaria Trio Featuring: Umar Zakaria (b), Luther Hunt (d), Leo Coghini Date: Thu 09 Jul 2020, 8pm Venue: The Third Eye, Upstairs at 30 Arthur St. Te Aro Price: General $15, WJC members and Students with ID $10
Featured composer: Duke Ellington House Band: Callum Allardice (g), Thomas Botting (b), Mark Lockett (d) Date and time: Sunday, 5 July 2020, 2-4pm Venue: The Third Eye, 30 Arthur Street, Te Aro
Featured composer: Joe Henderson House Band: Ayrton Foote (p), Seth Boy (b), Mark Lockett (d) Date and time: Sunday, 28 June 2020, 2-4pm Venue: The Third Eye, 30 Arthur Street, Te Aro
It is with sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Phil Broadhurst on Friday 24 April 2020.
Phil was one of New Zealand’s leading jazz artists. He was a well-known pianist, composer, educator and presenter Art Of Jazz on Radio New Zealand Concert since 1991. He was the head of Jazz Studies at the New Zealand School of Music (Massey University, Albany) from 2000- 2016, and a three-time winner of the Jazz Record Of The Year award, and became the first jazz musician to be awarded the MNZM for services to Jazz in 2001.
Our condolences to his partner Julie Mason and family.
It is with regret to advise that due to COVID-19 we must cancel all upcoming concerts. Rest assured that we will be keeping a close eye on COVID-19 announcements and hope to resume our 2020 program as soon as possible!
In the meantime stay strong, stay positive and most importantly stay healthy.
Michael
Eckroth is one of the most active pianists of the New York scene, equally at
home in jazz and Latin-American music forms. In Wellington specially for this
concert for the WJC he will perform some of his original compositions. In
partnership with acclaimed singer Alda Rezende he will play new arrangements
that will inject new life to a clever repertoire of obscure Latin American
classics.
Michael
Eckroth, pianist and keyboardist, is a superb musician
who has worked extensively with musicians such as John Scofield (New Morning
Concert DVD), Ron McClure, Eliot Zigmund and Paul McCandless.
He
recently arranged and recorded an album in Cuba with Pepito Gomez and Orquesta
Akokan (Daptone Records) which has received rave reviews on outlets like NPR
and recently gained a Grammy nomination in the tropical category. Recently
having completed a PhD at NYU, Michael currently teaches jazz piano at
Dartmouth College.
As co-leader and collaborator with a number of New York-based groups (La Voz De Tres with Jason Ennis and Natalia Bernal being one of the most long-standing), Michael has performed in festivals and venues all over the United States, Latin America, Europe and the world. He is also an avid composer and recording artist with several of his own and collaborative albums to his name within the jazz and Latin jazz genres.
Brazilian
born Alda Rezende made Wellington her home 16 years ago where she is a
veteran of the local music scene, having headlined some of the most important
music festivals in New Zealand and
Australia, such as Wellington International Jazz Festival, Adelaide Cabaret
Festival, Auckland Arts Festival. As well as often
touring her native Brazil where she has performed with heavy-weight names of
Brazilian music such as Joao Bosco, Elza Soares and many others.
Alda
lends her unique voice to interpret music that promotes a bridge between the
traditional and the contemporary forms of Latin music. Being a music researcher
and world music radio D.J., Alda’s repertoire goes far beyond the obvious,
paying respect to the past and anticipating new tendencies for the future.
Spicing intricate rhythms with her samba-infused soul and the originality of
her voice, this singer will enchant both connoisseurs of Brazilian rhythms,
jazz lovers and everyone interested in good music.
Michael Eckroth & Alda Rezende Quartet Featuring: Michael Eckroth (p), Alda Rezende (v), John Rae (d), Noel Clayton (g), Patrick Bleakley (b). Date: Tue 17 Mar 2020, 8pm Venue: The Third Eye, Upstairs at 30 Arthur St. Te Aro Price: General $15, WJC members and Students with ID $10
Featured composer: Ahmad Jamal House Band: George Maclaurin (p), Chris Beernink (b), Mark Lockett (d) Date and time: Sunday, 15 Mar 2020, 2-4pm Venue: The Third Eye, 30 Arthur Street, Te Aro
Featured composer: Bill Evans House Band: Luca Sturny (g), Umar Zakaria (b), Mark Lockett (d) Date and time: Sunday 8 Mar, 2-4pm Venue: The Third Eye, 30 Arthur Street, Te Aro
As part of the annual tour in Australia and New Zealand, Wellington Jazz Cooperative is pleased to welcome back Simona Smirnova. Lithuanian born jazz vocalist, composer and zitherist based in New York City, Simona’s style is known for her unique theatrical flavour, genre-bending, and virtuosic vocal improvisation. Her current show ‘Bird Language’ blends bird sounds and uncanny vocal techniques into one intriguing performance. Her new concert explores an eclectic mix of ethnic scales, zither sounds, and improvisation colliding with the artist’s strong foundation in jazz and rock.
A 2015 graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of
Music in Boston, MA, Simona does the impossible and is now a full-time NYC
musician. In NYC she performs with her quartet in local jazz venues, as well as
touring in different parts of the world, such as Australia, New Zealand and
Europe.
Simona Mins Featuring: Simona Smirnova (v), Leonardo Coghini (p), Seth Boy (b), Mark Lockett (d) Date: Tue 5 Mar 2020, 8pm Venue: The Third Eye, Upstairs at 30 Arthur St. Te Aro Price: General $20, WJC members and Students with ID $15
