Hot, Swinging New Orleans Jazz.
A new and exciting 6-piece Traditional Jazz Band featuring some of the best trad’ , New Orleans and Dixieland musicians from Australia and New Zealand.
Brian Kelly and Lindsay Meech had a vision to play hot, driving trad’ jazz and have put this band together to perform in N.Z. in May 2019. It Features some of the cream of Australasia’s Jazz talent, including the remarkable clarinet playing of Jason Downes. Not to be missed!
Lindsay Meech – cornet and Vocals (Auckland)
One of the finest exponents of New Orleans trumpet, Lindsay Meech started playing music in his home town of Wellington in the early 1960s. He has lived in Australia and UK and was active in jazz bands in those countries.
A founding member of the Auckland based Vintage Jazz Band, which toured the USA and Australia many times, he has also toured Australia, UK and Europe extensively as a guest with European bands many times, and had five years touring with the Melbourne based Louisiana Shakers on annual tours to Europe of up to six months each. Lindsay has played with Melbourne based Ray Lewis and his Dixie Heroes in tours of Australia for 9 years straight, and he was also featured at the Waiheke Island jazz festival numerous times and also their offshoot, the Fiji festival.
Lindsay Meech has backed American stars such as Wild Bill Davison, Art Hodes, Sammy Price and Tommy Saunders in concert, as well as Judith Durham of the Seekers fame.
Jason Downes – Clarinet (Melbourne, Australia)
Jason Downes is an energetic clarinet/sax player who cut his teeth in Melbourne jazz scene during the 1990s before heading to the UK for 5 years in 1999. Toured extensively throughout the UK, Europe, and the US and has had the opportunity to play with some of the most well-known traditional jazz musicians including Graeme Bell, Bob Barnard, Max Collie, Tom Baker and many others. He appears on a number of recordings including The Hot B Hines (Aus), Allen Beechey’s Bright Stars of Jazz (UK), Michael McQuaid’s Red Hot Rhythmakers (Aus), The Late Hour Boys (Aus) and more recently The Hot Jazz Alliance (Aus/US). Whilst you’ll hear aspects of Dodds, Bechet and Noone in his playing, Jason brings a fresh and dynamic approach to the music of the 20s, 30s and 40s.
Brian Kelly – Trombone (Auckland).
Brian has grown up playing trad jazz and was the leader of the Hotter Than Six Jazz Band that played international Jazz Festivals in the 1990’s. He learned the trad style in the 1980’s with Bill West and the past few years have seen him leading the Hauraki Hot Six with Lindsay Meech.
Don Franks – Banjo (Wellington)
Don Franks has played banjo, guitar and piano professionally around Wellington for forty years. He has played banjo for The Valley Stompers, City Jazz, and The Bill West Jazz band. Don is a driving, energetic banjo player. His solo album “Banjo Salad” is on donfranksnz.bandcamp.com
Graham Saker – Double Bass
Graham has been on the music scene for many decades playing in swing bands, dance bands and traditional Jazz bands. He was a key member of the Vintage Jazz Band that played the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee several times. This was the largest jazz festival in the world.
Ian Smith – Drums / Vocals (Melbourne, Australia)
Ian has been playing music professionally since he began in bands on drums at aged 18, teaching himself trumpet, tuba, and later double bass. He has played all over Australia and in many parts of the world as a member of popular and successful bands such as ’Cathay Pacific Jazz Band’, ‘New Harlem’, ‘Hotter Than Six’, ‘Fireworks’ and ‘Tom Baker’s San Francisco Jazz Band’, as a drummer or trumpet player. Ian is happiest when making good music and entertaining.
Door Charge
Members and Students with ID $5.00
Non Members $15.00