Jazzed up

File under: music, events, Wellington

This trio was playing in the dappled sunlight at Midland Park this lunchtime, not just to entertain the lunchtime crowds, but to promote the 9th Wellington Jazz Festival, which kicks off tomorrow with a gala opening at the Opera House.

Not being a true jazz aficionado, I don't know enough about the international acts to get properly excited about them (Esbjörn Svensson? Isn't he the England manager?), but I am looking forward to Skallander at Happy this Friday. I'm more of a fan of Bevan Smith's more electronic projects (Aspen and Signer), but Skallander's floating guitar-based ambience is catchily hypnotic and could make for a unique live show.

This year's festival has the benefit of Cabaret as one of the venues. With its "cocktail bar in an Eastern Bloc airport lounge" decor, it should perfectly suit the Rosebud and red velvet curtains end of the jazz spectrum, leaving the avant-basement ambience of Happy to fulfil all your goatee-stroking needs.