Never Forget!

I've just returned from my first ANZAC day dawn ceremony at Wellington's cenotaph. What struck me most was the number and range of ages. The sheer numbers who'd turned out. They like me were not there as cynical pacifists, as I once was about this event. No. We were there not to honour but to thank and acknowledge all the service people who'd worked on on behalf to somehow try to make the worl...d safer and more tolerable. As wars continue. Conflicts continue to erupt. As disgruntled and passionate people choose violence to get their message accross, I wonder why they havn't come to something like this. Perhaps they might put aside their weapons and think about other ways to resolve their issues. After all wars, violence, conflict of any kind is started by people who are impatient to get their way, in spite of understanding the other side's view. What I noticed most about today's ANZAC commemoration was the silent plea of every attendee for peace and resolution. So thank you all soldiers, peace keepers and warriors. As I was reminded in the speeches, you were just ordinary people, like myself. And if you were brave enough to go so far, sacrifice your very lives to bring resolution to conflicts the least I can do is show a little tolerance. Never forget. Learn from history.

And speaking of history, I urge you to read it.  A good example, and fitting today is Jane Tolerton's book "An Awesully Big Adventure"  Click here to read the Groove Book Report.

GROOVE NOT CURRENTLY BROADCASTING ON 107.7FM

Groove is not currently broadcasting on 107.7FM and may not re-commence broadcast.
You may have noticed that recently our FM signal has not been as strong as in the past. Since the property managers at our transmission site changed, we have not been allowed up to the site to perform maintenance on the transmitter until a new agreement was signed. Unfortunately it has taken 8 months for the agreement to come through and with it increased costs and other conditions that we can no longer justify.

We are still streaming online on this website and via the free Tunein and NZ Radio apps for mobile devices and listenership via the Internet in various ways is growing. Please continue to listen via these channels (we recommend downloading one of the free apps if you haven't already). We will continue to stream live as long as we can find some sponsorship. Of course you can help by donating or subscribing on the right.

If you would like to sponsor the station in general, or the stream in particular, please contact us (details below right).

Check back here for more info over the next days and weeks but in the meantime I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of our fantastic listeners, advertisers, and the Groove team for all the support over the 12 years we've been on air and 1.5 Million songs we've played (1 504 947 tonight by my calculation).

People assume that radio stations get money automatically from somewhere (actually it's generally overseas parent companies) but although we were just about the last real local Wellington station left, we didn't get any funding from NZ on-air, the council, the government or any other magical source. There hasn't really been enough to go around in this landscape of changing media and challenging business. Ironic, or fitting perhaps, that it is a week after the demise of what some would see as the sister media entity, in print; the fantastic Capital Times. Both treasured, just not enough businesses around with spare treasure to support them.

Thanks again and stay Grooving.

Groovemiester (Dean).

2013 Wellington Jazz Festival on Cuba (6-8 June) is not too far away so it’s time we started taking a closer look at the programme.

Let's take a looke at two upcoming acts: profiling Chucho Valdés and MANTIS: The Music of Drew Menzies,

  Hailed as “the dean of Latin jazz” and “one of the world’s great virtuosic pianists” by The New York Times, multi-Grammy Award winner Chucho Valdés has recorded over 80 CDs during his illustrious career, performed in such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Centre and the Hollywood Bowl, and joined countless jazz masters on stage - including Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis and Chick Corea.


Born in 1941 in Havana, Cuba, Valdés began his musical life at home under the direction of his parents. His mother Pilar Rodríguez was a singer and piano teacher and his father, the great Bebo Valdés. At three years old, Valdés could already play the melodies he heard on the radio by ear using both hands in any key.

Valdés' headline WJF act with the Afro-Cuban Messengers is his first ever New Zealand performance – “a once in a lifetime opportunity for Kiwi audiences” says WJF Artistic Director Shelagh Magadza. “Chucho Valdés is unique in that he has invented his own special sound. He’s one of those granddaddies of jazz – I'm really looking forward to seeing him perform.”

Book tickets to see Chucho Valdés and the Afro-Cuban Messengers


Find out more about Chucho Valdés on his website.

      The WJF performance of MANTIS: The Music of Drew Menzies is not just an album launch – it’s the culmination of years of hard work and collaboration in celebration of one of New Zealand's best jazz and classical double bassists: Drew Menzies (1976-2007).

Jazz Notes caught up with MANTIS drummer and arranger Reuben Bradley recently to get a low-down on the project.

“MANTIS was one of Drew’s nicknames”, says Reuben. “He had these long gangly limbs and powerful fingers – and he wrapped himself around the double pass like a contortionist! We couldn’t resist giving the album his name.”

Drew stood out for other reasons too. His ability to perform both jazz and classical double bass to a very high level and his flair for composition drew enormous respect, not least from John Psathas who worked on the string arrangements for the album and introduced the New Zealand String Quartet to the mix.

The project took life after Reuben was handed a mountain of manuscripts bought back from Drew’s home in the US by his parents. “I kept saying to myself: someone's got to do something for Drew’s music,” says Reuben. “Gradually it dawned on me that that someone was me.” Picking through the many pages of Drew's music, Reuben began to collate a list of pieces that he felt truly summed up Drew’s sound, finally settling on the nine pieces you can hear in the MANTIS album.

