Puoro Crayfords @ The RSC
Advertisement
This concert/gig began with the music of one of Aotearoa’s great jazz composers, Terry Crayford, as performed by members of his whānau and those very close to him. Terry is a New Zealand jazz legend. As both pianist and bass player, he has toured and recorded with high profile New Zealand and overseas jazz stars. He is one of the country’s most frequently heard composers, being responsible for televisions “Fair Go’ theme. Many of his compositions are named after his children and grandchildren.
Puoro Crayfords is an ensemble of Terry’s progeny - stalwarts of the NZ jazz scene, featuring Miles Crayford on piano & organ, GiGi Crayford on keyboards/taonga puoro and vocals, and Greg Crayford leading the group from the drum kit/guitar/piano. They will play some of the catchy, original music of Terry, other jazz standards, original music and well-known singalong songs.
Band Members
Miles Crayford – piano, organ
Miles is a third generation pianist from the Crayford family. He draws on both Jazz and Latin-Jazz influences and has spent some time in South America performing. Miles now resides in Kapiti Coast and is focused on playing the hammond organ as well as the piano.
Georgia-Grace Crayford – vocals, guitar
GiGi is mokopuna in the "Crayford Jazz Dynasty". A multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, carver and practitioner of Taonga Puoro (traditional Māori instruments). She weaves story, song and poetry into spellbinding performance in Te Reo Māori and English. GiGi has recently released her first EP of original music ‘Ka Mua Ka Muri’ under the stage name ‘Hine’.
Greg Crayford – drums/guitar/voice, MC
Greg has been performing for more than thirty years as a jazz/show/rock musician in NZ and as support for international acts. Greg’s involvement in musical theatre as musical director/drummer/keyboardist/guitarist/percussionist has included Jesus Christ Superstar, Footloose, West Side Story and Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and many more. Greg plays in a significant number of Wellington-based bands and ensembles.
As well as performing, Greg is an educator by profession – currently Head of Music at Rongotai College - and as the former Events Facilitator for the NZ Jazz Foundation and other youth jazz initiatives he has nurtured hundreds of tomorrow’s musicians. Greg has been running live jazz on a regular basis at The Realm in Hataitai for the last nineteen years, making it Wellington’s (NZ’s? The world’s?) longest-running jazz residency.
Puoro Crayfords is an ensemble of Terry’s progeny - stalwarts of the NZ jazz scene, featuring Miles Crayford on piano & organ, GiGi Crayford on keyboards/taonga puoro and vocals, and Greg Crayford leading the group from the drum kit/guitar/piano. They will play some of the catchy, original music of Terry, other jazz standards, original music and well-known singalong songs.
Band Members
Miles Crayford – piano, organ
Miles is a third generation pianist from the Crayford family. He draws on both Jazz and Latin-Jazz influences and has spent some time in South America performing. Miles now resides in Kapiti Coast and is focused on playing the hammond organ as well as the piano.
Georgia-Grace Crayford – vocals, guitar
GiGi is mokopuna in the "Crayford Jazz Dynasty". A multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, carver and practitioner of Taonga Puoro (traditional Māori instruments). She weaves story, song and poetry into spellbinding performance in Te Reo Māori and English. GiGi has recently released her first EP of original music ‘Ka Mua Ka Muri’ under the stage name ‘Hine’.
Greg Crayford – drums/guitar/voice, MC
Greg has been performing for more than thirty years as a jazz/show/rock musician in NZ and as support for international acts. Greg’s involvement in musical theatre as musical director/drummer/keyboardist/guitarist/percussionist has included Jesus Christ Superstar, Footloose, West Side Story and Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and many more. Greg plays in a significant number of Wellington-based bands and ensembles.
As well as performing, Greg is an educator by profession – currently Head of Music at Rongotai College - and as the former Events Facilitator for the NZ Jazz Foundation and other youth jazz initiatives he has nurtured hundreds of tomorrow’s musicians. Greg has been running live jazz on a regular basis at The Realm in Hataitai for the last nineteen years, making it Wellington’s (NZ’s? The world’s?) longest-running jazz residency.
Advertisement