The boy from the north who went to the UK is back home and bringing his roots to the Bay, with a gig at Mount Maunganui.
London-based Jayson Norris will be playing an acoustic set at Astrolabe tonight.
"It's going to be a fun night, with plenty of music there to dance
to if people want to boogie it up a bit," he says.
Norris best describes his sounds as something on par with Ben Harper, Jack Johnson or Stevie Wonder.
"It's a little bit of roots and a little rock. We are slightly dub or reggae. I think people will enjoy our show," he says.
Norris will be supported by fellow musicians' Johnny Love and Chris Cope.
The Kaitaia-born musician might not be a household name in this part of the country, yet, but he has already shown his worth in the Kiwi roots scene - having toured with the Fly My Pretties Summer Showcase and the Jameson Jam Session with The Black Seeds this year.
Norris' album Freedom Twenty Eight is the first to be released locally, despite having already released two albums overseas.
His visit to the Mount is part of a national tour, which will wind up with two shows at this year's Homegrown music festival in Wellington. He has been told he is the first artist to have two separate time slots at the festival, with the first being held on the Amphitheatre in the afternoon and then on the Dub and Roots Stage between "Rise Up" artists six60 and live legends Katchafire.
Tonight, Norris says he will perform fan favourites like Window and Love Someone, plus a few from the first albums. The recording of Love Someone is one of Norris' most popular, with friend Jason Kerrison from Opshop on backing vocals.
"It's going to be a fun night," Norris says.
