James returns to his roots

James Tait-Jamieson fell in love with jazz in his teens and is returning to his roots to play with the cream of Palmerston North jazz musicians at the Hokowhitu Bowling Club on Saturday.

The sax player and singer from Palmerston North went on to study at the New Zealand School of Music and then on to the graduate programme at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Living in “The Entertainment Capital of the World”, James had the opportunity to perform regularly on the Las Vegas Strip, honing his craft in front of audiences at the wellknown Caesar’s Palace, The Bellagio, Wynn Las Vegas and Four Seasons at the Mandalay Bay.

After graduating from UNLV and moving home to New Zealand he quickly started working with Wellington lounge band Shaken Not Stirred and did a year-long stint as saxophonist in The Bobptet at the Lido Cafe´ with Roger Sellers and Paul Dyne (New Zealand’s longest running jazz gig).

In 2007 James debuted his musical review show Sons of Sinatra with internationally renowned trombonist and band leader Rodger Fox. The show has featured regularly at jazz festivals and concert venues all over New Zealand since then.

In 2010 he joined legendary Wellington musical comedy trio Hot Club Sandwich and started teaching Contemporary Performance Music at Ucol in Palmerston North.

In 2015 james joined the Rodger Fox Big band on alto sax.

Highlights over the past few years have been two-month-long Arts On Tour New Zealand tours and a week in Norfolk Island with Hot Club Sandwich, two trips to Fiji to perform with blues singer Mahia Blackmore’s Paradise Band and a performance at the 2017 Monterey Jazz Festival in california with the Rodger Fox Big band.

James lives in Wellington where he performs regularly with his own groups as well as The Andrew London Trio, The Wellington Heads, C26 salsa band and of course RFBB.

He is working on his first recording under his own name — a Michael Buble´ style jazz vocal album with big band and strings.

■ September 1, 7.30pm at the Hokowhitu Bowling club, tickets $20 at the door.