This is contemporary and traditional Maori (Indigenous New Zealand) music in the styles of World, Jazz, Funk, Soul and Reggae. "TKK" endeavours to promote and celebrate Te Reo me ona Tikanga (the language & protocols) of Taranaki, New Zealand to share with all audiences.

Based in the very heart of WOMAD NZ, this collaboration was conceived in the wake of WOMAD '12 after a realization that there are no bands in NZ that perform traditional/contemporary Maori music in various genres. NZ is known for its many reggae bands (2nd only to Jamaica, per capita) and Simon and Morgana felt compelled to create this band out of a necessity to showcase and prove that we have the ability to compose and perform in different genres with an authentic Maori context...

Read more about this artist.

With seven members, the group's live act is energetic, raw and large. It combines aspects of the 60's, 70's and 80's and is influenced by artists as varied as James Brown to Daft Punk. The band are well known for being unafraid to mix genres and have honed their sound on the live stage that encompasses funk, discco, soul, live electronics and roots.

Since inception over 5 years ago, the band have gained momentum, focusing more and more on addictive rhythms that get audiences moving. They have an appetite for continuously progressing and pushing boundaries in their live performance, and audiences have already begun taking note of the band's shift towards a sound that is bigger, darker and heavier.

Regulars at major events, the band have performed at the Big Day Out, Homegrown, Highlife NYE and many other major festivals across both New Zealand and Australia, along with countless tours and sold out performances...

Read more about this artist.

Formed from the members of your favourite NZ punk and hardcore bands, both past and present – Backyard Burial, Basura Blanca, Black Tuesday, Blistering Tongues, Bobby D And The Dynamite Kids, Freudoids, Graveyard Rumble, Malenky Robot, The Managers, The Outsiders, Poisoners, Risto Rockers, Ritalin, Russian Roulette, TK 421, The Scholnicks, School Of Meat, Shitripper, Sommerset, Smashing Off, The Spoilers, Suicide Dogs, Tolerant Unicorn – PCP like to party all the time.

Read more about this artist.

Although being educated and beginning as a musician in New Zealand, he moved to England in the 1970s, where he continued with his artistic and musical career, becoming a solo artist. He worked with Lindsay Kemp, in arts, and The Human Instinct, The Kinks, David Bowie and Hans Zimmer, in music."
– wikipedia.org

Read more about this artist.

I've been playing guitar and writing my own songs for about 25 years. I started playing in Hawaii where I learned the basics of rhythm guitar. Then I moved to South Carolina where I learned the components of song writing. I started my first band there when I was sixteen. After that I moved to England where I got my first taste of recording in a studio and playing out live with Dave Hinton in 'Surge'. One of the bands I played in called 'Chain Reaction' got into the Top 100 in Amsterdam, Holland and various cities in Germany. I was also able to play in the Marquee in London twice, and the Oxford Apollo. My ability to compose on the guitar, bass, and keyboards lead me to meeting top musicians such as Phil Lynott from 'Thin Lizzy'. For my Highschool graduation I was elected to write our graduation song and was able to perform it with chosen choir singers from our school in the Oxford Town Hall in front of 400 people...

Read more about this artist.

Writing songs since she was 9, Alexandra has performed solo around New Zealand but more recently she has been playing with the band The Wonderfish Collective. Alex is currently working on an EP.

Read more about this artist.

Since their 2007 New Zealand Music Month debut, the Sons Of Zion have continued to build momentum in the NZ music industry and have stamped their unique sound locally at festivals such as Parachute, Native Noise Waitangi Day, Maoriside Tour and the 2008 V8 Super Cars just to name a few.

Although the group are fairly new on the roots scene they've already been scouted out to share the stage with some of the country's best loved roots acts including KORA, KATCHAFIRE, THE BLACKSEEDS, CORNERSTONE ROOTS, OPENSOULS and HOUSE OF SHEM...

Read more about this artist.

They were the first real rock band that Wellington produced. Why they were never able to achieve national stardom is a mystery, their music was good enough, but perhaps it was to do with the "bad boy" image they were trying to portray.

The Tom Thumb story began in 1964 with a school band called the Electrons. This group included Rick White on rhythm guitar and also Onny Parun, later to find fame as one of New Zealand's better tennis players, on bass guitar. After a number of personnel changes, this group evolved into the Relics...

Read more about this artist.

Read more about this artist.

Let the Maori language be heard on the airwaves. Thereby causing the heart to leap with joy, the ear to appreciate it's eloquence and the eyes to moisten at its impact.

WAI are a five piece maori electronica roots band based in Porirua – Wellington, Aotearoa.

It has always been their dream to create new and innovative music that sounds like where it originates from and take it to the world. WAI perform entirely in the Maori language and utilize a Maori style of presenting their music not only in the structure and fusion of their music but also in the delivery of their show.

In the year 2000 the group released their first album WAI – 100%. In 2010 they released their second album WAI –
ORA...

Read more about this artist.

Dick adapted his children's drama interests to Television and Radio and over a period of 36 years produced, presented and directed a wide range of programmes.

During the last two decades Dick Weir has continued storytelling and facilitating process drama for children and adults as well as teaching Broadcasting craft, and Early Childhood Drama at Whitireia Polytechnic.

