Ubana Jones back on tour
A New Zealand-based musician is back touring with Timaru his first stop after Covid-19 forced the cancellation of his tour of Switzerland earlier this year.
Paul Ubana Jones, a SwissEnglish musician who lives in Canterbury’s Southbridge, was in the midst of tour of Switzerland when New Zealand announced it was tightening its borders in response to the pandemic.
‘‘I played the first two gigs but had to cancel the other eight.
‘‘I came home to two weeks of self-isolation, and that backed onto level four.’’
It was easy adapting to lockdown because ‘‘there are no guarantees’’ when touring, he said.
‘‘It’s all very iffy right up until you walk on stage,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s good to tune into different things. We’ve got a sizeable garden and I cleaned all the rubbish out of the garage. I was also playing and writing material every day.’’
The country is likely to shift into level one during Jones’ tour.
‘‘Jacinda has steered this ship beautifully,’’ he said.
‘‘The main thing is not just the fact we’re going back to level one, but that we stay sensible.’’
Jones’ professional career as a musician began in London in 1973.
He worked in France, the United States, and Switzerland before moving to New Zealand in 1987.
He has continued touring the globe, recorded eight albums, and holds workshops in schools.
‘‘As long as I’m still producing good music and connecting with audiences, I will enjoy what I do.’’
Jones will kick off his tour of 11 spots across the North and South Islands with a performance at Hector Black’s Lounge Bar, on Stafford St, on June 19.
His last stop will be New Plymouth on July 25.
‘‘I enjoy intimate venues with people that really appreciate what you’re doing and hang on every word,’’ Jones said.
The guitarist– whose sound is influenced by blues, rock, folk, and jazz – last played in Timaru in January.