Start the festival with NZSM Big Band, featuring the country’s best up and coming jazz talent drawn from the cream of jazz majors from the New Zealand School of Music

The New Zealand School of Music Big Band - Music Director Rodger Fox, brings together the cream of musical talent from the jazz school.  Students are selected by audition and regularly participate in concerts and festivals throughout the year.

The NZSM Big Band performs a cross-section of material made famous by bands and artists such as Woody Herman, Bob Mintzer, Buddy Rich, Bill Holman, Count Basie and Maynard Ferguson. 

The band has appeared in concert with major international artists such as Mike Nock and Georgie Fame, trumpeters Jon Papenbrook, Clay Jenkins and Alex Sipiagin, trombonists Jim Pugh and Bill Reichenbach, and saxophonists Bob Sheppard, Dick Oates, Eric Marienthal, Ray Woolf and Chris Cain.

The Bands come under the musical direction of Festival Patron Dr Rodger Fox, New Zealand’s foremost jazz trombonist and big band leader. The NZSM Big Band features the country’s best up and coming jazz talent drawn from the cream of the New Zealand School of Music jazz majors. 

In 2010 the band was the Tui Award winner for Best Jazz Recording of the Year in the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards for their album ‘Run for Cover’. 

For more information about Jazz in Martinborough 2019 go to the website