The Queenstown Jazz Orchestra was given a standing ovation by more than 120 music fans at a fundraising concert which demonstrated their fine tuning under the baton of maestro Rodger Fox.
The black-clad big band had spectators smiling and tapping their feet in time to the tunes for the first public concert in the music suite of the new Robertson block of Wakatipu High School on Sunday.
Rodger Fox, New Zealand's foremost jazz trombonist, big band leader, jazz educator, arranger and producer, was the orchestra's special guest conductor and performer. The supremo had coached members and young musicians from both Wakatipu High and Mt Aspiring College on Friday and Saturday.
The concert opened with Wakatipu High's jazz band Best Served Chilled, with young guest singer Ngawai Davis and was introduced by band leader and drummer Peter Doyle.
The band played Summertime, Tuxedo Junction, Fire and Brimstone and Feeling Good among other standards in its set, to great audience appreciation.
The jazz orchestra began with Sea Jam Blues, followed by classics including Take the "A" Train, Autumn Leaves, Birdland, Caravan and I'm Getting Sentimental Over You.
Queenstown singer Hine Marchand was guest vocalist on five tracks including Georgia on My Mind and Sweet Georgia Brown.
The concert raised $1500 from ticket sales and a raffle to cover expenses and purchase expensive charts from overseas to broaden the orchestra's repertoire.
The concert was the first public performance by the Queenstown Jazz Orchestra since the Winter Festival. Its next gig is set for October 21, as part of Arrowtown's 150th anniversary celebration of the discovery of gold.
