John Key releases apolitical jazz album
John Key has released an album of apolitical music - and you won’t hear him singing about house prices.
That is because this particular John Key is a jazz pianist who has just released an album of original compositions.
The Mt Roskill resident says sharing a name with New Zealand’s leader has never been an issue but he does not want the name to be tarnished.
Former Mt Roskill MP Phil Goff used to tell him that he was the John Key people should be listening to.
Originally from Sussex in the United Kingdom, Key has met the National Party leader once, swapping cards with him at a gig long before he entered politics.
Key says he wants his name back ‘‘in the same condition as it was taken’’.
Having migrated to New Zealand in 1973, Key first started playing piano at six years old.
It all began when he became intrigued with a church organ and would sneak in to sit behind its pipes before school.
‘‘It was huge, it was loud and it was lovely to listen to and I thoroughly enjoyed sitting in there and having my ears blasted.’’
Key’s fourth album Back & Forth was released this month and has ten original tracks performed with three stalwart Auckland jazz musicians.
Recorded in a small Lynfield studio Key says it contains swing, latin and blues influences.
‘‘I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel or anything,’’ he says.
When writing the album many of the tunes would often come into his head when falling asleep. head. Whatever transfers from the eye or the ear into music.
‘‘If you could really define how a composition comes about everybody would be doing it.’’