Katikati Folk Club celebrates New Zealand music month tomorrow night with a performance by West Auckland band Wakakura.
In 2013 guitarist Ed Taylor began a search for a new vocalist for his jazz/folk band Akoustic Express.
Through mutual friends, he tracked down jazz vocalist Allana Goldsmith, who had beenperforming throughout Auckland for more than a decade.
By the end of 2013 Allana and Ed were playing regularly as a duo and decided to make it official by creatinganew band. Wakakura was born, the Maori word wakakura reflecting the duo's passion for Maori culture and language.
Initially the duo performed a mix of jazz, pop and folk, blending Allana's jazz-infused lyrical style with Ed's guitar playing.
In 2014 Allana and Ed began writing original music with te reo lyrics, culminating in a selection of songs being chosen by Te Mangai Paho for Maoriradio.
Katikati is the first stop on a mini-tourto promote Wakakura's new CD of acoustic covers, The Akoustic Sessions. Allana and Ed will be joined by one of New Zealand's best trumpeters, Mike Booth.
Wakakura play 7.30pm tomorrow at Katikati Bowling Club in Park Rd. Tickets at the door, adults $20, members $15, school children free.
