Wada flaunting with jazz

Miho Wada and her orchestra. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Whether it's a head-banging band or in a giggly girl group - Miho Wada always manages to keep her beautiful flute melodies centre stage.

The striking and musically talented "punk flute ninja'' has played flute in all genres including punk, reggae, rock and even pop. Now she's loving jazz, which happens to work in very well with her favourite instrument.

Miho's Jazz Orchestra (MJO) is coming to the National Jazz Festival which coincides with the official launch of new album Mystery Banana.

Wada, a Japanese-born New Zealander, loves playing jazz on the flute.

"Our music is very easy to listen to and you wouldn't have to be a serious jazz head to understand it. I think very simple things like having a nice melody sometimes gets lost in the complexity of contemporary jazz.''

Their third full-length album Mystery Banana (recorded in Tokyo, Auckland and London) will be released on Good Friday. Wada describes it as taking the listener on a "unique musical journey like being inside a bubble that floats away and takes you to different scenery''.

She loves it when people are reminded of films and scenarios when they hear MJO's music ... MJO just want to make people happy.

Wada is multi-talented. She spent her youth competing in various sports (including uni-cycling, swimming and athletics) and playing the trumpet, marimba, marching drums, accordion, recorder, saxophone and piano.

But it was the flute that held her attention from age 17 and she studied performance flute at the University of Canterbury.

MJO received a standing ovation at last year's jazz fest.

Miho Wada, Baycourt exhibition space on Sunday, April 20.