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 bluesharmonica 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.
He was the opening act for the 2010 Mission Estate concert and in 2011 a documentary - Kathmandu Blues - was made by respected New Zealand filmmaker Costa Botes about Garner's journey to Nepal to play at the Kathmandu Blues Festival.
Garner is also one of the country's most respected blues songwriters. A song from his 2007 Cad's Alley album, Louisiana Hurricane, won 3rd place at Nashville's International Song Competition in the Americana section. He was the only finalist from the Southern Hemisphere.
In 2014, Billington and Garner played in Tokyo together, and they were invited back this year for a more extensive tour that included Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya.
Their concert at Tauranga Art Gallery on Saturday starts at 8pm. Ticketsare $25 for adults and $20 for students and Friends of the Gallery and are available at the door or the venue. There will be a cash bar.
