BIO

The writer

​

Laura Williamson is a writer, columnist, author and spoken word performer whose poems have been published in New Zealand and overseas over a twenty-year period, including three issues of the annual New Zealand Poetry Society anthology. She was a featured performer at the Te Whare Pora convention on gender equality and the ‘Legends of the South’ opening show of the 2014 Outspoken Festival of Words & Storytelling, alongside Brian Turner and Gary McCormick. Her first book, The Bike and Beyond: Life on Two Wheels in Aotearoa New Zealand was released by Bridget Williams Books in October of 2016.

The composer

Angela Mote is a musician and teacher with a passion for performance in a variety of genres. Prior to moving to Wanaka eight years ago, she was a member of Aelous saxophone quartet who were a featured group at the Australian Single Reed Conference in 2004 and was a casual musician with the Wellington Orchestra playing piccolo and flute. Shifting to Wanaka gave her the opportunity to explore her interest in jazz, improvisation and composition as a member of the Wanaka-based band Tin Flowers (formerly Hound Lounge), which in 2016 was part of the lineup at the Queenstown Jazz Festival.

The band:

Dominic Stayne (bass): Dominic holds a three-year Diploma Jazz Studies from Christchurch Polytech, and has played in well-received groups in Wanaka and beyond over the past 14 years, including at Winterfest, the Arrowtown Festival and the Queenstown and Nelson jazz festivals.

Jeff Sinnott (drums): An accomplished winemaker, Jeff has conducted dual careers in wine and music since the early 1980s. He was the drummer for alt/indie outfit The Wetbacks, who came third in the National Battle of the Bands in 1984, and spent several years playing session for Silkwood Studios and Rank Arena Studios in Melbourne. Jeff also played with the Nairobi Trio, debuting with them as the support to Swedish Folk musician Jose Gonzalez in 2008. He still sits in the drum seat when the Nairobis are in town, as well as for jazz duo Adams & (Nigel) Gavin, a regular at the Queenstown Jazz Festival. 

Graeme Perkins (piano): Graeme has worked for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, as an arranger for the NZSO Pops Concert, and as a programme producer for National Radio in Wellington. He also has a long association with television and film, including musical direction and song writing for Playschool, the Emmy-award winning Most Extreme series, and Deer Wars. In 1997 he won Best Original Music (television) for Dragons of Komodo, and in 2002 Best Soundtrack at the International Wildlife Film Festival in Albert, France, for The Devil’s Playground.

Karen Hattaway (vocals):  Known for her sultry interpretations of classics, rich base tones and pure soul, Karen has entertained audiences both internationally and nationally and has been involved in many shows, including, recently, Sir Michael Hill’s International Violin concert as guest artist and the Queenstown Jazz and Blues Festival as a guest artist.