Paul has delighted audiences in New Zealand on more than 14 occasions. His long standing collaboration of 15 years with colleague Mark Lockett (drums) is known to produce music that is highly interactive, energetic, and engaging.
Paul’s compositions are influenced by jazz, classical, Cuban and folk traditions, producing music that’s rich in detail, varied in character, yet remaining uniquely personal. His music simultaneously pays tribute to the Jazz greats whilst being highly energetic and reflecting personal life experiences.
“On ballads, (Paul) could wring a tear from a walnut and when playing up tempo he navigates the terrain with ease. His compositions are engaging.” – John Fenton
“Hard fast and exciting playing…with great ideas….that’s what I like about Paul Van Ross and his music…check him out.” – George Garzone
Paul Van Ross Trio
Featuring: Mark Lockett (d), Chris Beernink (b) and Paul Van Ross (s) Date: Thur 14 Dec 2017 Venue: Pyramid Club, 272 Taranaki St. Time: 8pm Price: $15 General, $10 Members and Students with ID
The Wellington Mingus Ensemble is back, in all its ruthless glory. Join this full-strength big band for their debut obliteration of the Wellington Jazz Cooperative as they perform the beautifully dangerous music of visionary prophet Charles Mingus. Fierce, spontaneous and brimming with vibe, The Wellington Mingus Ensemble is a jazz orchestra not to be missed
Wellington Mingus Ensemble
Featuring: Bryn Van Vliet, Eilish Wilson, Jake Baxendale, Garam Jung, Me, Kaito Walley, Raymond Doell, Julian Kirgan, Patrick DiSomma, Ben Hunt, Michael Costelloe, Dan Windsor, Chris Selley, Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa, Chris Bernink, Ayrton Foote.
Date: Thur 30 Nov 2017 Venue: Pyramid Club, 272 Taranaki St. Time: 8pm Price: $10 General, $5 Members and Students with ID
For this special concert, visiting Australian artists Hetty Kate (voice) and James Sherlock (guitar) will perform a selection of compositions by some of the most influential cool and bop pianists in jazz history. These timeless compositions are full of colour, and often began as instrumentals, with lyrics being only added later by trusted collaborators. Occasionally they were written with a singer in mind, but with or without voice, all of them found their way into the repertoires of jazz musicians around the world. Composers include Tadd Dameron, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Horace Silver and more.
About Hetty
Pure of tone and sweet sounding, jazz vocalist Hetty Kate was born in England and moved to Melbourne as a young teenager. With nine diverse albums under her belt in the last decade, and a regular international touring schedule, Hetty has built a reputation for being ‘truly one of the best swing-style singers on the current scene’ (Will Friedwald, jazz critic and author.) She approaches each song and performance with a natural musicality, and is often lauded for the clarity in her voice. Hetty spent three years touring with James Morrison and was the featured vocalist in his award-winning symphonic concert ‘The A to Z of Jazz’ which toured NZ in 2015. She is a regular at festivals around Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and her career highlights range from singing at the Sydney Opera House to touring Victoria with the Melbourne Recital Centre’s Share The Music Program. Hetty is now based in Paris, France.
“a stage presence only matched by the clarity of her voice” James Morrison AM (AU)
About James
Outstanding guitarist James Sherlock was born in Christchurch, before moving to Brisbane as a young teenager. Known for his ability to convey a lyrical and luscious timbre on his instrument, James has an ongoing duo project with celebrated Brisbane vocalist Kristin Berardi, and has worked with a variety of Australia’s finest; as well as many visiting artists such as Leroy Jones, Sheila Jordan, Cyrille Aimee, Jon Riley and Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts. He was awarded the Ike Isaacs International Jazz Guitar Award and as a bandleader has released six albums as well as appearing on many more for other artists. Close to home, James has a weekly residency with Melbourne bebop sextet Bopstretch, and is currently completing an new album, to be released late 2017.
“Sherlock is a wonderful guitarist, and a craftsman of songs possessing beauty and depth.” Ian Patterson : All About Jazz Magazine (USA)
Hetty Kate and James Sherlock
Featuring: Mark Lockett (d), Nick Tipping (b), James Sherlock (g), Hetty Kate (v) Date: Thurs 16 Nov 2017 Venue: Pyramid Club, 272 Taranaki St. Time: 8pm Price: $20 General, $15 Members and Students with ID
Adventurous Jazz trio the Melancholy Babes have been performing their incendiary improvised music in New Zealand for over 15 years.
The band of saxophonist Jeff Henderson, bass player Tom Callwood and drummer Anthony Donaldson have released three albums on iiii Records and are due to release a new album of live material in November 2017. Recorded at the 2017 Wellington International Jazz Festival, the album ‘Bootleg’ sees the Melancholy Babes reach new heights of intensity and drama – careering from expressionist freefalls to contemplative soundscapes to psychedelic rock outs.
Originally performing musical compositions and games, the trio now focus on freely improvised music which encompasses a huge range of influences and inspirations.
The Melancholy Babes are some of New Zealand’s most seasoned Free Jazz and improvised music performers, collectively having performed with such renowned international figures as Steve Lacy, Marilyn Crispell, Han Bennink, Peter Broetzmann, Frode Gjerstad, Mike Nock and Evan Parker to name a few.
