Michael Houstoun with the Rodger Fox Big Band- Queenstown

Leading New Zealand musicians, classical pianist Michael Houstoun, jazz trombonist and bandleader Rodger Fox and their special guest, acclaimed blues vocalist Erna Ferry, are touring the South Island and performing in five centres this October.

Houstoun and Fox were the headline act at the recent Wellington Jazz Festival and are long- standing friends. A chance meeting in Christchurch in 2014 led to an unlikely but superb combination of two of New Zealand’s pre-eminent musicians.

This tour provides South Island music lovers to experience the very best of jazz from the recent Wellington Jazz Festival.

Music critic Simon Sweetman, who reviewed the Houstoun-Fox gig at this year’s Wellington Jazz Festival, said, “Such a great band, an immaculate set of tunes – brave and bold and big but never too much, always familiar enough. A good time too, never a long time. This was the perfect Saturday afternoon concert. Such a good vibe.”

Jazz adaptations of classical music by Gino Vannelli, arranged by acclaimed composer Bill Cunliffe, will be performed the event. Michael Houstoun says, “Bill’s arrangements are pure pleasure. He is a jazz genius. He’s created something new with his arrangements without any betrayal of the original Vannelli inspiration.”

The concerts will feature Warriors, a Bill Cunliffe original. Houstoun will play Warriors and feature on the piano in a rhythm/vocal version of Charles Trenet’s I Wish You Love sung by Erna Ferry. Erna Ferry will also present The Rolling Stones Classic Honky Tonk Women, a version of George Gershwin’s Summertime and Peggy Lee’s Love Being here with You.

COVID 19 UPDATE : Yes we are in Level 2 Lockdown at present in Queenstown. With the current event capacity numbers at 50 for level 2 we will be optimistically anticipating a return to Level 1 before this concert date. If you have already booked a ticket or do book prior to a level 1 announcement for this coming show this can be transferred to rescheduled show which may involve a refund and rebooking. If this concert is cancelled a full refund is available.

Ticket are available now.
Doors open 7.00pm, concert starts at 7.30pm