Auckland Jazz and Blues Club

Welcome to the home of jazz in Auckland

Birkenhead RSA, Recreation Drive, Birkenhead.

Please see EVENTS section for weekly concert details.

($10 members/$25 non-members - cash only)


The club was formed around 1992 to further the interests of jazz & blues music in Auckland.

The club has a membership of around 250 and has regular club nights every Tuesday evening at the Birkenhead RSA.

Concerts start at 7.30pm and finish at 9.30pm with a break at half time. Meals are available before the concert. Full bar service.

Ample off-street parking. Come early to secure your seating.

Each night features a different local or out of town band.. Sometimes an International star makes an appearance.

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GOLDSMITH & BAYNES

  • Point Chevalier RSA 1136 Great North Road Auckland, Auckland, 1022 New Zealand (map)

COVID-19 ORANGE LEVEL MASK WEARING POLICY.

IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT A FACE MASK IS WORN AT ALL TIMES WHILE MOVING AROUND THE VENUE.

E Rere Rā - the album

Goldsmith and Baynes have created a collection of waiata that is truly diverse and not limited to one genre of jazz. Goldsmith Baynes says “this debut album has been a long time in the making and shows a body of work that is inspired by their loved ones”.
They say “we purposely never limited ourselves to one type of music.” While our background studies are in jazz music and its traditions, we explored wherever the music took us. Jazz can be thought of as a philosophy in music, not just a genre, it’s an approach to making music and draws similarities with a kaupapa maori approach too.

Kaupapa Māori and making an album:
9 of the 11 tunes are 100% Te Reo Māori lyrics, and the other 2 waiata have only one verse in English. Allana credits Whirimako Black as one of her main influences.
“I’ve studied jazz vocalists from America, the birthplace of jazz, since I was 16yrs old. When I heard Whirimako singing jazz standards in Te Reo I knew that was the road I wanted to follow. Reclaiming my reo me ōna tikanga and singing was a clear path for me. I write in English too, but this just seems to connect more. I do it for my children too. Singing in my native language creates a deep feeling of connection.
The songwriting process takes longer for me in Te Reo. Most of this album was written in Te Reo with no English translation, and then I get extra help from a Matanga Reo (translator) to ensure everything is tika (correct).

Donovan Te Ahunui Farnham (mātanga reo/Te Reo consultant) composed the kupu (lyric) for the track ‘E Rere Rā’, which is a karakia (blessing) for our music and the opening track of our album. The ideas in the karakia came from wānanga with Riki Bennett (taonga puoro), Allana and Donovan. The whakataukī (proverb) “Ka rere te hue mataati” (the first shoot of the gourd stretches out) provides the basis for the opening lines in the karakia, symbolising our own “first stretching out” in music, as an album, and as a group.

The opening track ‘E Rere Rā’ and the closing track 'Pīata kau ana’ were recorded live in Stebbing studios with the entire band. No music was written or discussed until the day of recording, except for the lyrics. It was an exciting collaborative day and a very māori way of making music in the moment.

7 piece band:

Justin Kereama - Taonga Puoro / Maori Instruments.

Mike Booth - Trumpet

Tere Ngaeruaiti - Guitar

Olivier Holland - Bass

Hikurangi Schaverian- Kaa (Wellington drummer)

Mark Baynes (piano)

Allana Goldsmith (Vocals)

Members $5 cash
Non-members $20 cash
Visitor registration required at time of entry.

Earlier Event: September 6
DAN COSTA
Later Event: September 20
EFFERVESCENCE