Mainland Big Band. Big Band Music at its very best. Playing at 7-30pm on the first Saturday of every month.
Events
SOUTHERN JAZZMEN 6 Piece Dixie and Swing Band featuring Jeff Bradley on Clarinet, vocals, Kim Blackmore, Trombone , vocals, Bert Parrant, Guitar and vocals, Greg Knowles, Trumpet and vocals, Dave Pitt on Bass and Robert Zipfel, Drums. Great toe tapping music to enjoy and dance to.
Bio Greg Knowles Greg Knowles of Otautahi Christchurch, born in Waiharakeke Blenheim to Bernie and Elinor Knowles(nee Gray) of Motueka and Waiharakeke respectively.
With a sound that is in turns smooth, charactered, soulful and lightly influenced by Chet Baker, Wynton Marsalis, Blind Boys of Alabama and his mum. Greg presents a selection of some of his favourite sounds and songs performed in the company of some fine musicians whose presence he values and whose contributions give this place called earth more sense. John Bevin, Piano and Michael Bell, Acoustic Bass and Jonty O’Connor, Drums.
Waiharakeke - 'Water where the flax grows' ('The Waters of the flax'). Motueka - 'Island of Weka'.
Mainland Big Band. Big Band Music at its very best. Playing at 7-30pm on the first Saturday of every month.
Bio: The Chisnallwood Jazz Band is made of year 7-8's, or Form 1 and 2s for those who remember those days. So the ages range from 10-13 years old. Tonight we have the 2018 band - we are lucky to have our graduated members back who are now in year 9 at high school to join our year 8s. We also have a brand new year 7 member who has just been playing sax for a few weeks. This Chisnallwood jazz band were lucky to play at JazzQuest last year, an event mainly for high schools held here at ARA, where they were overjoyed to receive a gold award. They also enjoyed a fabulous tour to Dunedin and Oamaru where they played at the Steampunk Festival and for gave educational school concerts. They played for a few special events such as the Big Band Festival, the opening of the City Promenade, Santa Parades and NZEI teacher graduation. They have played in the rain, in the sun, on trucks and played wearing steampunk goggles. The band has recently been invited to play in China in July. Many of the members of this band are going there to represent Chisnallwood and NZ in a youth summer music festival in Shanghai. This means there's a lot of fundraising happening. If you would like to donate to either the China trip or to our sponsorship programme to support students pay for lessons, please visit Chisnallwoodmusic.co.nz.
Judith Bell the band director has worked at Chisnallwood since 1999. She runs groups including the jazz, rock and Irish bands, ukulele, marimba, recorder groups, computer music, sound tech and theory club. Outside school she is busy with the Big Band Festival, Strum Strike and Blow, Music Education groups and plays in the All girl Big Band and Sideline Swing. She and her family played in the wedding band Barock for over 25 years.