Amplifier

21.11.07

FEEL THE SEASONS CHANGE

Fans of Salmonella Dub can look forward to further healing when their next project, a tour with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, gets underway this summer.

The TVNZ Salmonella Dub Tour, in association with Pacific Blue, is called Feel the Seasons Change. It is an audiovisual journey through Aotearoa that weaves the ancient and modern worlds together in a journey of healing and celebration. It is also a musical adventure bringing Salmonella Dub and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra onstage together with Whirimako Black, Richard Nunns and Paddy Free. They will perform in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and Nelson in January and February.

Feel the Seasons Change combines modern music and production values with the ancient arts of Taonga Puoro, Te Reo Maori and the NZSO's classical tradition. Part of the scheme is a "ground-up" collaboration in the arrangements which will make the orchestra part of the music, not just a backing band. Noted Christchurch composer Tom Rainey says he is arranging the music so the orchestra is an integral part of the music.

"I hate the idea of an orchestra like the NZSO sitting there doing nothing. I like to give them things to do that will challenge them, not just footballs [long notes]," says Rainey.

Rainey exploits what he sees as the elements of the orchestra that fit in with what the band does. "Salmonella Dub have a strong idea about making the whole concert a kind of unified soundscape."

The musical and visual imagery for these shows tells the story of our land and culture.
Over the years, Salmonella Dub has amassed a library of stunning aerial footage shot over the southern landscapes of the Kaikoura coastline and the mountains, lakes and rivers of the Rakaia and Mckenzie basins. They use these images to back the compelling soundscapes they weave onstage.

The first half of the show represents the old world of Aotearoa. It opens with the haunting sounds of Richard Nunns playing Taonga Puoro (traditional Maori instruments) accompanied by the orchestra. This leads into "Tui Dub", featuring a karakia from Whirimako Black and backed by aerial shots of the Dub's beloved Southern heartland.

Whirimako Black takes centre stage to sing Salmonella Dub's "For The Love Of It" in te reo. Her collaboration on "Drifting" is backed with images of the waka, the first colonial ships and film footage celebrating the beauty of our coastlines. All this is intertwined with musical links from Nunns and electronic music guru Paddy Free, from Paddy's up-and-coming solo album.

The second half of the show builds momentum with tracks from Salmonella Dub's new album Heal Me. The visual thread for this half touches on the Maori land wars and other significant events like the arrival of the railways and the more recent effects of hydro and irrigation schemes on our landscapes. The show finishes by celebrating the visual diversity of our combined Aotearoa culture and the seasonal changes of our precious landscapes.

Feel The Seasons Change: The history.

Salmonella Dub, pioneers of Aotearoa dub-influenced "roots/dance" music, have been educating the contemporary music scene since 1992. They have just released their 6th album Heal Me which they describe as "an holistic approach to music therapy".

It was six years ago that this band were approached by the NZSO to work together on a concert tour. Five years on and after much discussion the tour is finally scheduled and expanded to included musical guests with outstanding mana in the world of Maori and contemporary music in Aotearoa. The theme "Feel the Seasons Change" has been adopted from the track "Seeds" from Salmonella Dub's recent album Heal Me.

SALMONELLA DUB: FEEL THE SEASONS CHANGE

Salmonella Dub, Whirimako Black, Richard Nunns, Paddy Free with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hamish McKeich

Thursday 31 January 8pm
8pm TSB Arena Wellington

Friday 1 February 8pm
ASB Theatre at the Aotea Centre

Friday 8 February 8pm
Christchurch Town Hall

Tuesday 12 February 8pm
Nelson Trafalgar Park