Mike Garner. Photo/supplied
Direct from their second Japanese tour, harmonica virtuoso Neil Billington and veteran bluesman Mike Garner are coming to Tauranga Art Gallery for a night of authentic blues.
Billington is one of the leading exponents of the harmonica to come from New Zealand, combining a rare capacity for the traditional blues
harmonica and the less typical chromatic harmonica. He is equally at home playing in the Chicago-style of Little Walter or with the more sophisticated jazz sensibilities of Belgian jazz great, Jean Toots Thielemans.
Billington covers a range of genres, from old-time pre-war blues through the great Chicago blues harp masters, to the ballads of the American songbook and jazz standards of Charlie Parker and Miles Davis.
He has appeared with everyone from NZ jazz maestro Rodger Fox's big band, through to jazz combos and electric blues bands, and folk and roots groups. his own band, The Neil Billington Band, is a regular favourite in Wellington.
Billington will be playing with Tauranga's Garner on the night. Garner is one of New Zealand's most experienced blues performers, who has released six albums and performed in the UK, Italy, Germany, Australia, New Caledonia, Japan, and the Cook Islands.
