04 December 2013 - 0 Comments

Off the back of his Tui for Best Jazz Album earlier this year, Nathan Haines is again up for Best Jazz Album of the Year 2014.

Haines is joined as a finalist by two other stalwarts of jazz; Phil Broadhurst - head of Jazz Studies at the New Zealand School of Music - and 2011 Jazz Album of the Year winner, Reuben Bradley.

Haines’ Vermillion Skies was released in March 2013 and is his 10^th solo album. It builds on the classic sound of his previous record The Poet’s Embrace for which Haines won the Jazz album Tui for 2013.

Broadhurst, who was a finalist for Best Jazz Album in 2012 and has won three Tuis in his career, is in the running for his album Flaubert’s Dance. In 2001, he was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to jazz.

Bradley is a finalist for his tribute album Mantis: The Music of Drew Menzies – a programme of compositions by the late Drew Menzies. Profits from the album go to the Drew Menzies Memorial Scholarship to enable talented young bass players to receive intensive tuition from New Zealand Symphony Orchestra members.

The winner of the coveted Tui is being announced as part of the National Jazz Festival in Tauranga at the award ceremony and concert on Friday 18 April.

The festival is hosted over Easter weekend and is the longest running Jazz Festival in the southern hemisphere and one of the oldest in the world. It acts as a showcase of both local and international jazz talent.

The award is for Jazz albums released in the 12 months prior to October 2013.

Nathan Haines is no stranger to the limelight, having won the Tui for Best Jazz Album 2013. This year’s finals place for Vermillion Skies comes after the album debuted at #5 on the Official NZ Top 40 Album Charts; it remained in the Top 40 for three weeks. The album was written mostly in London, where Haines recently relocated with his wife and it features him singing two of his own tracks; Navarino St – based on where the couple live, Navarino Rd in London – and First Light which describes the scenario of being up all night and watching the sun come up over London, draping the city in Vermillion shading. Haines worked with producer and keyboardist Mike Patto on the album as well as drawing on his own experiences and inspiration from others, including American Grammy Award-winning jazz multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef.

http://www.nathanhaines.com/

Phil Broadhurst is one of New Zealand’s leading Jazz artists. He has presented Art Of Jazz on Radio New Zealand Concert for more than 20 years and is currently the head of Jazz Studies at the New Zealand School of Music, Massey University, Albany. Perhaps most notably though, in 2001 he became the first jazz musician to be appointed as a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.  In 2011 his album dedicated to French pianist Michel Petrucciani, the subject of his Master’s thesis, was a finalist for Jazz Album of the Year. This year, he is a finalist for the album Flaubert’s Dance; all compositions are penned by Broadhurst himself and performed by his skilful quartet. 

Phil Broadhurst - official site

Reuben Bradley, Wellington native and world-traveller, has worked with jazz artists from around the globe. His experience drumming with international jazz performers has developed his creativity and passion for new music, while his work on international cruise ships has increased his versatility. His previous album Resonator took out the Best Jazz Album accolade in 2011. This year’s finals placement comes for an album very close to Bradley’s heart; Mantis: The Music of Drew Menzies. The album is a programme of compositions by his dear friend the late Drew Menzies who passed away in 2007. It features Roger Manins (saxophone), Matt Penman (bass), James Illingworth (piano) and the NZ String Quartet.

Reuben Bradley – official site

Recorded Music New Zealand chief executive Damian Vaughan says this year’s line-up of well-established musicians showcases the ever-developing talents of our New Zealand jazz artists.

“The jazz finalists for 2013 are no stranger to the limelight, having performed on both the national and international scene.  They have all delivered superb albums and the standard of artistry is world-class. Congratulations to all three finalists,” says Vaughan.

National Jazz Festival President Darryl Haigh says jazz has been gathering momentum in New Zealand and he is looking forward to a strong turnout in 2014 to support the classic art.

“With such world class and seasoned musicians up for the Tui, the award concert on Friday will certainly be a highlight of the National Jazz Festival this Easter. Congratulations to each of the finalists. It's our pleasure to host them once again,” says Haigh.

Tickets for the National Jazz Festival go on sale February 1, 2014 and can be purchased from premier.ticketek.co.nz . Last year’s winner of the Jazz Album of the year was Nathan Haines for The Poet’s Embrace.

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