The Artists
Introducing the musicians and artists performing at the 38th Queenstown JazzFest.
Concert Programme tickets are onsale now, click here to book
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David Friesen
Bassist
Anyone acquainted with David Friesen's exceptional music quickly thinks of his creative universe. Ocean-deep in his sensitivty to the human spirit, Friesen is compassionate and his music founded on...
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Hollie Smith
Soul, Jazz & Blues
Hollie Smith cut her teeth performing with iconic locals Trinity Roots and Fat Freddy’s Drop, along with prominent Detroit DJ Recloose. But it would prove to be call from celebrated Kiwi songwrit...
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The Nudge
Blues & Roots
"Keen for a Nudge?" The Nudge have been forming their genre crossing sound since 2010. Formed initially from Ryan Prebble wishing to expand what was originally a solo project. Elements of blues ...
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Hetty Kate
Jazz & Swing
Hetty Kate is one of jazz luminary James Morrison’s favourite singers, has graced stages from New Zealand to New York, self released six popular jazz and swing albums, sings for the lindy-hop com...
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Adams & Gavin
Jazz Duo
Richard Adams and Nigel Gavin have worked like few other New Zealand musicians, crafting their art in rehearsal rooms and recording studios, and presented their magic in concert halls and to festival ...
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Amiria Grenell
Folk, Blues, Reggae
Hailing from the iconic Grenell tribe, youngest member Amiria is a highly regarded singer-songwriter and recording artist. She has toured New Zealand and Melbourne with ‘Fly My Pretties’, won Best...
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Andrea Cruickshank-Pearson
Vocals
Andrea Cruickshank-Pearson is a name synonymous with "songwriting" and "Nashville". Career highlights include New Zealand MLT Songwriting Awards winner twice, a 4 year US Publishing and Management ...
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Ashton Sellars Trio
Jazz & Beats
Guitarist Ashton Sellars is a passionate and exciting young musician making a name on the Wellington jazz scene. His sound is greatly influenced by musicians such as Bill Evans, Kenny Barron, John ...
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Barnaby Weir & Friends
Funk, Soul, Blues
Barnaby Weir, the front man for The Black Seeds and the visionary who brought together and navigated Fly My Pretties is one of New Zealand’s most prolific singer/songwriters. After a decade as the m...
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Bill Martin
Jazz Pianist
Bill Martin is a Dunedin-based jazz pianist who has maintained a three-year Friday night residency at the popular Carousel Lounge Bar in Dunedin as the leader of the Bill Martin Trio. Performance high...
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Bluestone
Blues
Formed in December of 2007, Bluestone play a high-octane mixture of blues, rock and soul from classic and contemporary artists. They'll take you on a musical journey from the South Side of Chigago to ...
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Carolina Moon
Vocalist
Vocalist Caroline Manins (aka Carolina Moon), is one of NZ’s leading jazz and world music singers. She began her jazzlife on the London/UK jazz scene, studying at London's Guildhall School of Music....
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Dixon Nacey
Jazz Guitarist
Dixon Nacey joins us for the first time at the Queenstown JazzFest to perform in concert alongside legendary American bassist David Friesen as part of his New Zealand Trio. Dixon’s 20 year perfo...
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Flor d'Luna
Jazz Trio
Janelle Aston and Mark Wilson began working together early in 1999. Janelle’s scat singing plus Mark’s strange but beautiful chords on the piano explore the possibilities of jazz harmonies. They a...
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Geoff Culverwell
Jazz Horns
Geoff Culverwell is one of New Zealand's most prolific horn players, playing sessions from big band lead to pop and jazz recording. Geoff has toured with a host of international acts and headlined ...
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James Sherlock
Jazz Guitarist
Born in Christchurch, James Sherlock is considered one of Australia’s most captivating and exciting guitarists. He has toured across Australia and internationally and personal career highlights i...
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Jason Thornton's 'Collision'
Jazz & Blues
This new project, brought to life by multi-instrumentalist Dr Jason Thornton (Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey, Cher, James Taylor, Gloria Estefan), is an exciting new chapter of original music for this ...
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Jive Pranksters
Jazz & Blues
The Jive Pranksters Band mix up the blues, the funk, rhythm and blues, jump and jazz, throw it all into a big pot along with latino rhythms and go stir crazy. From raunch to cool. Queenstown based,...
