Mnozil Brass - BLUE

Final Gig for 2013

The Basin City Big Band played its last gig for the year at the Northern Jazz Society Club day. Tanya Maich provided vocals and the afternoon was made more special by the performances of two school jazz bands: Tauraroa Area School band - "In the Foyer" and Whangarei Boys High Band. A highlight for the audience was Natalie Wilson singing "All that Jazz" with her former school mates from "In the Foyer."

Next year the band will kick off with a performance at the Jazz Picnic, first Sunday of February.

Meanwhile, you can stay tuned by listening to some recordings from our Forum North concert - look on the side bar to the right to hear "Tuxedo Junction."

Local Big Band hits home run with concert

Thursday night saw the Basin City Big Band perform to a full house at Forum North, Whangarei's 340 seat theatre. The big band backed Barbie Davidson who charmed and entertained an appreciative audience. Special Guests from the Rock and Roll Dance Club and Swing Dance Company B provided plenty of visual appeal and variety including some very cute four year old dancers. Leshego, John and Monica from Pompellier Catholic College provided guest vocal spots - well done you three! The role of MC was ably filled by Luka Grbavac - many thanks Luka. The band hit on a winning formula for this concert, proving there is a sizeable and appreciative audience for their music in Northland. Watch out for more events like this in 2014.

Trombone spectacular!

Upcoming Gigs

The big band will be performing two gigs before the end of the year. The first is as a guest artist for a Cabaret evening at Pompellier Catholic College at which the band will be backing a number of student vocalists. The second is at the Forum North in November. Details below:

2013 October Update

The big band has had a quieter than usual year gig-wise with highlights being a ball for Dargaville Hospice in the Dargaville townhall conducted by Ray Palmer, a performance at the Northern Jazz Society Club day, the Bay of Islands Jazz Festival and most recently a fundraiser at McClouds Bay at which $700 was raised for the local hospice. This year has seen vocalist Phi Wilson return to help out the band as well has the usual crowd pleasing efforts of vocalist Barbie Davidson.  Pics below of the McClouds Bay gig and playing at the Duke Hotel in Russell.

Jazz Picnic

The weather drove the Northern Jazz Society's summer picnic event from Dave Mandeno's place on the edge of Glenbervie Forest into the very reverberant Glenbervie Hall. The Big Band did well to scale back it's volume and deliver an afternoon of swing music to a crowd of 30 or so. Barbie Davidson added her fine vocals to most numbers. Thanks for Ray Palmer for filling in on bass and to Pippa Howes for fulling in on 2nd alto.

Jazz Picnic

The Big Band will uncork its 2013 season of fine jazz with the champagne vocals of Barbie Davidson at the Northern Jazz Society's Jazz Picnic at Mandeno's House in Glenbervie, 2pm. Meanwhile, to get your jazz taste-buds tingling enjoy the sound of LA's top big band.....