Eclectic saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Oscar Lavën presents a suite of new works inspired by the immortal essence of John Coltrane’s quartet.

Oscar Laven Quartet
Featuring: Oscar Laven (S), John Rae (D), Patrick Bleakley (B) and Ayrton Foote (P). 
Date: Thur 18 Mar 2021, 7.30pm
Venue: Lovebite, 2 Forresters Lane
Price: Tickets available on Eventfinda, Door sales: General $20, WJC members $15, and Students with ID $10

Extraordinary (pianist) composer and bandleader Leonardo Coghini brings his innovative and exciting new trio to perform a special concert at WJC for the first time. Coghini is a relatively newcomer to the New Zealand music scene and is fast making a name for himself not only in the club’s but also in the pop world.

For this concert, the trio will be performing a selection of standards and arrangements with some original compositions thrown in the mix.

Leonardo Coghini Trio
Featuring: Leonardo Coghini (P), Seth Boy (B), James Feekes (D) 
Date: Thur 04 Mar 2021, 7.30pm
Venue: Lovebite, 2 Forresters Lane
Price: Tickets available on Eventfinda, Door sales: General $20, WJC members $15, and Students with ID $10

WJC presents a rare concert featuring one of New Zealand’s finest pianist. Wil Sargisson began piano lessons at age 5 in his home town of Napier, New Zealand. By age 13 he was performing solo at NZ’s National Jazz Festival in Tauranga, the youngest person ever to do so. In 1998 he released his debut album Steppin’ Out, which received top reviews in NZ and Australian media. NZ Musician Magazine called it: “an inspired and excellent release.” In the same year he was invited to perform in New Orleans at the ‘Piano Night’ concert, part of the legendary New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. He received a massive ovation and was invited to perform many times. In 2008 Wil moved to Australia and soon began performing with the legendary Australian jazz group Galapagos Duck, plus luminaries that include Renee Geyer, Deni Hines, James Morrison, Jim Kelly, and Greg Lyon. Since moving to Australia he has performed at many jazz and blues festivals and has been active as a session musician, contributing to over 30 albums recorded by various artists.

The trio will play a selection of tunes by the likes of Oscar Peterson, old Harlem stride ala Fats Waller & James P Johnson,  Chicago Boogie Woogie, and a handful of original compositions.

Wil Sargissonn Trio
Featuring: Wil Sargisson (d), Daniel Yeabsley (b), Mark Lockett (s) 
Date: Thur 27 Feb 2021, 7.30pm
Venue: The Library Bar, Courtney Place
Price: Tickets available on Eventfinda, Door sales: General $20, WJC members $15, and Students with ID $10

Wellington Jazz Cooperative presents outstanding Kiwi jazz group The John Rae Trio.

Expatriate Scots drummer Rae, a top flight composer, musician and band leader, will join forces for the WJC concert with vaunted saxophonist, flautist, and composer Lucien Johnson and double bass player Patrick Bleakley. Rae, Johnson and Bleakley were leaders and composers of The Troubles, a premier Kiwi jazz nonet that initially had been an earlier incarnation of the present trio.

Rae recorded his first album at 16 alongside acclaimed saxophonist Tommy Smith and has since recorded over 80 albums as a leader and sideman, including the 2003 and 2004 BBC Jazz Album of the Year.

Johnson, a saxophonist and composer from Wellington, lived in Paris for six years where he formed a trio with veteran American free jazz bass player Alan Silva and Japanese drummer Makoto Sato. He composed music for plays and short films, toured India with a clown troop, wrote music for a theatre show in Haiti, and in New Zealand played with The Black Seeds, The Yoots, Lord Echo, Jonathan Crayford Quartet, Hollie Smith, Leila Adu, Norman Meehan and Natalia Mann, as well as leading various groups under his own name

Bleakley has been one of the most sought after bass players in New Zealand since the 1970s. His baptism of fire came through meeting iconic musician and actor Bruno Lawrence who soon inducted Bleakley into his band Blerta. During the 70s he played with several other well-known groups such as Mammal, Rough Justice and Spatz and was for a time in the quartet of leading Australian saxophonist Bernie McGann. Bleakley took a break from music before he returned to playing bass in the 1990s, touring with Lawrence and pianist Jonathan Crayford in the band Jazzmin. He has also played as part of The Razorblades, Sanctus and Village of the Idiots.

John Rae Trio
Featuring: John Rae (d), Patrick Bleakley (b), Lucien Johnson (s) 
Date: Thur 18 Feb 2021, 7.30pm
Venue: Lovebite, 2 Forresters Lane
Price: Tickets available on Eventfinda, Door sales: General $20, WJC members $15, and Students with ID $10.