WJC are delighted and proud to present our first emerging artist series in honour of the recent passing of jazz drummer and educator Roger Sellers.  This will be an annual event and we hope to provide a platform to showcase two chosen emerging artists with outstanding talent in both performance and composition to present a suite of mostly original music with their groups at our WJC fortnightly head-liner series.  

We would like to acknowledge the recent passing of much loved and respected jazz drummer and educator Roger Sellers.  Roger was a world-renowned musician who was possibly best known internationally for his work with the famous UK fusion band ‘Nucleus’ during the 1970’s.  Deciding to leave London Roger migrated to Wellington in 1981 where he devoted the remaining 38 years of his life to playing with, teaching, encouraging and inspiring students at the Wellington Poly-tech jazz conservatorium (now known as NZSM).  He also led his popular group ‘The Boptet’ which had a long-standing residency which ran for more than 20 years at Lido Cafe in Wellington. During his time as an educator at such a high-level Roger would have passed his knowledge and wisdom so gracefully onto thousands of budding young jazz students and in doing so gave them crucial industry skills and the confidence to go on to achieve great things on both the local and international scene.  

I’m sure that the NZ music scene would not be in the fine state it is today had Roger chosen to settle back in his hometown Melbourne upon leaving London and his return down under.  Here’s a lovely quote ‘Take music seriously but not too seriously but, most of all be a good guy’. (Roger Sellers).

For this our inaugural concert we will be featuring bassist Phoebe Johnson with her quintet.  For our second set, we present trombonist Martin Greshoff with his septet.  

Emerging Artist – Phoebe Johnson
Featuring: Joining Phoebe are Lily Shaw (s), Luca Sturney (g), Ben Stewart (p) and Olivia Campion (d)

Emerging Artist – Martin Greshoff
Featuring: Joining Martin are James Guilford-Smith (t), Louisa Williamson (s), Nicholas baucke-Maunsell (s), Leonardo Coghini (p), Seth Boy (b) and James Feekes (d).  

Date: Thur 30 August 2018
Venue: Pyramid Club, Level, 272 Taranaki St.
Time: 8pm
Price: General $15, WJC members and Students with ID $8

On the 16th of August, Join Tui nominated jazz drummer, composer and producer Myele Manzanza for his debut performance at WJC. Featuring an all original set of music with a new quartet. Featuring Michael James Taylor on trumpet, Leonardo Coghini on keyboards and Johnny Lawrence on bass.

Myele Manzanza Group
Date: Thur 16 August 2018
Venue: Pyramid Club, Level, 272 Taranaki St.
Time: 8pm
Price: General $15, WJC members and Students with ID $8

Viata is the new self-release by Sydney trumpeter Eamon Dilworth (Tijuana Cartel, Ed Kuepper, Low Down Riders). The album concept stems from a trip to Romania encountering a new city with a different way of life, morales and stories. Viata means “Life” in Romanian, in terms of how we continue to exist and simply be. Learning to live with ourselves as we are.

 

“The trip opened me up to consider who I am, where I come from & how I deal with experiences and challenges… My musical output changed from this day to seek a deeper connection through my music and performance leading me to attempt to create soundtracks for my challenges in coming into adulthood.”

 

Eamon is best known for his previous albums with The Dilworths (“Introducing..”) & Tiny Hearts (“Alluvium”) and has performed with Dale Barlow, James Muller, The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra, Nigel Kennedy, Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy & Asgier. He’s toured Europe 3 times with Caravana Sun and regularly performs around Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.

 

Eamon Dilworth Album Release
Featuring: Alister Spence (p), Jake Baxendale (s), Eamon Dilworth (t). 
Date: Thur 2 August 2018
Venue: Pyramid Club, Level, 272 Taranaki St.
Time: 8pm
Price: General $15, WJC members and Students with ID $8