Phil Boniface a New Zealand/Canadian bassist, composer and educator. Having spent more than a decade residing in Canada; he performed, recorded and studied with many of the finest jazz musicians on the west coast, alongside multiple performances in the Vancouver International Jazz Festival leading his own groups. 

As a composer, his first album as a bandleader ‘BaixaBlue’ was funded by ‘FACTOR’ and engineered in Canada. Featuring leading west coast Canadian jazz musicians this record exemplifies his abilities as a composer, arranger, performer, and improviser. 

In 2018, with support from the Lilburn Trust, ‘Ponguru’ has been released through RATTLE records. This duo album of improvisations and compositions is a collaboration between ngā taonga pūoro artist Al Fraser and Phil, which brings together the low voice of the double bass and the many voices of ngā taonga pūoro in an exploration of timbre, space, melody and our shared musical language. 

Joining him at WJC on May 10th is Lucien Johnson, saxophones, Matt Steele piano and Mark Lockett, drums. 

 

Phil Boniface Quartet
Featuring:
  Phil Boniface (b), Lucien Johnson (s), Matt Steele (p) and Mark Lockett (d). 
Date: Thur 10 May 2018
Venue: Pyramid Club, Level, 272 Taranaki St.
Time: 8pm
Price: $15 General, $8 Members and Students with ID

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WJC Sunday Sessions At Third Eye feature compositions by great jazz artists. The house band will open with a couple of tunes and then invite musicians to join in.

Featured composer: John Coltrane
House Band: Jake Baxendale (s), Wynton Newman (b) and Hikurangi Schaverien-Kara (d).
Date and time: Sunday 6 May 2018, 2-4pm
Venue: The Third Eye, 30 Arthur Street, Te Aro.

WJC Sunday Sessions At Third Eye feature compositions by great jazz artists. The house band will open with a couple of tunes and then invite musicians to join in.

Featured composer: Duke Ellington
House Band: George MacLaurin (p), Seth Boy (b), Mark Lockett (d).
Date and time: Sunday 29 April 2018, 2-4pm
Venue: The Third Eye, 30 Arthur Street, Te Aro.

WJC is pleased to present Craig Walters, a wonderful tenor saxophonist who has recently returned to NZ after living in Sydney for 30+ years.

Originating from Dunedin Craig studied at Berklee College of Music. After living in Wellington in the early ‘80s he moved to Sydney Australia in 1985 where he performed with Bob Mintzer, Michael Bublé, Louie Bellson, Billy Cobham, Cleo Lane, Bob Florence, Rob McConnel, John Riley, Jim McNeely. Local Jazz Groups include Don Rader Quintet, Mike Knock Quartet, Dave McCrae Quartet. Big bands include the James Morrison Big Band, Sydney All Star Big Band and the Sydney Jazz Orchestra.Craig has led & recorded his own quartet and played at most of the major jazz festivals in Australia.

Craig Walters Quartet
Featuring:
 Craig Walters (s), Noel Clayton (g), Paul Dyne (b), Mark Lockett (d)
Date: Thur 26 April 2018
Venue: Pyramid Club, Level, 272 Taranaki St.
Time: 8pm
Price: $15 General, $8 Members and Students with ID

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WJC Sunday Sessions At Third Eye feature compositions by great jazz artists. The house band will open with a couple of tunes and then invite musicians to join in.

Featured composer: Red Garland
House Band: Johnny Lawrence (b), Daniel Hayles (p), Mark Lockett (d).
Date and time: Sunday 22 April 2018, 2-4pm
Venue: The Third Eye, 30 Arthur Street, Te Aro.

WJC Sunday Sessions At Third Eye feature compositions by great jazz artist. The house band will open with a couple of tunes and then invite musicians to join in.

Featured composer: Bud Powell
House Band: Wynton Newman (b), Alex Boulton (g), Mark Lockett (d).
Date and time: Sunday 15 April 2018, 2-4pm
Venue: The Third Eye, 30 Arthur Street, Te Aro.

Jake Baxendale (saxophone) James Paul (guitar) and Cory Champion (drums, no relation) perform some free-flowing meditations on their own themes and any others that might occur. Ornette Coleman, Wayne Shorter, Paul Motian or Radiohead might have a hand in proceedings, indirectly of course – or they may not. Songs and improvisations blur into one another and provide a springboard into the next soundscape.

Breakfast of Champions
Featuring:
Jake Baxendale (saxophone), James Paul (guitar) and Cory Champion (drums).
Date: Thur 12 April 2018
Venue: Pyramid Club, Level, 272 Taranaki St.
Time: 8pm
Price: $15 General, $8 Members and Students with ID

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WJC is pleased to announce that we will be hosting award-winning artists Peter Koopman and Michelle Nicolle at the 2018 Wellington Jazz Festival. Tickets are $25 (+bf) from UndertheRadar, members price $20 (contact WJC for a promo code).

Peter Koopman Trio
Date: Wednesday 6 June 2018, 8pm
Venue: Pyramid Club, Level, 272 Taranaki St.
Tickets:  UndertheRadar – Peter Koopman

Michelle Nicolle Quartet
Date: Saturday 9 June 2018, 8pm
Venue: Pyramid Club, Level, 272 Taranaki St.
Tickets: UndertheRadar – Michelle Nicolle

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Herbie Hancock

WJC Sunday Sessions At Third Eye feature compositions by great jazz artist. The house band will open with a couple of tunes and then invite musicians to join in.

Featured composer: Herbie Hancock
House Band: Chris Beernick (b), Ayrton Foote (p), Mark Lockett (d)
Date and time: Sunday 8 April 2018, 2-4pm
Venue: The Third Eye, 30 Arthur Street, Te Aro.