Friday 5 September 2025
Martinborough Town Hall, Waihenga Centre,
7.30pm
Tickets from iTicket – $45-$49 plus booking fee.
Be Transported
Imagine stepping back in time to a speak easy club. A smoky, dimly lit room where the anticipation is electric but the vibe is laid-back and relaxed. . .
From the stage a jazz swing and blues band begins to play, their instruments blending seamlessly in a harmonious symphony of sound. The rhythm section, with its upright bass and snare drums, lays down a groove that’s impossible to resist, while the saxophone punctuates the air with soulful notes.
At. the forefront stands a captivating female singer, her voice rich and velvety, weaving tales of heartache, joy, and everything in between. Her vocal prowess brings both swing and blues to life, effortlessly moving from sultry, slow blues ballads to energetic, foot-tapping swing numbers.
This band doesn’t just play music; they create an experience that transports the audience to another era, where the essence of jazz and blues reigns supreme.
Welcome to an evening of superb swing jazz and blues brought to you by the band that is April’s Fools. “We’re absolutely wrapt to be bringing this ultra-talented and experienced combo to the festival,” says Music Director Lee Quayle. “Whenever, and wherever this group of musicians have played reviewers have to search the thesaurus for new superlatives to describe the show, and audiences leave reluctantly, but happy.”
April’s Fools will be playing at Jazz in Martinborough on Friday 5 September 2025 as the opening of the ticketed festival gigs to be held in the Town Hall. The Saturday gig features the Royal New Zealand Airforce Jazz Orchestra. Tickets are on sale from iTicket or through the festival website (jazzinmartinborough.co.nz).
April Phillips – Vocals
April is a professional and recorded jazz and blues singer. Reviewers have described her as having a “voice of honey” and she’s been compared to Ella Fitzgerald and Diana Krall. She has performed on screen and stage in New Zealand and overseas and her shows have featured at jazz clubs and festivals including the Nelson, Tauranga and Wellington Jazz Festivals. Overseas she has sung on stage in Montreux, New Orleans with the Louisiana Spice Band, at the Don’t Tell Mama club in New York and in Melbourne.
Greg Crayford – Drums
Greg has over thirty years professional experience as a musician and he holds a post- graduate degree in performance jazz drums (B.A. Mus. Hons).
Greg’s group Pleasure Point has various incarnations who have played at most of NZ’s national and international jazz festivals. He is also a current or past member of dozens of local bands; has played on radio and tv shows; accompanied overseas artists such as The Drifters; and recorded or toured with local legends suc Rodger Fox and Frankie Stevens. He’s also involved in high school jazz, NZ Youth Jazz Orchestra and with shows and artists too numerous to mention – check out the website for a full list!
Zak Dikvert – Guitar
Zak brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the band. He has been playing jazz guitar professionally for more than 25 years. He has performed with his own jazz band The Zak Pak (including at Jazz in Martinborough) and lent his guitar talent and vocals to many local jazz and swing bands.
Nicholas Baucke-Maunsell – Saxophone
Nicholas is an accomplished saxophonist, composer and educator. He has performed extensively across Aotearoa and internationally including the Rodger Fox Big Band and Endeavour Orchestra. Nicholas has recorded and performed alongside world-class musicians such as Wayne Bergeron, Dick Oatts and Alex Sipiagin. He also has his own combo, the Nicholas Baucke-Maunsell Quartet.
Miles Crayford – Pianist
Miles is a third-generation pianist from the Crayford family. He draws on both Jazz and Latin-Jazz influences and has spent some time in South America performing.
Miles now resides in Kapiti Coast and is focused on playing the Hammond organ as well as the piano.
Rory Macartney – Bass
Originally from Tauranga New Zealand, and born to a musical family, Rory graduated from Victoria University of Wellington’s NZ School of Music. Post studies he moved to London for several years, continuing to perform, study and work as a sound engineer including at Abbey Road studios.
Since returning to New Zealand, Rory has created a name for himself as one of the most versatile professional bass players in New Zealand, known for his broad range of experience playing and composing across big band jazz, blues, rock, funk, reggae and orchestral.