News

Wellington Jazz Festival 2024

What a Festival!

The Wellington Jazz Festival is getting close now and runs from 16th Oct to 20th Oct.

This year, Jack Hackett’s is the only venue you need, as we are bringing you a total of 38 gigs. We can do this because we are using both upstairs in the Capital Blues Lounge at Jack Hackett’s (upstairs), and the Capital Blues Basement at Jack Hackett’s.

And what a line-up we’ve got.

It’s not all jazz. We have a range of funk, soul, ska, Brazilian, big band, soul jazz, modern jazz, trad jazz, combo jazz, bebop jazz, jazz crooners, late-night jams, and of course, blues. It’s a festival within a festival.

Ticketing
Some gigs are ticketed at either $15 or $20. The good news is that Capital Blues Club members can buy each ticket for just $10. You can get your tickets for individual gigs here https://events.humanitix.com/host/capital-blues-inc. There are links underneath each posting too.

We also have combo tickets:-
A ticket for the whole Capital Blues Jazz Festival
https://events.humanitix.com/capital-blues-inc-wellington-jazz-festival-pass?hxchl=hex-pfl
Wednesday
https://events.humanitix.com/capital-blues-inc-wjf-wednesday-pass?hxchl=hex-pfl
Thursday
https://events.humanitix.com/capital-blues-inc-wjf-thursday-pass?hxchl=hex-pfl
Friday
https://events.humanitix.com/capital-blues-inc-wjf-friday-pass?hxchl=hex-pfl
Saturday
https://events.humanitix.com/capital-blues-inc-wjf-saturday-pass?hxchl=hex-pfl
Sunday Lounge
https://events.humanitix.com/capital-blues-inc-wjf-sunday-pass?hxchl=hex-pfl
Sunday basement
https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-capital-blues-inc-wjf-sunday-lounge-pass?hxchl=hex-pfl

Check the Events for a daily listing and individual tickets.

Wellington Jazz Festival 2023

This year we are bringing you 13 gigs over the five days of the festival.

Wellington Jazz Festival gave Damian Forlong an opportunity to get his booking on!

He’s put together an amazing series of gigs that are on this handy schedule – already marked as essential viewing 

Jazz Festival

 

 

 

 

The poster design is inspired by Andy Haddleton’s spreadsheet (Which is a thing of wonder).

All ticketed events are $10 for Capital Blues Members! That’s like 13 gigs for $80! Standard pricing is $170. Tickets are for sale at Humanitix – here’s a link to them ALL! https://events.humanitix.com/host/capital-blues-inc

We have a mix of big-band, Afro-beat, jazz, funk, pop, rock, and blues. Guitars, horns, saxes, vocals, keyboards, and more.

Starting at 6.00 on 25th October with The Wellington Mingus Ensemble, through to the Steely DNA at 7.00 on 29th.

To find out more about each artist and the performance times, click on the Events page.

We look forward to seeing you at the festival.

Leo LaDell Album launch

If you haven’t seen “King” Leo LaDell, you are missing out. He is a fantastic blues player, living in Dunedin.

He has launched a new album which you can find below.

To celebrate the release, the band is playing a Wellington show at Meow on Sunday 23rd of April from 7pm. They will also have some really great support lined up with Louis TM (and his 8-piece soul band) doing a set, as well as South African-born R&B/Neo Soul singer-songwriter Tusekah.

More info here: https://www.undertheradar.co.nz/ticket/19907/King-Leo-And-Band-With-Support-From-Tusekah-And-Louis-TM.utr

If you’re into blues, you’ll definitely dig this. It’s available on all platforms for streaming and for purchase via bandcamp! Link here https://tr.ee/roPBpDS6-X

Purchase the CD here: https://kingleonz.bandcamp.com/album/king-leo

Meow

9 Edward Street, Wellington

Cuba Dupa 2023

We have a busy week.

We have a blues club event on Friday with Oscar Laven’s Rock n Roll Sax.

Then on Saturday and Sunday, we have 12 acts over the two days. Saturday is for more experienced performers, and Sunday we are giving some stellar,  young talent the opportunity to show us their outstanding musical chops.

