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Thursday, October 10, 2024

Wellington Jazz Festival Artist : Alexander Flood

Alexander Flood at The Lab AJF Credit @ streetvisioner

 "...he creates grooves that accentuate his versatility and virtuosity in playing multiple cosmopolitan rhythms, while allowing the music to breathe and take shape"

 - Downbeat Magazine

A captivating artist, one of Australia’s commanding beat-masters, Alexander Flood is a true virtuoso of the skin-kit.  His 2023 album 'Oscillate' (Jakarta Records) was touted by beatcaffeine.com as “a brilliant cosmic jazz recording primed for the dance floor”.  His music is a combination of upbeat lounge, jungle and D'n'B mixed with traditional and modern jazz elements.  

Listening to his grooves is a cerebral head-clash - on acid.  Fast and furious and utterly intense.  He's a band leader and a soloist on his kit. CoffeeBar Kid jumped on a Zoom call to find out more about his incredible artist.

On a bright spring evening I rushed home and into to 'Groove Cave' at the back of my house in time for a call through to Adelaide where Alexander Flood was preparing for an upcoming tour which includes a whistle stop in our Capital, as part of the upcoming Jazz Festival.  Actually, I could have disturbed him on vacation - he was actually here two weeks ago, on holiday.  But that would have been a bit rude.   He loves hanging out in Aotearoa's countryside, he says.  Good answer.  

Flood has made several trips here.  However, this will be his first time performing on our stages.  He tells me he'll be bringing a four piece, including a flute player to perform tracks from his upcoming album, a follow up from his third album 'Oscillate' (Jakarta Records).  

That album was recorded at JRS in Berlin, along with Horatio Luna (bass), Àbáse (keyboards), Paulo Cedraz (flute & additional percussion), Lewis Moody (additional keys & production) and Joel Prime (additional percussion).  He plays drums and percussion through out, he says, blending nu-jazz, deep house, funk, and even experimental jazz into a new form of dance grooves.  

It was a huge step in his career, Flood tells me, when in 2020 Alex signed with New Jersey based label Stretch Music who released his debut album 'HEARTBEAT' and also followup 'The Space Between' (2022) because of the influence of 6-time Grammy nominee jazz trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah (now known as Chief Adjuah), of whom he calls a mentor.  Adjuah released two of Flood's albums on his Stretch Music Apps label (which was was originally set up as an imprint of Ropeadope Records for Adjuah himself).  Flood even toured Europe with his band and in turn Adjuah played on his albums. 

Flood tells me that his preference for jazz came early in his life when a teacher gave him a flash drive of about 100 songs, most instrumental, mostly 70's and 80's jazz, mixed with funk and soul and experimental elements.  That may have included Miles Davis' 'Tutu' album and others of that era.

Being from Adelaide, initial home of Aussie greats like Paul Kelly, meant a mixed exposure to music and culture.  On the one hand there is the Arts Festival and Womadelaide (of which Flood has been a regular concert-goer for years) but then when it comes to the big tours, the city has been, he admits,  a bit shy, especially in the regular jazz scene.

But maybe it was the Womad scene or something that drew him to cultural exploration.  Flood's work often borders on ethnomusicology at times, exploring beats from different cultural reference points.  I ask him about 'Circadian Taal', a track from 'HEARTBEAT' which pitches Indian  rhythms or '808 Defibliration' which transforms African drums into beats created by the legendary drum machine.  "Yeah," he says "It's interesting that you can programme a drum machine to crate something so raw an visceral like a human-created beat on a primitive animal skin, and those machines were once so clinical but the way you can switch between the mechanical and the human fascinates me, as a music maker." 

His latest album features drumming which is almost heavy metal, almost metronomic but not clinical.  How does he maintain such precision?  "Practice.  You loose yourself in it, really that's all I can say." 

I ask him about how he goes about making music.  Originally, he says, it was all individually recorded, with elements of digital recordings, samples and so on added in after.  Sometimes there were segments recorded in a studio in one country and another part somewhere else in the world, patched together.  "But lately, I've been getting the band together and recording more live, adding drum machines and other digital samples on top of that.  It makes it more natural, I guess".  

