The Great Taranaki Steam Band got us in the mood

Great Taranaki Steam Band Crystal Palace New Plymouth Wednesday, August 23 12.15pm Reviewed: by Anne Bovett

In the Mood was a perfect start to the lunchtime concert by the Great Taranaki Steam Band, as the capacity audience in the Crystal Palace settled in to enjoy some favourite numbers in a relaxed atmosphere.

The programme was cheerfully introduced by music director Christopher Luke, and was wellselected to show off the many capabilities of the 35-strong group.

The band skilfully negotiated the tricky rhythms of Mission Impossible, the syncopations of many of the jazz classics, and the frequent changes of tempo in the medley numbers.

A highlight was the bracket with vocalist Damon Ritai who gave renditions of Ain’t that a kick in the head and New York, New York with convincing metropolitan style, and a beautiful heartfelt Maori version of Hallelujah that particularly resonated with the crowd.

There was a nicely nuanced arrangement of Georgia on my mind, an essential salute to Louis Armstrong, and some traditional jazz improvising, most notably by Mr Jazz himself, Stewart Maunder, the original founder of the band.

The concluding April in Paris sent the audience happily and appropriately strolling out into the Taranaki spring sunshine.

Anzac Eve looks at Gallipoli from the point of view of four young people who have made the pilgrimage to Anzac Cove.

Two kiwi blokes, Ben, who has a masters in history, and Phil, whose knowledge of historical facts and figures makes him a pub quiz legend meet up with two ‘Brizzy Bimbos’, Maia and her Maori Australian friend Lizzie.

The play is centred around the four new mates as they hunker down and wait for dawn. While most of the talk is of the Gallipoli campaign, many other Aussie and