Too Many Chiefs

Too Many Chiefs: blues and jazz to country and folk, often with an element of social commentary, personal reflection and occasional satire.
Too Many Chiefs are four of New Zealand’s busiest singer/songwriters: Rob Joass, Andrew London, Wayne Mason and Charlotte Yates.
All four musician tour their respective shows, sometimes internationally, and once or twice a year come together in Too Many Chiefs to share songs and stories from the road.
Individual influences and performing styles range from blues and jazz to country and folk, often with an element of social commentary, personal reflection and occasional satire.
Andrew London
A founder member of Hot Club Sandwich and The Cattlestops, and now playing and recording mostly under his own name, Andrew London’s reputation stands mostly on his satirical and comedic songs which lampoon many of New Zealand society’s obsessions, foibles and taboos. Songs like Middle-Aged Man in Lycra, Country’s Buggered and I Hugged My Mate have elicited chuckles from audiences all over New Zealand, Australia and Norfolk Island.
Rob Joass
Rob Joass is well-known throughout New Zealand through his solo work and with his band Hobnail. He writes compulsively, tours incessantly, teaches guitar and produces albums for other artists. His songs have been covered by artists both in New Zealand and abroad, and he is a three-time finalist at the New Zealand Music Awards. Hobnail are zeroing in on 30 years as a touring and recording entity.
Wayne Mason
Wayne Mason has been instrumental (ha) in the formation and success of some of the most revered names in Kiwi music history: Rocking Horse, The Fourmyula and The Warratahs all owe their inception to Mason, who shows no signs of slowing the pace, or lowering the standard he set back in 1969 when he penned the song ‘Nature’, named by APRA in 2004 as ‘Best Kiwi Song of the Century’. That same year Wayne became the only Kiwi musician to have had morning tea with John Lennon and Paul McCartney while they were recording ‘Oh Darling!’.
Charlotte Yates
Charlotte Yates is an independent singer/songwriter and recording artist. She has released seven of her own solo albums, alongside extensive collaborative and compilation work. Her first album Queen Charlotte Sounds was released in 1991 and the single Red Letter was an APRA Silver Scroll finalist. Charlotte directed and produced Baxter, a compilation CD of James K Baxter’s poetry set to music and has since completed similar projects honouring Hone Tuwhare, Witi Ihimaera and Katherine Mansfield.
The Band
The quartet’s collective repertoire represents a broad spectrum of songwriting styles, and the songs are delivered with skill, enthusiasm and respect, despite a healthy dose of spontaneous mickey-taking banter and self-deprecating humour. Don’t miss Too Many Chiefs – live in Katikati – on September 15th! See less