Although some of Drew’s compositions were recorded, unfortunately those tracks were lost post-production. The MANTIS album is the only known recording of these manuscripts and the concert is the first time the music will be played live in its entirety.

Book tickets to see MANTIS: The Music of Drew Menzies

Purchase the MANTIS album online (proceeds go to the 'Drew Menzies Memorial Scholarship for young Double Bass players')

Find out more about MANTIS: The Music of Drew Menzies on Reuben Bradley’s website

    Keep in the loop

Catch up on all the latest Wellington Jazz Festival news, reviews and places to groove...Find out more at jazzfestival.co.nz

Tonite on the Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid - Get a 'Rattle' on

We feature new works by Reuben Bradley, Omar Carmenates, Dave Lisik, Phil Broadhurst  and Roger Fox.  These fine albums are all new works from the wonderful Rattle Records .  Go to the CoffeeBar Kid's page to read the liner notes and learn more.  See you from 7.30PM only on Groove 107.7FM (and www.groovefm.co.nz)


 

 

Tonite on the Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid - The Vatican Diaries (our Book Report)

We check out John Thavis' new book on the inner workings of the Vatican and the Papcy - see more here (http://adventuresofthecoffeebarkid.blogspot.co.nz/

Also a maestrom and melengerie of music and news - all from 8.00PM tonite see you there!

This Week on the Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid !

This week we checkout new music from the recent French Film Festival, Nathan Haines and do a wrap up from WOMAD, Taranaki 2013.  Plus We're giving away tickets to Robert Plant in Wellington!

Groove is giving away tickets to:
Robert Plant presents Sensational Space Shifters, Wellington, 9 April 2013

Tune in to The Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid - Thursday Night from 8.00PM To win!

Chugg Entertainment are thrilled to confirm that rock legend Robert Plant will also be performing a series of headline shows across Australia and in New Zealand with his band the Sensational Space Shifters.

Two New Zealand shows will follow his Australian shows, firstly at Wellington’s TSB Bank Arena on Tuesday 9th

go to http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/2013/robert-plant-presents-sensational-shapeshifters/wellington for all thedetails. 

Tune in from the special time of 8.00 This Thursday!

#WOMAD NZ

Groove at WOMAD this weekend

Don't try this at WOMAD



The Taranaki daily news website features video footage of Dean talking to The Correspondents at WOMAD as well as their stage show: WOMAD footage from Taranaki Daily news

Lots of details and photo's from WOMAD so far and continuing on the Groove Facebook page (link on the right).

Even if you've missed out this year, have a look and then book the date for next year!

One of the great things about WOMAD is the all age vibe. My favourite quote from The Correspondents gig was "I never thought I'd say this at a gig but "Can I have a wave from the over 65's!" (referring to the special grandstand reserved for people over 65 years old.

Salif Keita on the Bowl stage

#WOMAD NZ

WOMAD 2013

It's been a busy day for the Groove crew checking out the sights and sounds of WOMAD 2013.
There have been interviews, photos, mingling and much more to keep us all busy. Including entertainment from the skies.

Check out the Groove Facebook page to see photos and what the crew have been up to at the Groove 107.7 FM listeners and supporters page.

WOMAD Special - On the Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid, this thursday from 7.30PM

To kick off the party, the Kid will be playing tunes and featuring an exclusive interview with Antibalas one of the most exciting acts coming to the festival this year. 

So sign in from 7.30 on Wellington's only independent Jazz and World music station : Groove 107.7FM

Carrara Park Jazz Picnic (+ Newtown Big Bike Fix Up) TODAY

Newtown Festival crew, Carrara Park neighbours and Groove 107.7FM invite you to bring your lunch and join them for the day today at the Annual - Carrara Park Jazz Picnic, AKA The “Little Day In” at Carrara Park, Regent St, Newtown.

This is what the Soundshell concerts used to be: Lot's of room on the grass to choose a great spot, relaxing Jazz and Blues...it's even sheltered from the wind (if there is any). The forecast is for a high of 22 degrees and any drops of (well needed) rain to clear this morning so it's looking good!

Pack some treats and enjoy the Jazz Picnic, from 12 noon.- 6.30pm.

We'll be playing tunes on site before and in between live acts and are broadcasting the event live.

Kick back and relax to jazz all afternoon in the peaceful sunshine at Carrara park.


Bring a picnic, your blankets, kids, grandparents, friends and come and listen to a variety of jazz styles from 2 stages…

THE LINEUP:

1 pm: The Wend

Newtown Locals playing their take on tradtional blues.

2 pm: Serendipity

The ultimate Duo – Mike Duffy and Jeremy Desmond.

2:30 pm: Elizabeth Wise

All the way from Memphis, Tn. 24 Year old Elizabeth Wise born and raised in Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and spent last 4 years working on music in Memphis. Her own Memphis-based band, which includes blues/jazz legend Dr. Herman Green who accompanied BB King, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis for years, has been a regular band during tourist season on Beale St., played all over Memphis, while her Richmond-based band has toured Virginia.

