Karin Reid & Alex Wolken: Jazz Noir Duo ft. Umar Zakaria

Happy New Year! If you missed the trio at the Wellington Jazz Festival in November - or would like to see them again - join them for this special presentation at the intimate Photospace Gallery in the heart of Wellington city. The gallery is opening its doors for an early evening viewing and live music.

Weaving post-bop, modal and experimental influences into subtly evocative song-forms. Indie jazz-noir duo Karin Reid (voice) and Alex Wolken (electric guitar) team up with Tui award-winning composer and double bassist Umar Zakaria to present a juicy set of original material, alongside reworked modern jazz gems.

Drawing on the more exploratory elements of their current repertoire, Reid's sultry and compelling voice and Wolken's intricate harmonically rich guitar work weave post-bop, modal jazz and free improvisation influences into their subtly evocative and personal musical vignettes.

Aided by Zakaria's contemplative and fearlessly expressive double bass work, the three strive for deep musical engagement with the space opened up by the new works.

Described as: "Riveting" "Arresting" "Beautiful" "Captivating"

Limited Capacity - an array of seating and floor space (carpeted)

6:00pm gallery viewing
6:30pm music starts

Please note: there is a flight of (forgiving) steps up to the gallery

Karin Reid is a Dunedin and Wellington-based vocalist noted for the hypnotic qualities of her sultry and ethereal voice, her rich vocal colourings expressing the darker side of the jazz tradition.

Alex Wolken is a Dunedin-based guitarist, composer and songwriter. As a guitarist, his predominantly fingerstyle electric playing is grounded in modern jazz while drawing on elements of avant-garde music, free improvisation, dark psychedelia and blues.

Umar Zakaria is Wellington-based bassist and composer, and NZ Jazz Album of the Year Winner. His music unites diverse musical genres in an effort to inspire communication and cooperation across ideological boundaries.