Jazz club ends its season with show
The Whanganui Jazz Club and the St John’s Club have come together to present two nights of swingin’ singin’ jazz music to mark the end of the jazz club’s 2019 season.
The weekend performances will propel both clubs’ members into the festive season in style.
Tony Lewis of the (Avon) River City Jazzmen of Christchurch asked if they could perform at the jazz club on Saturday, November 30. We explained that our night is Sunday, but they already had an engagement on Sunday. So we approached the St John’s Club, knowing they put on music for their members on a Saturday night. St John’s Dennis Dorgan jumped at the chance to have such an entertaining group of musicians on his stage.
The Jazzmen are reputedly at the top of the Dixie game in New Zealand, taking first prize in March at the inaugural New Orleans Battle of the Bands against 15 other groups.
Michael Bain of the Wellington Jazz Club commented of the 2017 concert; “The RCJ played an outstanding performance . . . the band was bright with tight ensemble playing and superb improvisations . . . great to hear the old standards played with such gusto.”
The music starts at 7.30pm, and there is no cover charge. It’s sure to be a great night of entertainment.
The next night, Sunday, December 1 will be another good one, as we welcome two of Australia’s rising jazz stars.
Vocalist Emma Gilmartin is without a doubt one of Australia’s finest and in-demand jazz singers currently on the scene today. She has released four albums under her own name and was a finalist in the Australian jazz awards in 2006.
For what will be her debut NZ tour Gilmartin will be teaming up with a longtime colleague and heavyweight guitarist James Sherlock also from Melbourne.
Mainstays on the New Zealand jazz scene, double bassist Michael Story and drummer Mark Lockett will be rounding out the rhythm section for the quartet.
The quartet will take you on a creative journey of original tunes penned by Emma and arrangements of some of her favourite standards.
This is the jazz club’s holiday season club night. General admission $20, members and students $10. The music is from 6.30pm-8.30pm.