Big Bands
Find out about the opportunities New Zealand School of Music students have to perform in the School’s big bands and listen to some award-winning tracks.
The NZSM Big Band is one of the flagship performance ensembles for the jazz programme and plays regularly throughout New Zealand.
NZSM has two big bands rehearsing, both directed by Dr Rodger Fox, a trombonist, band leader, and recording artist who continues to work at the highest levels.
The bands are made up from NZSM music students and entry, from both jazz and non-jazz majors, is by audition..
NZSM’s Big Band 1 has performed in concert with some the world’s leading jazz artists such as Eric Marienthal, Tom Warrington, Joe LaBarbera, Larry Koonse, Karrin Allyson, Adam Schroeder, Alex Sipiagin, Bennie Maupin, Dick Oatts, Jim Pugh, Bob Sheppard, Bill Reichenbach, Clay Jenkins and Jon Papenbrook.
Big Band #1 has recorded CDs in each of the last eight years:
- Run For Cover (2009),
- Funk City Ola (2010),
- Midnight Voyage (2011)
- I Wish (2012)
- Awright Awright (2013)
- Too Cool (2014)
- Dr. Feelgood (2015)
- Slingshot (2016)
The NZSM Big Band won the prestigious Tui for Best Jazz Album of the Year in the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards in 2009 for Run for Cover.
You can hear some tracks from these albums by clicking on the audio players below.
Tracks from the album 'Run For Cover' (2009)
- mp36.7MBTrack 7: Run For Cover composed by Marcus Miller, arranged by Roger Myers with soloists: Alex Nyman (EWI); Scott Maynard (bass)
- mp312.3MBTrack 5: Havana composed and arranged by Bill Cunliffe with soloists: Blair Clarke (alto saxophone); Daniel Hayles (piano); Dean Scott (trombone); Lance Philip, Lauren Ellis, Callum Goldie (percussion); Ben Hunt (trumpet)
- mp37.8MBTrack 3: I Remember Clifford composed by Clifford Brown, arranged by Bill Liston with soloist Alexis French (trumpet)
Tracks from the album 'Funk City Ola' (2010)
- mp36.6MBTrack 1: Funk City Ola composed and arranged by Bob Mintzer with soloists: Michael Crawford (tenor saxophone) and Richard Thai (tenor saxophone)
- mp312.7MBTrack 3: Autumn Leaves composed by Joseph Kosma, arranged by Bill Cunliffe with soloists: Michael Crawford (tenor saxophone); Callum Allardice (guitar); Hayden Hockly (alto saxophone)
- mp38.4MBTrack 8: Devil And The Deep Blue Sea composed by Harold Arlen, arranged by Bill Cunliffe with soloists: Daniel Hayles (piano); Callum Allardice (guitar); Shaun Anderson (drums)
Tracks from the album 'Midnight Voyage' (2011)
- mp38.1MBTrack 1: Midnight Passage composed and arranged by John Fedchock with soloists: Hayden Hockly (alto saxophone); Michael Crawford (tenor saxophone); Rodger Fox (trombone)
- mp36.8MBTrack 7: Let The Good Times Roll composed by Louis Jordan, arranged by Gordon Goodwin with soloists: Hannah Clink (vocals); James Wisnesky (trumpet); Richard Thai (tenor saxophone); Callum Allardice (guitar)
- mp38.9MBTrack 10: Free composed by Robert Lamm, arranged by John Wasson with soloists: Jake Baxendale (alto saxophone); Shaun Anderson (drums); Lauren Ellis (percussion)