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Kara Gordon
Guitarist
Kara Gordon is called all sorts of things at his gigs, a Maori gypsy, the white Hendrix, a musical genius, part man - part guitar, a mystic playing straight from his soul. "One of the most prolific...
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Karin Reid
Vocals
Karin Reid is a Dunedin jazz vocalist who takes her inspiration from greats such as, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O'day, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Joni Mitchell to sing a variety of songs from ...
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Li'l Chuck
Blues, Early Jazz, Ragtime
Li'l Chuck The One Man Skiffle Machine is an authentic one man band performing 'good time music with old time style'. Blessed with the ability to handle multiple instruments at a time, he is the m...
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Michal Martyniuk
Pianist
Michal Martyniuk is 27 years old, originally from Poland. He is a professional pianist/keyboard player and began his career as a classical pianist for 10 years before discovering his passion for Jazz....
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Mike Booth
Trumpeter
Since 1975 Mike has maintained a busy career as a Trumpeter in New Zealand and Europe playing in orchestras, touring with various shows and acts, TV, radio, and playing in pop bands. In the Netherla...
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Mike Frost & The Iceman
Blues, R&B & Swing
After a few years absence, festival favourites Mike Frost & The Icemen return from Brisbane with their cool blues. For traditional electric blues, Australian guitar and harmonica-led quartet Mi...
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Mojo Webb
Blues
A multi-instrumentalist musician steeped in the tradition of real, authentic blues.Utterly fresh and unique but steeped in the tradition of real, authentic blues, Mojo's music is truly world-class. Wi...
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Nairobi Trio
Jazz
New Zealand's iconic Jazz entertainers the Nairobi Trio mark their 23rd year together with a special show featuring material spanning the groups' career to date from their eight CDs - a mixture of ski...
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Nick Cornish
Alto & Soprano Saxes, Flute
Nick Cornish, originally from England, has been in constant demand as a multi-wind-instrumentalist in classical and Jazz formations. He is well respected as a music educator, and for his role as pr...
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Nigel Gavin
Guitar
The distance from Nigel Gavin's Long Island, New York birthplace, to Auckland, New Zealand, where he now lives, may explain why his original working title for Thrum was, in fact, Off the Beaten Tra...
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Queenstown Jazz Orchestra
Big Band Jazz & Swing
Three years ago, a group of Jazz musicians from throughout the region have come together to form a band that encompasses the Big Band era of the 1940’s up to the modern big band sounds. The orche...
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Radius
Jazz & Blues
Radius features two of New Zealand’s finest instrumentalists and an inspiration not to be missed! Like alchemy, the roots of Celtic and Blues come together to create a new and innovative sound. H...
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Reuben Bradley
Jazz Drummer
Reuben Bradley returns to the Queenstown JazzFest to perform in concert alongside legendary American bassist David Friesen as part of his New Zealand Trio. Native to Wellington, Reuben Bradley h...
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Richard Adams
Fiddle, Violin & Vocals
Richard's enthusiasm for music extends to other artforms such as painting and acting. Violinist Adams is a gifted painter whose work has been exhibited internationally and who believes the visua...
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RIchardson Jazz
Swing, Latin
Formed in 1994, Richardson Jazz operates as a duo, trio, quartet, or quintet, with jazz musicians from Alexandra and Queenstown.Now well established in Central Otago and Lakes District, the band also ...
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Rob Craigie
Drums
Rob Craige started percussion, violin and piano as a child and later in High school Robert played percussion professionally for many operatic shows in Mosgiel and Dunedin as well as being a member of ...
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Roger Manins
Jazz Saxophonist
New Zealand saxophonist and composer Roger Manins, grew up in the Awhitu Peninsula, picking up the saxophone at the age of 12. Manins moved to Sydney in 1994, where he based himself for much of his mu...
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Tin Flowers
Jazz
The Tin Flowers is a jazz groove collective from Wanaka, creating music that is lively, soulful, and quirky! The Tin Flowers are:Angela Mote (flute, saxophone) studied at Massey University and the NZ ...
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Trevor Coleman
Keys & Trumpet
Three times Emmy Award nominated composer, Trevor lives and works from his beach house studio in southern New Zealand. New Zealand & Germany based, and producer of close to 100 soundtracks since 2...
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Wakakura
Jazz, Pop & Folk
Wakakura is made up of vocalist Allana Goldsmith and guitarist Ed Taylor. Together they play a variety of genres ranging from original works in Te Reo to jazz, pop, & folk, blending Allana's ja...
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