Top 5 for Friday - Kiwi Jazz and Blues

I had a fantastic break in the winterless north at Paihia last weekend (at least it was until about 2.15 pm on Sunday afternoon when within the space of one song the temperature turned snowy). It was the annual Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival (the 26th year of the event) and it is from this that I take the inspiration for this weeks Top 5.

I never thought I was much of a fan of jazz and blues. And there are certainly some types of both jazz and blues that I couldn't sit and listen to for an extended period of time. What I do like about most of it though, is that it is music with personality and emotion. Whether it is the upbeat tempo of the swing jazz to the deprivation of the honky tonk blues, when you can hear the words that tell the story of everyday people living everyday lives and the musicians make their instruments talk - you can't beat it. So here are some of my new and rediscovered favourites (at least those that have made CD's and that have music in our collections)

1. Kokomo They started life as Kokomo Blues and are now just Kokomo. And they are quite simply the best. With a uniquely Kiwi brand of blues as well as classics from the deep south of America in the 1920's. Kokomo have an extensive back catalogue and I am pleased to see that we hold most of them. Their latest album contains one of their new songs It all comes round, as well as the timely Tintin's in Love and Plastic Jesus. They are irreverant, fun and have the best harmonica player in New Zealand.


2. Grant Haua All the best musicians this weekend seemed to come out of Tauranga. Grant Haua was one of them. His brand of blues is intensity personified. He loves his guitars but he attacks them with passion in some of the fastest fret and finger picking that I have ever seen. He does have his own album out (recently released) but can be heard in Auckland Libraries collection in Walk on Water (which just happens to have been produced by the same Studio as Kokomo and features some of the Kokomo boys on backup).


3. Brilleaux The last of the Tauranga trio, these guys are both high energy (the Saturday night show went at a million miles an hour) but can also do acoustic (the Sunday afternoon gig) with a brand that owes more to the early British Blues scene such as Rolling Stones and Slade. They have just released a live album.


4. Kniki and Mike Beale were just one of the several Australian acts which crossed the ditch for the Festival and they were certainly my pick in the blues category (although if dixie is more your thing then the Dixie Street Jazz Band is worth a look as well). A strong voice and great guitar work from this duo and I can't wait to hear Kniki's take on Janis Joplin in a new album due out next year.


5. That's Life You won't find any recordings from this Kiwi quartet of jazz musicians, who have been playing in various guises for more years than they will probably admit to (at least they didn't to us). They do it because they love it. They do it with humour and personality - the music sings and the audience responds. A trip to Sky City where they play monthly may be on the cards for the girls.

Honourable mentions go to all the school and youth bands that turned up this year - more than ever before. I am going to be parochial and say that I thought Music @ Mahu were the most polished, but I also caught the Aotea Comb Youth JazzBand and the Pakuranga College Jazz Band and they were pretty special too.

If Jazz and Blues are your thing (or music in general), we have an awesome collection of CD's, sheet music and DVD's at Auckland Libraries.