Fox to bring swing to Paeka¯ ka¯ riki
Rodger Fox — jazz trombonist, big band leader, jazz educator, arranger and producer — is performing in Paeka¯ka¯riki for the lastest Mulled Wine Concerts.
Inspired by the jazz music of the swing era, first brought to New Zealand by the US servicemen who were stationed at camps around Paeka¯ka¯riki in the 1940s, Rodger and his extended jazz ensemble will commemorate that time and extend it into the 1950s before swinging along into the 60s with a few arrangements of popular Beatles numbers.
“Whatever numbers we do, they are all played in true Rodger Fox Band fashion, big bold and brassy, with a lot of sassy style from our vocalist Erna Ferry,” he said.
The extended jazz ensemble is a seven-piece band, led by Fox on trombone and backed up by well-known Wellington jazz artists James Guilford on trumpet, Bryn Van Vliet — saxophone, Ayrton Foote — keyboards, Gus Reece — guitar, Rory Macartney — bass and Lance Philip on drums.
Erna Ferry will be weaving her vocal magic around the songs Rodger has chosen to mark the occasion.
Fox has promoted and played in live concerts in the Global Festival arena, Montreux Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Manly Jazz Festival, Wichita Jazz Festival. In 2022 he was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to music and in 2005 Massey University awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Music. His various ensembles have released over three dozen full-length albums over the past decades and he has just released a new album of arrangements of Dave Dobbyn songs for 2022.
Organiser Mary Gow is pleased to welcome Fox back again and notes that Mulled Wine Concerts will again be putting on its famous hospitality. Sangria (non alcoholic) and water bottles will be available. A range of prizes, donated by our business community will be available in the raffle, so Mary asks patrons “Remember to bring a bit of cash along if you feel lucky!”.