Strong contingent of Kiwi Blues - and major Kiwi Blues Concert
The 42nd Montana National Jazz Festival, in Tauranga, Easter 2004 - April 19th and 11th - features a strong dose of Kiwi blues artists, including Midge Marsden, Bullfrog Rata, Kokomo, Darcey Perry, Mike Garner (and from the UK - Paul Garner) ex-pat Kiwi Jan Preston (from Australia) and others. There are two events - the 'Downtown Carnival' is a whole range of free events in the afternoons of Sat/Sun 10/11 April. The 'Great Big Blues Bash' is held in the Baycourt Theatre on Sat night, 11 April and tickets are $25. There is also an extensive range of jazz acts in the free carnival series and many other theatre events, starting on Friday 9th April - check the website below for full programme details.
THE DOWNTOWN JAZZ CARNIVAL - Sat/Sun 10/11 April
Saturday and Sunday afternoons of Easter, Downtown Tauranga is thrown open for a Mardi-Gras style celebration of fine wine, great food and wonderful music. Listen to jazz and blues of all flavours in restaurants, cafes and bars and on the street corners. All free to the public.
SATURDAY 10 APRIL
The Great Big Blues Bash
MIDGE MARSDEN & BULLFROG RATA
And many, many more Main Theatre 8.00pm. $25.00
A collection of today's hottest Kiwi blues artists playing solo and in groups, headlined by Midge Marsden and Bullfrog Rata. Singer, blues harp maestro and performer extraordinaire, Midge Marsden is virtually without equal. His career spans four decades, he has played thousands of concerts to countless people, and has performed with some of the worlds best. He was voted New Zealand Entertainer Of The Year in 1990 and his critically acclaimed album "Burning Rain" went gold. Midge has toured the USA numerous times and has met up with and played with many exciting musicians including "Mississippi" Willie Foster, Bobby Mack, Ronnie Taylor, "Aussie" Dave Boyle and Julie Anne Banks, all of whom have toured New Zealand with Midge. Bullfrog Rata is without a doubt one of New Zealand's great blues talents. His major influences are Robert Johnson, Howling Wolf and John Lee Hooker, and Bullfrog plays the dirtiest acoustic slide guitar you will ever hear. Recently he was part of the 2004 World Blues Review. Bullfrog has been playing with Midge since 1995 and remains a huge part of Midge's sound today. Together with their band, Midge and Bullfrog deliver an inimitable blend of blues, roots, Cajun, Tex-Mex and Raglan Shuffles. Before Midge and Bullfrog, members of Kokomo and the Darcy Perry Band, as well as Mike Garner, Paul Garner, Tom Rodwell, and other surprise guests will be taking part in a monster jam. These artists are all playing in the Downtown Carnival, and information about them can be found in that section of the programme. This will be a great night for blues of every style.
Tickets for the Baycourt Theatre events are available form Ticketek