 

The running order is:-

Sat 25th

The Flying String Fellows 12.00 – 12.45

Red Dog Saloon Band 1.00 to 2.00

Elisha Hobbs 2.00 – 2.30

Shan 2.30 – 3.30

Elisha Hobbs 3.30 – 4.00

Vincent Vega 3 4.00 – 5.-00

Oscar Lavën’s R’n’R Sax 5.30 – 6.30

The Julie Lamb Outfit 7.00 – 8.00

Battleska Galactica 8.30 – 10.00

Sun 26th

Pete’s NolaCoaster 1.00 to 2.00

Daisy Grae 2.00 – 3.00

Mel Stevenson 3.30 to 4.30

Governor Jeff 5.00 – 6.00

Come and enjoy a fabulous array of different styles of music.

The Wellington Jazz Festival

The Wellington Jazz Festival

This year we are bringing you ten gigs over the five days of the festival.

Starting at 7.30 on 19th October with The Julie Lamb Outfit, through to the Steeley DNA at 7.30 on 23rd.

We have a mix of swing, bebop jazz, funk, and blues.  Guitars, horns, saxes, vocals, keyboards, and more.

To find out more about each artist and the performance times, click on the Events page.

We look forward to seeing you at the festival.

 

Oscar LaDell and Chris Armour Single Release

Oscar LaDell and Chris Armour Single Release

An old friend of Capital Blues, Chris Armour, and fellow bluesman, Melbourne-based, American-born Oscar LaDell, are releasing a new single, Alcohol, on 17th June. This follows their 2021 debut album “Right Kinda Wrong”.

 

This Single

“Alcohol’ is an unblinking, simmering blues testimonial about a love affair with the bottle. The song takes shape in a heady maelstrom of wailing blues harp and crying guitars wherein the passion and pain of the music compliments the song’s tale of a poisonous relationship too sweet to abandon.

 

The result of a collaboration between guitarist-producer Chris Armour and singer-songwriter Oscar LaDell, ‘Alcohol’ marks the next iteration of their catalogue of modern, yet authentic, blues stylings.

 

This time around they’ve put their own spin on a song by the Tokanui troubadour Lachie Hayes. This recording features Richard Te One on drums and Steve Moodie on upright bass. The single was engineered by Miklin Halstead, mixed by Chris Armour and mastered by Downbeat Mastering.

 

Live Dates

To celebrate the release of the new single, and to mark Oscar’s brief return to Aotearoa, the duo has announced gigs in Paekakariki, Palmerston North, and Wellington this month (June). Find tickets here. They have also released of a live acoustic performance of classic blues song “Love Her With A Feeling”, (see video here).

 

Oscar LaDell will be also playing at Capital Blues on Friday June 24th at 8.30.

 

Audiences can expect a dynamic show with a mixture of energetic & electrified barn-burner blues, as well as some more soulful, subtle authentic blues stylings performed by some of the best from either side of the Tasman. LaDell and Armour look forward to celebrating the release of their new single by letting loose on a mixture of original material from their 2021 album “Right Kinda Wrong” as well as playing a few choice covers by blues greats like Elmore James, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, B.B King and Little Walter.

 

Backgrounds

Oscar LaDell is a 23-year-old American-born, Melbourne-based blues singer, songwriter,

guitarist, and harmonica player.

 

Chris Armour is a 31-year-old guitarist and producer from Wellington.

New Orleans Street Music Day 28th May – Food Menu

New Orleans Street Food Menu

For our New Orleans Day, this Saturday, 28th May, Jack Hackett’s is adding to the theme with a special NOLA menu.

Hot, tasty N’Orleans food to match the music. What more could you want?

Po Boys – Surf ‘n Turf $12

Fried shrimp and roast beef, pickles, lettuce, tomato, red onion, mayo and hot sauce. Served in French bread.

 

Jambalaya – Chicken and Chorizo $10

Seared chicken breast and chorizo, tomato, onion, red pepper and garlic. Served with rice.

 

 

BBQ Shrimp $10

BBQ garlic butter shrimp served with French bread.

Gumbo –$12

Andouille, Shrimp and Okra.

 

 

Banana’s Foster $9

Served with vanilla ice cream, with toasted pecans and walnuts.