Read more about this artist.

Raised on the streets where most are in similar situations, Chase was able to Fight the negativity that surrounded them, transforming the energy from their environment ; leading them to pen their first album of a series to come!!

"IF YOU WANT IT" The 2nd single to drop preceding their highly anticipated album release 2010 !

Read more about this artist.

Headband rarely performed outside Auckland and disbanded in 1973.

Read more about this artist.

Read more about this artist.

Young George Alfred took to music as natural as one's first breath, blessed with long fingers and dexterity for string instruments, a gifted ear for music with a natural pitch & rhythm, it is said that he plays so many instruments it is hard to tell which is his favourite.

Mostly self-taught, he was a fine athlete, writes interesting poetry, sketching, beach driftwood art, studying different languages, a formidable chess player, and a keen bonsai gardener, this shy private composter, and multi-instrumentalist, performer, researcher, teacher and administrator, has now an extremely varied back ground in all forms of music.

Watson moved to New Zealand at age 15 and continued to make music and learn more instruments and compose, eventually worked with many top New Zealand artists...

Read more about this artist.

The style varies across the board of various different acousitc styles including folk/soul/blues/rock/ and varies from warm, catchy heart felt summer rhythms to the more deeper, darker lyrics the likes of Damien Rice listeners might warm to.

Debut EP, inside the wendyhouse is available NOW!

Read more about this artist.

Performing alongside seasoned artists like Sprawnbrezzie, Savage and Swiss and local acts, Joe Coffee, aka Eddie Williams, will introduce his beloved Samoa to his pop reggae single.

The music video for For You was shot in Samoa with Miss Samoa 2011 Jolivette Menime Ete as his love interest and captures the luscious beaches, tropical resorts, and even the Apia marketplace.

For You is inspired by a special young woman in Joe's life who has "always been there for me, pretty much an angel, when I forgot my way she was always there encouraging me and reminding me of God's love."

Joe, aged 22, has been based in Sydney for some time performing regular gigs in restaurants and bars before returning to New Zealand last month, originally moved to Australia to play rugby league. But the exciting and hard-hitting game proved no match for his love affair with music, thanks to a pedigree of talent inherited from his father, a successful Samoan musician...

Read more about this artist.

The group was fronted by a young talented singer, Dianne Swann, (later to emerge in When The Cat's Away) and supported by a group of talented young musicians. British influences of groups like the Pretenders complimented their individual style.

Read more about this artist.

The self-produced album was largely written in the UK & recorded in Chch & Charteris Bay on the Banks Peninsula by Olly Harmer with additional recording taking place in Island Bay, Welli, with David Long [ex-Muttonbirds] & finally, mixed & mastered by Mike Gibson [Fur Patrol, Trinity Roots] at Inca Productions, also in Welli.

'Black Balloons' has a distinctly melancholic flavour, with influences from singer / songwriters such as Neil Young, Gene Clark & Joni Mitchell, alongside more contemporary artists such as Red House Painters, The Smiths & My Bloody Valentine. Album tracks range from the expansive opening track 'If You Want Me To Burn' to the sonic attack of 'Idiot Heart' & 'Duress', right through to the delicate 'Little Doll' & 'Blessed'...

Read more about this artist.

Soulovus is a unique band, who obtain a rich reggae soul-ful sound that captured a record deal with Koru Records.

Read more about this artist.

Together, the 8-piece band of mixed descent (Maori/Pacific Island) have decades of experience in the music industry, citing previous careers in hip-hop, R&B, gospel, funk and soul. Taking their name from a Ziggy Marley song, Tomorrow People live up to the futuristic allusions it casts, having built their fanbase via Facebook and tracks uploaded to YouTube.

Predominantly marketing online has allowed the band to preview unreleased songs for their fan base, and they have had an overwhelming response to date. Their listenership picks up numbers by the day. 2011 sees the band record their debut album and hit the road to play shows nationwide.

Tomorrow People gather their musical influence from Jamaican and Hawaiian artists alike. Combined with their roots in NZ music, they bring a sound that is clean, laid-back and easy on the eardrums.

Read more about this artist.

We come from a strong reggae, hiphop, RnB background and we still show those influences today. We're experimenting at present in other genres like the blues and some alternative stuff which is evident in our new album, Te Kawa Tuarua!

Today the crew has a combination of old and new blood. The youngest is turning 15 years and the oldest in the band has just hit the big 50! Keelan Ransfield, Kimo Winiata and John Grace are three OGs from IWI with three new members, sisters Manawahine & Johanna Tango (Ngā Puhi) and Chris Wilson (Ngāti Hinerangi).

We have been on a journey over the last 18 months creating and recording our latest project, Te Kawa Tuarua including numerous practices to ensure future tight live performances.

Read more about this artist.

Read more about this artist.

Encouraged by their success, and driven
forward by their ties to each other as both bros and bandmates, Coast have developed their deep and complex sound, captured on their self-titled debut release.

Read more about this artist.

The Glocks have just released their first album – "Magpie Genocide" crammed full of a unique sound yet obviously influenced by favourite bands
such as The Stranglers, David Bowie, Velvet Underground. cool hooks, nasty guitars and lyrics that drip.

Read more about this artist.