New Zealand Safari May/June 2004

New Zealand Safari May/June 2004

2004 marks the 15th year in the history of the legendary Nairobi Trio. Since their inception in 1989, they have become New Zealand's favourite Jazz entertainers, touring every year throughout the world, appearing at major festivals in New Zealand, U.K., Europe, Australia and Asia.

On 20 May at 8:00 pm The Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu will be the venue for a special performance by this internationally acclaimed jazz group.

Presenting their new album "Safari", the Nairobi Trio - famous for being a quartet - are touring with a new sound as a quintet with the addition of talented guest drummer Jason Orme. The new show features skilfully crafted, original pieces and Nairobi Trio favourites in a dynamically contagious and expressive performance. Opening the show is virtuoso solo guitarist Nigel Gavin, who recently released the critically acclaimed solo album "Thrum".

Tickets $45, which includes a glass of wine, are available through Ticketek.

Mediarena: LIVE

The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Zealand's premier museum of contemporary art, is pleased to present two of Tokyo's hottest experimental performers - electronic music master NUMB & video-stream experts exonemo direct from Tokyo.

The artists will appear in Mediarena: LIVE, a live music and art performance event to be held in Auckland on 13 May, New Plymouth on 14 May, and in Wellington on 16 May in association with Mediarena: contemporary art from Japan, the largest exhibition of Japanese contemporary art ever held in New Zealand.

exonemo and NUMB, who were a major highlight of the events surrounding the opening of the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo in 2003, will perform solo and collaborative works in the major media and sound art event.

Kensuke Sembo and Yae Akaiwa are exonemo, a duo of Japanese artists who create experimental projects using the internet as an interactive exhibiting forum and basis for gallery installations. FragMental Storm 2002, an online interactive video projection that produces a multitude of visual images activated when a word is typed into a keyboard, currently features in Mediarena.

Takashi Kizawa, the sound artist NUMB, mixes together a wide spectrum of electronic club music from electronica and techno to hip-hop and the high-speed electronic drumbeat of break-beat.

To be held in Auckland on Thursday 13 May, New Plymouth on Friday 14 May and Wellington Sunday 16 May all starting at 8.00pm. Please click on the links above for ticket details.

New Zealand Music Month

Don't forget this month is New Zealand Music Month, here are a few events we have on artscalendar.co.nz that might interest you and help support some home-grown local talent.

The Auckland Art Gallery are hosting two free concerts with some NZ bands. On 15 May and 22 May. The Christchurch Polytech Institute of Technology also have some start up music workshop courses during the month of May.

Have a great week!

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