Big Band Legend Teams Up with Hip-Hop Legend on Stage and in Studio
Published: Tuesday 17 October, 2023
Fusing the modern big band sound with Aotearoa-New Zealand hip-hop, the Rodger Fox Big Band is collaborating with multi-award-winning Aotearoa hip-hop legend King Kapisi. This performance also features special guest, supremo blues vocalist Erna Ferry.
Premiering new arrangements of the Silver Scroll Award-winner's back catalogue, which evoke the spirit and emotion of King Kapisi's original tracks, this performance will combine hip-hop’s driving rhythms with a fat brass sound creating a distinctly Aotearoa sound.
King Kapisi, a pioneer of New Zealand hip-hop, was honoured with the prestigious Silver Scroll Award at the APRA Awards in 1999 for his single 'Reverse Resistance.' Keeping true to his roots, King Kapisi uses his music to embrace his Pacific heritage and the essence of the hip-hop scene. He advocates for "keeping it real" by celebrating one's culture, embracing language, and acknowledging one's roots.
The Rodger Fox Big Band, celebrated as New Zealand's foremost exponent of big band music, boasts an illustrious history of over 90 New Zealand compositions and 76 recorded tracks. Throughout their journey they have collaborated with some of the jazz world's most esteemed artists, including Michael Brecker, Dennis Chambers, Mike Stern, Kurt Elling, Michael Houstoun, and Simon O'Neill.
Rodger Fox, the visionary behind the band, expressed his excitement for the upcoming performance: "We look forward to seeing old friends at the concerts and making many new ones, but tickets are selling fast. To avoid disappointment, secure your tickets now."
Rodger Fox Big Band and King Kapisi are headlining the upcoming Wellington Jazz Festival and have just added a special Sunday afternoon Bruce Mason Centre show to their New Zealand tour dates.
Don't miss this extraordinary convergence of musical brilliance. Join the Rodger Fox Big Band, King Kapisi, and Erna Ferry for an unforgettable concert of jazz and hip-hop fusion.
