Rodger Fox Big Band featuring King Kapisi with Erna Ferry to Headline at 2023 Wellington Jazz Festival

Two Aotearoa Icons, One night of jazz and hip-hop

Fusing the modern big band sound with Aotearoa-New Zealand hip-hop, the Rodger Fox Big Band headlines this year’s Wellington Jazz Festival, 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.

Live at the Michael Fowler Centre at 8.00 pm on Friday, 27 October, be there to see King Kapisi’s much-anticipated return to the stage with the Rodger Fox Big Band.

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 Festival and making many new ones, but tickets are selling fast. To avoid disappointment, secure your tickets now."

Don't miss this extraordinary convergence of musical brilliance. Join the Rodger Fox Big Band, King Kapisi, and special guest Erna Ferry for an unforgettable night of jazz and hip-hop fusion at the Wellington Jazz Festival.

To purchase tickets, visit the Wellington Jazz Festival website.

ENDS