Jazz On the Village Green - Particle Explosion

Particle Explosion
An outstanding line-up of 5 jazz musicians featuring predominantly original material composed by local jazz stalwart Anton Wuts. This is our first concert of the series and will be one not to be missed. Blair Latham is a saxophonist, composer and multi-instrumentalist from Wellington with a deep love of the bass clarinet. With a prodigious technique and an expansive creative vision inspired by the likes of John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy and Ornette Coleman, he can be found lending his talents to a diverse range of project around the capital city, ranging from jazz, blues, Latin and funk to avant-garde experimental music.

A product of the Wellington jazz school, Blair began his career at a time when contemporaries such as Jeff Henderson were taking the local music scene to new heights. Heading overseas, he cut his teeth playing on cruise ships before eventually landing in Mexico, which became his spiritual second home. Establishing himself as an essential member of the creative music scene in Mexico City, highlights from his time there included playing original material to thousands at the Teatro Degollado on the same bill as Dave Douglas, touring with a jazz band through Zeta controlled territory in the north, and playing free jazz with his group Rolling Eye to inmates at a boy's prison in Mexico City.

Since returning to New Zealand, Blair makes his presence known across a variety of musical genres. Whether performing in the Dancing and Drinking Society, El Barrio, Tawhiri Funk, or as part of composer collective the Arthur Street Loft Orchestra, he always seeks to make you feel.

Misha Marks has been part of the Mexico City soundscape since emigrating from New Zealand in 2008. He explores the sonic possibilities of six wires attached to a box, extracting a surprising gamut of sounds through traditional guitaristic approaches as well as extended techniques that probe the physicality of the instrument and its sound-producing capabilities.

He has performed in festivals such as High Zero (Baltimore) No Idea Festival (Austin TX) Cha'ak'ab Paaxil, (Mérida, MX) Finse Jazz, (Norway) Music Matters (Colombo, Sri Lanka) Mexico Now (New York) Glatt & Verkehrt (Krems, Austria) Wellington Jazz Festival (NZ) Visiones Sonoras (Morelia, MX) and together with musical accomplice Carlos Alegre organizes the experimental music series Derrepente Enderredor, in Mexico City.

Bassist Alistair Isdale has performed with some of New Zealand’s finest musicians, including Bella Kalolo, Aaradhna, Brooke Fraser, Rosita Vai, Jackie Clarke, Frankie Stevens, Rodger Fox and Vince Harder to name a few. Internationally he has chalked up performances in London, Brighton, New York Boston, Rarotonga, Sydney, Melbourne and perhaps most impressively the world famous Glastonbury festival.

As well as playing bass for numerous artists he has also worked as a freelancer performing as a gun for hire with various jazz and covers bands throughout New Zealand. As well as playing bass for Bella Kalolo and Aaradhna, he has also worked as their musical director running both of their bands.

Peter Elliot is a highly regarded percussionist currently residing in Wellington. Currently performing in multiple bands and Jazz/Funk/Fusion/Rock collaborations, Peter regularly takes part amongst NZ’s Jazz Festivals alongside groups “The Nigel Patterson Quartet” the “The Jazz Robots”, “The Jopeto Trio” and “Hot Ostrich”. As well as also performing/touring in other projects including: “Shakahn”, “Eva Prowse” and other session work.

Anton Wuts is a woodwind instrumentalist reasonably familiar to local audiences. He can be heard playing with whoever might have him including: Tropical Downbeat Orchestra, Ben Throp, The Revolutionary Arts Ensemble and in The Mouth of the Gift Horse.