WJC - Peter Koopman Trio

Since leaving behind the lush, verdant countryside north of the mighty Waikato river in his native New Zealand in 2011, guitarist Peter Koopman has become a regular fixture on Australia’s music scene. In addition to (occasionally) leading his own trio, he also plays with Katie Noonan’s Vanguard, jazz-metalheads Scoredatura and jazz/apparel enthusiasts The Turtlenecks among various others. In 2014 Peter placed 3rd in the national jazz awards at the Wangaratta jazz festival. Brought together by a mutual love for genre-crossing, rhythmic interplay and Vietnamese pork rolls, this new band will feature deadset legends Max Alduca and Tim Geldens on bass and drums respectively.

Peter Koopman Trio
Featuring: Max Alduca (b), Tim Geldens (d) and Peter Koopman (g)
Date: Thurs 20 Apr 2017
Venue: Pyramid Club, 272 Taranaki St.
Time: 8pm
Price: $10 General, $5 Members and Students with ID

Ari Hoenig

WJC is pleased to presents Ari Hoenig Group (USA) for 2 dates at the Wellington Jazz Festival. Ari is a jazz drummer, known for his unusual and intense approach to drumming emphasizing complex rhythms in direct harmony with other group members. He is widely noted particularly for his drumming not being relegated to just keeping tempo, or being a side issue to the music he plays in, but rather for elevating drumming as an indispensable part of the performance. He is also known for his unique ability to modify the pitch of a drum by using drum sticks, mallets, and even parts of his body. Using this technique, he can play any note in the chromatic scale, virtually any melody, and even improvise on a chord structure in the same way as any other instrumentalist would. For this concert Hoenig will be joined by outstanding piano/organist Nitai Hershkvits.

Ari tours worldwide and performs weekly at the legendary New York jazz club Smalls. Ari has performed/recorded with include Jean Michel Pilc, Mike Stern, Kenny Werner, Joshua Redman, Wayne Krantz, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Chris Potter, Toots Thielemans, Pat Martino.

Ari Hoenig Group
Featuring: 
Nitai Hershkvits (k) and Ari Hoenig (d)
Date: Wed 7 Jun 2017, 8pm and 10pm and Thurs 8 Jun 2017, 8pm and 10pm
Venue: Pyramid Club, 272 Taranaki St.
Price: $34.50 per set, tickets available from under the radar.

Andy Sugg Group

Andy Sugg is a Melbourne–based tenor and soprano saxophonist. His music explores contemporary post-Trane improvisation in original compositions written for a small group setting. While firmly grounded in its stylistic time and place, the Andy Sugg Group plays music that has left home. It’s music in the moment, played by highly articulate musicians with something to say both as soloists and as members of a collective. The Group’s music embraces an eclectic range of compositional influences, which include contemporary jazz, funk, R&B and avant-pop. It’s Andy’s “blowing band”; a vehicle for extended improvisation in the best traditions of contemporary jazz.

Andy Sugg Group
Featuring: 
Matt Steele (p), Johnny Lawrence (b), Mark Lockett (d), Andy Sugg (s)
Date: Thurs 6 Apr 2017
Venue: Pyramid Club, 272 Taranaki St.
Time: 8pm
Price: $10 General, $5 Members and Students with ID