Melancholy Babes
Featuring: Jeff Henderson (s), bass player Tom Callwood (b) and Anthony Donaldson (d) Date: Thur 02 Nov 2017 Venue: Pyramid Club, 272 Taranaki St. Time: 8pm Price: $10 General, $5 Members and Students with ID
Every so often a musician and his ensemble come along and stamp their name on today’s musical landscape. With their new release “This is the Moment” (Release Date: September 8th, 2017), led by bassist Nathan Brown, the trio does just that. Joined on the new release by Felix Lemerle on guitar and Peter Traunmueller on drums, Brown and his comrades show why their musicianship and compositional skills are gaining the attention they deserve. The new release is a collection of original compositions along with interpretations of selections from Walter Davis Jr, Grant Green, Leslie Bricusse and Frederik Hollander. Jump on board with the Nathan Brown Trio and enjoy the ride.
Nathan Brown Trio
Featuring: Mark Lockett (d), Sam Nakamura (g) and Nathan Brown (b) Date: Tue 31 Oct 2017 Venue: Pyramid Club, 272 Taranaki St. Time: 8pm Price: $20 General, $15 Members and Students with ID
“Once in a great while, a musician emerges with such authority and such seemingly effortless originality that his place in the front ranks of his instrument is unquestioned. So it is with David Friesen.” Nat Hentoff
“David Friesen is doing for the bass what Pythagoras did for triangles.” Patrick Hinely/Jazz Magazine
David Friesen (USA) has recorded over 65 CD’s as a leader/ co-leader and appeared as a sideman or featured artist on more than 100 recordings. He has performed and/or recorded with Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Sam Rivers, Michael Brecker, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddy Hubbard, Mal Waldron, Jaki Byard, Chick Corea, John Scofield, Elvin Jones, Jack Dejohnette, and many others.
October 2017 sees David on tour around New Zealand, promoting his latest album “another time another place”, recorded live at the Creative Jazz Club (Auckland) in 2015, released through Rattle NZ. Accompanying David are band mates Dixon Nacey (guitar) and Reuben Bradley (drums), both acclaimed musicians in their own right
David will be holding a workshop at the Pyramid Club on Friday 20 October at 6pm, $10.
David Friesen Trio
Featuring: Dixon Nacey (g) and Reuben Bradley (d) and David Friesen (b) Date: Fri 20 Oct 2017 Venue: Pyramid Club, 272 Taranaki St. Time: 8pm Price: $20 General, $15 Members, Students with ID $10
Nick Hempton is an alto and tenor saxophonist, composer, and bandleader producing new music in the modern/mainstream tradition. Calling New York home since 2004, he headlines clubs throughout the city, as well as concert halls and festivals around the world. Influenced by the greats of the instrument– Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Cannonball Adderley, etc., and informed by a youth misspent playing Rhythm & Blues and Ska in his native Australia, Hempton’s jazz is original, approachable, and always swinging.
“Highly entertaining, hard-driving and solid swinging modern jazz… creative, intense and superb.” – Edward Blanco, E-JazzNews
Nick Hempton Trio
Featuring: Mark Lockett (d), Michael Story (b) and Nick Hempton (s) Date: Thurs 5 Oct 2017 Venue: Pyramid Club, 272 Taranaki St. Time: 8pm Price: $20 General, $15 Members and Students with ID
One of Australia’s most prominent jazz saxophonists, Jamie Oehlers, teams up one of the hottest young jazz talents around, pianist Tal Cohen, to create some inspirational and thought provoking music.
The two have been performing together now for nearly 10 years in a variety of settings, teaming up with artists like Ari Hoenig and Robert Hurst and performing together in various ensembles. This setting allows for an exploration of melody and space, tone and dynamics.
This duo perform music from the great American songbook, as well as original material composed specifically for this project, Innocent Dreamer.
Tal and Jamie Ohelars
Featuring: Tal Cohen (p) and Jamie Ohelrs (s) Date: Mon 25 Sep 2017 Venue: Pyramid Club, 272 Taranaki St. Time: 8pm Price: $25 General, $20 Members and Students with ID
Saxophonist and composer Dave Wilson presents a new quintet featuring Michael Taylor on trumpet, Callum Allardice on guitar, Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa on drums, and Chris Beernink on bass.
Dave grew up outside Chicago before moving to Los Angeles, where he was based until 2016 when he moved to Wellington. He has collaborated as a player and composer across many genres of improvised music including contemporary classical music, the maqam tradition of the middle east and central Asia, and jazz, electronic, and traditional music of Macedonia and other areas of southeastern Europe. The quintet will be showcasing primarily brand new compositions along with other original music.
Dave Wilson Quintet
Featuring: Michael Taylor (t), Callum Allardice (g), Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa (d), Chris Beernink (b) and Dave Wilson (s). Date: Thurs 21 Sep 2017 Venue: Pyramid Club, 272 Taranaki St. Time: 8pm Price: $10 General, $5 Members and Students with ID
We are ‘Interim’. Fresh out of our honours year at the NZSM, Interim have gravitated towards a less traditional jazz repitoire and have taken a more modern, culturally diverse approach. We are ready to show our compositions and interpretations of our favourite music to the greater Wellington music appreciators!
Interim
Featuring: Sam Smith-Nakamura (g), Fraser Walker (p), Chris Beernink (b) and Luther Hunt (d) Date: Thurs 7 Sep 2017 Venue: Pyramid Club, 272 Taranaki St. Time: 8pm Price: $10 General, $5 Members and Students with ID