3:30 pm: Megan Wheeler

British muso travelling New Zealand and combining other travelling musicians in the set. Look out ya’ll!

4 pm: Nigel Patterson

Led by Nigel Patterson, one of New Zealand’s finest keyboardists/composers (The Black Seeds, Fly My Pretties) with support from Lucien Johnson (Shogun Orchestra, The Troubles) on tenor saxophone, and Peter Elliot on drums the trio combines expert musicianship with passion and creativity.

Inspired by such greats as Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Mal Waldron, McCoy Tyner and many others The NP Trio creates a contemporary, sophisticated and digestible take on the jazz idiom.

5 pm: Serendipity

See above …

5:30 pm: The Bandits

6 piece Salsa Band. These young and up and coming Jazz School trained performers are playing regularly in the Wellington scene and will bring the grass dancefloor alive in the afternoon...

As a bonus this year there's also the Big Bike Fix Up - does your bike need some TLC? Got a flat tyre or squeaky brakes? Bring it along and our volunteer mechanics will help fix it up. 10am - 2pm.

How do you get there? It's a hidden Gem so take a squizz at this map:

For more details follow the link on the right hand side of the page at www.newtownfestival.org.nz

Tonite on the Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid

Tune in tonite for the adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid. 7.30 PM On Groove 107.7 FM


We talk with Michael Chugg from Chugg Entertainment (AU) who's bringing over Steve Miler Band and Santana to Auckland.
And look out on this page were giving away tickets to the Auckland show!

Santana & Steve Miller Band
Vector Arena, Auckland, NZ
Tue 19 Mar 2013, 07:00 PM

http://www.ticketmaster.co.nz/event/24004979C0CD0B94

He is a well known public figure in his own right, running the PR machine for many of his tours and often being the media's "go to man" for an opinion on the music industry or the state of the nation.


Not shy to take hold of the microphone at a stadium event, many concert-goers will have experienced Michael Chugg, better known as "Chuggi", and one of his legendary on-stage rants, which all began with the now famous "You in the black t-shirt, stop running". At a sold out Guns N' Roses concert in 1993, thousands of punters stopped in their tracks.

As Stuart Coupe succinctly said, "Most people love Chugg. A few hate him. Many are jealous of him. Everyone respects him."

http://www.chuggentertainment.com/

SANTANA

One of the greatest musicians and legendary guitarists of our generation, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Carlos Santana is set to ignite our stages once more. His style defies definition, immediately recognizable yet unlike any other, Santana's fusion of Latin rock, blues, soul and jazz comes in full swing on stage in a way that transcends time and the limits of genre typecasting. Delivered with a level of passion and soul equal to the legendary sonic charge of his guitar, the sound of Carlos Santana is one of the world's best-¬-known musical signatures.

For more than four decades, Carlos Santana has sold more than 90 million records and reached more than 100 million fans at concerts worldwide. To date, Santana has won 10 Grammy® Awards, including a record-tying nine for a single project for 1999's Supernatural (including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for "Smooth"). The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame proclaim, "Guitarist Carlos Santana is one of rock's true virtuosos and guiding lights." Among many other honors, Carlos Santana has also been cited by Rolling Stone as #15 on their list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time."

STEVE MILLER BAND
Few musicians can boast the introduction that Miller had to music - his father who worked as a pathologist was friends with stars like Charles Mingus and Les Paul, whom he brought home as guests; Paul taught the young Miller some guitar chords and let him sit on recording sessions. With a career encompassing distinct stages from one of the top San Francisco blues-rockers during the late 60s and early 70s and then going on to become one of the top selling pop/rock acts of the mid to late 70s and early 80s.

Steve Miller Band has sold more than 30 million records in a career spanning more than 40 years. His trademark blues-rock sound has made him one of the cornerstone legends of his genre. Award-winning albums like The Joker, Brave New World, Abracadabra and Fly Like An Eagle; and songs like: Gangster Of Love, Rock ‘n Me, Fly Like an Eagle, Jet Airliner, Jungle Love, The Joker, Abracadabra, Livin’ In The USA, Take the Money and Run, and Swingtown have cemented Steve Miller as one of rock music’s all-time greats. His touring schedule to packed out arenas continues without let up.

The audience in Christchurch will have a extra treat, when Taj Mahal takes the stage at AMI Stadium to open the show. Composer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist TAJ MAHAL wasinducted into the Blues Hall Of Fame in 2009, the two-time Grammy Award winner’s musical legacy counts him as one of the most prominent and influential figures in late 20th century blues and roots music.
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Adventuring tonite

On the Adventures of the CoffeeBar kid tonite: WOMAD guest Anne Savoy, who performs with the Savoy Family band.  Cajun artists supreme! And This just in Thunderbirds are Go! (Again) Richard Taylor has confirmed Pukeko Productions will make remake the TV series i CGI - No strings attached - tune in from 7.30 on ly on Groove 107.7FM.

Go to the Kid's page for more on both these stories.