I'm intrigued how the band will work together on stage.  How does he lead a band when he's using both arms and both feet at the same time?  "Initially a nod, maybe.  A wink.  What we play isn't just what's on the page, there's some improvisation."  "Controlling the flow?  I ask.  "Yes I like that."  That's more or less it.  Now we use mics to talk to each other to keep in touch, so there's room for small tangents and changes. Listening back, what happens on stage, I can chose what's sounding good and maybe keep some of it for the next performance. It keeps the music alive." 

And what will the music be? I ask.  New material from an upcoming album.  Which will be exciting.  "I can't reveal all of it yet.  It'll be a surprise."  

Certainly listeners will be in for a surprising evening of flash and funk, tight drumming, deep bass, lush keys and soaring  lute melodies.  It promises to be a boundary-defying live sound.

Alexander Flood and his band will play San Fran, Pōneke, 17 October 9PM 

For more Jazz Festival events head to: www.jazzfestival.nz




Wednesday, October 09, 2024

Anna Coddington takes out this year’s AAPRA awards

Photo: NZ Music Commission

The AAPRA's, our most prestigious songwriting awards were held on last night (Tuesday 8 October) held at the St James Theatre in Wellington , with two waiata scoring top prizes.

Anna Coddington won the Silver Scroll Award for 'Kātuarehe'  


Jordyn with aWhy took the APRA Maioha Award (which celerebrates contemporary Māori music and songwriters telling Te Ao Māori stories) for her waiata 'He Rei Niho'.

The song was performed on the nigh by Mā.  


Winners were chosen by New Zealand APRA members (who are also songwriters, producers and performers).

Groove regular playlist king and absolute Jazz legend Mike Nock was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.

Humbly, he told media that despite his many awards, this recognition would be top of the list for him.

Tuesday, October 01, 2024

Introducing Independent Music Venues Aotearoa: IMVA unites grassroots music venues to preserve and celebrate Aotearoa’s live music culture


Just launched is Independent Music Venues Aotearoa (IMVA) - a not-for-profit incorporated society owned and run by its member venues, IMVA is an evolution of the esteemed Save Our Venues initiative. 

IMVA offers a collective voice to advocate for live music venues, and amplify support for them. As we launch, IMVA has 26 member venues spanning the country. We are working to further expand this member base — and strongly encourage venues who regularly host original live music to apply for membership and join the cause.

Save Our Venues initially formed to help grassroots music venues survive the immense financial challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The collective threw itself into various activities over the next four years: major fundraising drives, research, advocacy campaigns, community events, and engagement with central and local government as well as the wider music sector.

However, the work is far from over. Recognising the need to look to the future, IMVA carries on the work of Save Our Venues and further expands it, advocating for regulatory reform and policies that nurture and sustain live music venues. 

As well as evidence-based policy changes and strategy development to support the sustainable operation of music venues, IMVA also addresses ongoing threats posed by noise/sound enforcement, alongside a focus on liquor licensing and urban/regional planning.

IMVA Chair Lucy Macrae says: "We have spent the last four years building a strong network of venues and partners, pushing for real change and initiatives that support and sustain live music venues. To now publicly launch IMVA — a not-for-profit society whose future lie in the hands of its member venues — feels truly amazing."

IMVA will continue working to celebrate and sustain the diverse array of music venues around Aotearoa — each a unique and vital piece of our cultural infrastructure. 

Our nationwide collective of members is a testament to the rich tapestry of live music in this exceptional country and the dedicated legends working tirelessly in Aotearoa’s venues.

These intimate spaces are homes for our music whānau. They serve as incubators for local talent to take their music to the world and create jobs in the music sector and associated industries. And they are where New Zealanders share in the experience of live music — week in, week out.

Today, we are calling on all independent music venues from Cape Reinga to Rakiura. We want to hear from you, to connect, collaborate, and share our collective experience. growing stronger together as Independent Music Venues Aotearoa.

United, we give ourselves the best opportunity to preserve and celebrate live music culture for now and for future generations.

For more information CLICK HERE