This concert brings together two local cultural icons, Hone Tūwhare and Rodger Fox. Hone Tūwhare is one of New Zealand’s literary pillars. His poetry is evocative of the beauty of the New Zealand landscape and spirit. He is a timeless social rebel as relevant today as he was when he burst onto the scene in the late sixties. His work is studied in Schools and Universities and is loved by the New Zealand public.  

Rodger Fox is similarly one of New Zealand’s most acclaimed musical figures, winning multiple awards and honours, and leading one of the most popular local jazz acts, the Rodger Fox Big Band, over the last 49 years.  This project will join the poetry of Tūwhare with the big band Jazz of Fox; it will bring together a team of musical collaborators to record and perform original works based on Tūwhare's iconic poetry.  

The objective of the project is to gather the cream of the crop of collaborators to deliver a CD and a concert marrying Hone Tūwhare's poetry with the Jazz of the Rodger Fox Big Band.  This is what you hold in your hands or are listening to. I would like to thank all the New Zealand composers, arrangers and musicians who contributed to this project and a big shout out to Richard Caigou the recording engineer and Talley Sherwood the mixing engineer. Just fantastic. 

We would also like to thank Rob Tūwhare and the Estate of Hone Tūwhare for the overwhelming support they gave to this project.