Niel Randrup knows his birthday today is "pretty remarkable".
The sprightly Tauranga pensioner turns 100 years old. But the New Year's Day celebration almost wasn't the case.
"My parents weren't sure, it was midnight [when I was born] so they said 'let's make it a New Year baby'. And sothat's how I tended to be the first person in the country with a birthday."
One hundred years later, Randrup is celebrating with friends and family at his Pyes Pa home in Althorp Village. A large hamper of birthday treats from the village already sits on his table and the Tauranga Big Band is performing a concert in his honour later this month.
Randrup is a well-known and well-respected musician who composed and arranged countless pieces of music in his years. He also played saxophone in Nat King Cole's band when the singer came to New Zealand in 1955.
Throughout Randrup's life, music has been his constant. It was also a key reason behind his longevity, he said.
"I'm the longest-living member of my family that I can find in my family tree. So I don't have a particular reason for that happening except my own personal opinion which is that during the prime of my life, instead of having a normal job like most people, I was proud enough to be doing something I loved and in the company of people I loved."
Randrup is talking about the Kiwi Review Company. He played the saxophone, clarinet and flute for the band which toured Australia and New Zealand from 1946 to 1954.
Once the tour ended, Randrup picked up work in "normal jobs" at Westfield Freezing Works and New Zealand Forest Products afterwards but music remained his passion. Each night he played the saxophone at Trillo's nightclub in Auckland's Queen St, where he met his wife-to-be: New Zealand dance, cabaret and recording legend Pat McMinn, who died in 2018 aged 91.
These days Randrup still lives independently and has only recently begun having meals delivered. He regularly goes on mobility scooter outings with friends, including lunch out at Bayfair once a week. Randrup has energy to burn and laughed a lot during this interview.
"People remark on my wellbeing and I give them the same story every time. During my years [with the Kiwi Review Company], those eight years of luxurious living on holiday all the time, I learned to play golf in Australia during the day - you had to do something."
Randrup's love affair with golf stuck and he played it for many years, becoming a one-handicap golfer and club champion of Remuera Golf Club before he and McMinn moved to Tauranga.
Niel Randrup with his tenor saxophone and birthday hamper celebrating his 100th birthday. Photo / Kiri Gillespie
With golf and music - especially jazz - in his life, Randrup was essentially living his dream. In many ways, he still is.
"Life is good."
Friend Carol Storey first met Randrup 20 years ago when she was one of the vocalists for the Tauranga Big Band.
"I was fascinated by his incredible sharp ear in being able to detect the accuracy of pitch and melodic line for each instrument, including the voice. He would sing the notes he expected to hear. Niel's passion and love of music has always inspired me," she said.
"One thing that always got me was seeing him with this huge instrument, he used to play the baritone saxophone. I used to wonder 'how he could lift that?'. He was still playing when he was 90."
On January 23, the big band are hosting a special concert in honour of Randrup's milestone birthday and his work as a musician and arranger.
The band will be directed by award-winning trombonist Joe Thomas, with Storey, Barry Spedding and Nataalia Lunson on vocals.
"We all share recollections of Niel's musicianship and friendship," Storey said.
Randrup's niece Wilma Randrup said her uncle did all sorts of things as well as music such as being "very good at computers".
She said he grew up with two brothers and a sister "and he's outlived them all".
"He's really interested in everything, in what's happening in the world, very interested in sport. He can talk about anything. He just enjoys company and life really."
