On Thursday 2 May, long time local jazz legend James Langabeer (composer, sax and flute) brings his original voice to the Audio Foundation stage in an exciting program of new jazz explorations and discoveries.

Langabeer has worked and studied in U.S.A. with bassist Gary Peacock, Baba Olatunji, and at the Creative Music Studio with Jaco Pastorius, Dave Liebman, and others. He has been at the cutting edge of the new wave with festival, concert, radio programs and over 50 years of improvised jazz and spontaneous music.

His eclectic ensemble features some of NZ’s most iconic players, with Rosie Langabeer (piano), Neil Watson (guitars), Chris O’Connor (drums and percussion), Eamon Edmunson-Wells (bass) and Roger Manins (saxophone).

In ‘Sketches of Aotearoa’ Langabeer’s compositions assimilate the North American jazz form into an Aotearoa New Zealand context. It is a deeply unique, soulful sound, one that is authentically our own; swinging grooves, multi-phonic melodies, sizzling free-jazz and blues played on taonga pūoro.

Support will be provided by Breath, Gut ‘n Wire, and exciting trio comprised of Rui Inaba (bass), Kevin Kim(winds), and Phil Dadson (invented instruments).

Thursday 2 May @ Audio Foundation, doors open 8pm
$10 on the door // no presales

Sketches of Aotearoa