Jazz Notes
Get the latest news, updates and announcements from the Wellington Jazz Festival
01 Jul, 11
Thanks to our Partners
A sincere thanks (and round of applause!) to our Wellington Jazz Festival Partners, who helped us to take New Zealanders on a once-in-a-lifetime journey with Sonny, from stereo to stage.
The concert couldn't have happened without Principal Sponsor TelstraClear. In his speech at the post-show function CEO Allan Freeth reminded us of Sonny's words "jazz sheds the dust of everyday life" - we couldn't agree more.
Media Partners The Dominion Post and supporters The Radio Network (Newstalk ZB and Classic Hits) helped us to get the word out, while the Museum Art Hotel treated Sonny and his band like royalty - apparently the best hotel on their entire Australasian tour (not that we're competitive...!).
Thanks also to Wellington Venues Ltd., Positively Wellington Tourism and Phantom Billstickers Ltd. for their generous contributions to the event.
We're grateful to all our supporters, but most of all to our audience who supported the concert and made the event such a success.
01 Jul, 11
A standing ovation for Sonny and band
Sonny Rollins lived up to his legendary status when he performed for one night only in New Zealand on Saturday 11 June, backed by an incredible band.
The Dominion Post reviewer Colin Morris summed it up: "from the almost standing ovation of his entrance and the first note of D Cherry, the audience whooped and hollered every swoop and bend, every soaring note, every fist-jabbed acknowledgment to the audience... On a filthy wet night in Wellington, the sun burst through."
The concert flew by as the audience was treated to a 90-minute jazz master class from Sonny and his band - enjoying Rollins' greats like Newark News, which captured all the lilting grooves of the tropics.
It was fitting that on the same weekend Sonny was awarded the Musician of the Year gong at the Jazz Journalists Awards. At 80, there's just no stopping him!
Read more Read Colin Morris' full review for The Dominion Post here
Though Wellington (or more specifically the Chilean ash cloud) was reluctant to let Sonny go home the following Monday - he handled the delay with his usual relaxed charm as you'll read in this Radio New Zealand post here
More reviews Read Simon Sweetman's review here
View pictures Check out Sonny and his band onstage in our Facebook gallery here
02 Feb, 11
Jazz Giant Sonny Rollins to Perform In Wellington This June
Jazz Giant Sonny Rollins to Perform In Wellington
TelstraClear and the Wellington Jazz Festival will present the last of the living jazz legends, Sonny Rollins at the Michael Fowler Centre on Saturday 11 June, 2011. Tickets for the concert, Rollins' only New Zealand performance, will be on sale from Monday 7 March, 2011.
Sonny Rollins is known as the original saxophone colossus, a name he earned when he was just 26 years old playing alongside jazz greats Charlie Parker, Thelonius Monk and Miles Davis.
Now 80, he is the last of the great bebop saxophonists, and still has incredible form playing with the energy of a man half his age. He refers to jazz as "the king of all musics," and still performs 20 to 25 dates a year at the cream of international jazz festivals.
The Evening Standard jazz critic commented after his London concert last month, "By the finale, everyone knew what a jazz giant sounded like. Long live Sonny Rollins."
Many of Rollins' compositions are in the standard repertoire of jazz musicians. In 2004 he received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy.
Due to competition for funding in the Rugby World Cup year, the 2011 Wellington Jazz Festival won't be going ahead in its usual format. Instead the Festival has invited Rollins for this spectacular Headliner concert in 2011, with potential for another event later in the year. In 2013 the Wellington Jazz Festival will revert to its four day format.
Festival Chair Kerry Prendergast, who was appointed to the board in December, said: "We're thrilled to be able to welcome the inimitable Sonny Rollins to New Zealand. It will be an unforgettable night of pure entertainment from one of the finest jazz musicians of our time."
The Wellington Jazz Festival gratefully acknowledges the support of Principal Sponsor TelstraClear, Wellington City Council, Wellington Venues Ltd., The Dominion Post, The Radio Network and Positively Wellington Tourism.
19 Mar, 09
Congratulations and thanks!
The Wellington Jazz Festival would like to thank the artists, staff, crew and sponsors for contributing to an outstanding four days of jazz.
And what great audiences, thank you for coming. It was wonderful to have you there, enjoying the music, experiencing that Festival buzz and being part of a unique new Wellington event.
Stay tuned to our website for updates as to when to book your next jazz weekend in Wellington. We are already fine-tuning the dates for the 2011 Wellington Jazz Festival...
Two years is a long time between gigs, but the New Zealand International Arts Festival promises to deliver you some great jazz in 2010 to tide you over. So put the dates 26 February - 21 March 2010 in your diary now and keep an eye out for when the programme is released in November of this year.
19 Mar, 09
"The Town Hall has been transformed into a jiving jazz club..."
Reviews have poured in over the last week, as the wealth of artists that appeared at the Wellington Jazz Festival have given journalists plenty to write about...
"Youssef's quartet on stage confirmed jazz is a global genre, with the swinging sizzle of the rhythms perfecting assisting Youssef to wow the audience" - Dominion Post
"Nock and Houstoun the perfect pairing" - Dominion Post
"Tomasz Stańko is considered the 'Polish Miles Davis' and it is instantly apparent in the long notes this trumpeter holds. His tone is a direct descendant of Davis' work but, where Miles kept his ballads and funk workouts separate, Stańko's quartet starts off sombre and quiet, building to a bright, bulging sound... and the audience loved it" - Dominion Post
"An excellent Wellington Jazz Festival closed with another stellar performance, as the Brad Mehldau Trio showcases some exceptional skill and musicianship" - The Lumière Reader
"[Mélanie] Pain's entire performance was so beautiful, moving and unforgettable. Well-deserving of the standing ovation she received, I simply cannot recommend this woman highly enough" - Texture.co.nz
"At times it seemed the crowd were more on their feet than sitting down, such was the reaction to Roberto Fonseca and his equally expert group. And fair enough, too - they were genuinely exceptional, and thoroughly charming" - Texture.co.nz
More feedback:
I have had rave reviews from my clients who attended the events and I heard some of the outside performances in Civic Square on Sunday which sounded amazing! - Villa Maria
We had a wonderful time at various events - it was a truly fantastic festival - Mojo
The event was fantastic so congratulations to your team on delivering another interational quality event to Wellington - Sauce
The Jazz Festival has been a great experience for the Jubilation Choir thanks to your extraordinary team and the fabulous Wellington audience - Jubilation a cappella gospel choir
A very big thank you from all the staff and students here at Titahi Bay North School for enabling us to visit the Otis Taylor Blues workshop last week. Our students are seldom able to get to shows such as this - of many of them, it would have been a totally new experience. They certainly seemed to enjoy it, judging by their enthusiastic comments afterwards! It was so good for them to be able to participate in a little of Wellington's cultural life - Titahi Bay North School