Saturday 31 August 2024
Martinborough Town Hall
7.30pm (Doors open @ 6.30pm)
Tickets from iTicket – $45 plus fees.
Lush sounds, love songs, and ludicrous solos will fill the room as Poneke’s finest octet comes to Martinborough for the first time!
Expect burning swing, gorgeous ballads, and eclectic compositions.
Exhilarating original compositions and arrangements will tug at your feelings in new and compelling ways. Daring solos from some of the finest musicians in the country will awe and shock you as the turbulent horns sing out.
Witness the union of big band attitude and chamber music intimacy as the TraskForce. plays their hearts out to you.
TraskForce is bandleader Alex Trask’s most swinging musical organisation. They play fresh arrangements of original compositions, classic swing, and Broadway love songs. This includes songs from the Basie repertoire, Bob Mintzer, Oliver Nelson, Quincey Jones, and Lionel Bart’s Oliver! to name a few. The five horn arrangements allow for the power of a big band and the subtlety of a quartet to shine side by side.
The band brings together some of Wellington’s top players, including members of the Rodger Fox Big Band, the RNZAF band, NZSM faculty, and rising stars. They are: Alex Trask – alto sax, Michael Costeloe – trumpet, Oscar Laven – tenor sax, Daniel Yeabsley – baritone sax, Kaito Walley – trombone, Duncan Haynes – piano, Elijah Mulheron – bass, Baileigh Sparkes – drums.
About the band:
Alex Trask is a versatile and exciting alto saxophonist who is often seen playing his own tunes, sitting in at gigs, or generally out and about. He has played at countless festivals, jazz clubs, theatres, bars, and secret house gigs, often presenting original compositions and arrangements. His debut live album Pool of Tears was released in 2023 and has featured on RNZ Concert and other prominent radio stations.
Michael Costeloe is a trumpet player from Wellington. He graduated from the New Zealand School of Music in 2014, majoring in jazz performance, and has been a prominent figure in Wellington’s music scene since then. Michael has played with many notable New Zealand acts including The Black Seeds and Tahuna Breaks, has shared the stage with international artists such as Mike Stern and Joey DeFrancesco, and has performed at some of New Zealand’s biggest music festivals like Rhythm and Vines, Soundsplash, WOMD, and Jazz in Martinborough with the ‘Shakes.
Tenor sax star Oscar Laven is an eclectic saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist based in Wellington, New Zealand. A frequently appearing personality in the Wellington jazz scene, Oscar is a busy full time performer, composer and teacher with a Bachelor’s Degree in jazz and classical performance from the New Zealand School of Music. He has performed/recorded internationally and across the country with many ensembles led by himself and others, including with his band Black Spider Stomp at Jazz in Martinborough 2016.
Baritone saxophonist Daniel Yeabsley is a multi-instrumentalist who has been on the Wellington jazz scene for more than two decades. Past and present projects include Twinset (saxophone), the Dancing & Drinking Society (tuba) and the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra (double bass). His dream in life is to open a sanctuary for old and neglected saxophones where they can live out the rest of their lives in peace.
Kaito Walley is the most powerful trombone player in town, playing in bands such as Tunes Of I, Niko Ne Zna, The Wellington City Shake em on Downers, The Rodger Fox Big Band, Roseneath Centennial Ragtime Band, Oy Azoy, The Wellington Mingus Ensemble, Brett McKenzie’s live band, and L.A.B. His skill and energy is highly valued in Wellington and across New Zealand.
Duncan Haynes is a highly sought after and well travelled pianist who recently returned to New Zealand in 2020. His years overseas saw him collaborate with a wide range of top musicians in genres as varied as world music, rock, blues and avant-garde jazz. In Wellington he has recently led numerous new projects and can be seen playing with a wide variety of local musicians, including a lead performance at Jazz in Martinborough in 2022.
Elijah Mulheron is a stalwart bassist based in Wellington. A frequent collaborator, he is highly regarded by many musicians and is one of the busiest bassists in town.
Baileigh Sparkes is a fiery and in demand drummer based in Wellington. She is often seen collaborating with various musicians, playing anything from straight ahead jazz to fusion. Her eclectic taste brings an exciting edge to any swinging groove.