retiring at 80 yrs

For those who are easily led by their particular pied-piper there is live music to be had every week.   In the recent past Auckland live Jazz had been harder to find than other genres, but due to a happier alignment of the stars that is no longer a problem.

The big news is that Mike Nock (p) has been booked into the CJC for two nights – August 10th -11th.   I never miss a chance to see Mike when is in town and so I grabbed two of the first tickets on the market as they wont last long.   Seeing Mike in this warm intimate space will be pure magic.   He will be playing with Roger Manins (ts), Brett Hirst (b) Ron Sansom (d). The club is to be congratulated for bringing together such a line up and having such a good piano must have helped to clinch the deal.  For details and ticket prices follow the link from this site to the CJC (local clubs).   I urge you to become GJC members, visit the club or at least subscribe to the CJC gigs update.

As soon as I learned that the AJO (Auckland Jazz Orchestra) was playing at the Masonic in Devonport I notified a few friends.   I would gladly have attended with them having seen this big-band 6 days earlier, but work prevented me.   Here is a report from the Masonic gig (and about Merv Thomas):

Subject: Last night; Hi John, We went down to the Masonic last night and lucked in to Merv’s last performance.   His 80th birthday is today. He performed in a quintet with Bernie Allen and other ‘old’ friends and sang Tea for Two!  A large group of his family were there with several generations. Also a trombone quartet.  Happy birthday was sung, and some speeches.   I can’t imagine that this was his last blow.    A good night.  Those kids in the Jazz Orchestra are very talented.   Cheers Ruth.

Mike Booth the founder of the AJO has given me some forward dates for the bands gigs.   He said:  “We will be trying Thursdays [once a month at the Masonic Devonport] – There will be a cover charge and we will try this until the end of the year.  Starts Thursday 11 August.”

Lastly I will be going to see the Alex Churchill – Andrea Lisa band on the 3rd of August.    Andrea Groenewald (g) is someone to watch.  She and Alex Churchill have recently graduated from the Massey School of music (Albany campus).

Mikes recent album