Seventy-one years ago, thousands of American Armed Services were serving in New Zealand as they trained, and prepared for the Pacific War. To honour their service Mulled Wine Concerts presents an afternoon of jazz/swing and big-band music from this era by Roger Fox and his Jazz Band in the Paekākāariki Memorial Hall on 26 May 2013 at 2:30pm.
Rodger Fox is New Zealand’s foremost jazz trombonist, big band leader, jazz educator, arranger and producer. He has performed in concert with some of the biggest names in the business, from the jazz and entertainment world and has promoted live concerts with his Big Band all over the world including concerts in London, Singapore, Australia, Poland and the USA. Rodger was winner of the ‘Tui’ for New Zealand Jazz Recording of the Year in 1981, 2000 and 2012 and a finalist in 1984 and 2001.
Rodger loves leading the celebrated band he established in Wellington back in 1973 but, to pursue his passion, he fulfils a day time job as Lecturer in Jazz at the New Zealand School of Music. Jazz is vibrant and alive in New Zealand and no-one knows this better than Rodger Fox. As a former itinerant music teacher he can testify to its impact in secondary schools and now to the large number of students specialising in jazz at the New Zealand School of Music. Of his band, Rodger says “we can play in a pub one night and Carnegie Hall the next”.
The Mulled Wine Concert Series is the brainchild of Wellington classical musician Mary Gow. Now in its sixth year, the series has established itself in one of the best concert venues on the Kāpiti Coast, Paekākāariki’s iconic Memorial Hall, with its unique beach-front location and views to Kāpiti Island and the South Island.
“We don’t always present classical concerts” says Mary “our audience is very open and willing to try anything new and we are always trying to put on something different for them”. The only requirement is that the music should be top-quality. This next concert will be very special – this is part of the on-going recognition by our community of the contribution made by the US Armed Services to New Zealand’s history.”
Organised by the Kāpiti US Marines Trust in cooperation with a range of other community groups, Salute 71, picks up where Salute 70 left off and aims to engage Kiwis and American citizens with connections to this important period of history (1942-1944) when over 15,000 U.S. servicemen lived on our land in Camps, Paekākāariki, MacKay and Russell.
The main focus of Salute 71 will be the Mulled Wine Concert, a run/walk, on Sunday morning (26/5) through the old route march undertaken by the Marines during World War II in the Maungakotukutuku Valley, and a Memorial Day Service at the Marine’s Memorial in Queen Elizabeth from 10am to 11.30am on Monday May 27.
Mary Gow says, this is a great way to honour the former marines and navy servicemen and their families.
Last year’s Salute 70 Mulled wine concert was a sell-out success, so people are advised to be in early to book tickets.
For more information: 04 902-2283 or 021-101-9609
Website: www.mulledwineconcerts.com . FaceBook: Mulled Wine Concerts
