Long river swing

THE SOUND OF SWING: Jazz pianist David Paquette will be joined by Ben Wilcock and Wil Sargisson when he brings his New Orleans-based music and swing and new flavours to Gisborne next week. Picture supplied

Big river jazz pianist David Paquette comes direct to Gisborne from Wairoa next week and with him he brings not just his New Orleans-based music and swing with new flavours, but two more top pianists.

For the Long River Swing concert at Tairawhiti Museum, Paquette will be joined by Ben Wilcock and Wil Sargisson.

The Poverty Bay Blues Club “patron saint” told the Wairoa Star his love of jazz began as a boy in Connecticut.

“My mother and father were members of a jazz club and they used to invite jazz artists from New Orleans to play at the club.”

Young David would go to sleep listening to jazz sessions in the basement whenever an artist came to stay, he said.

While studying at University College on Staten Island in the 1970s, he headed into New York to listen to music and formed a band himself. In later years, Paquette was a performer at Pat O’Brien’s bar in New Orleans’ French Quarter when blues musician Roosevelt “The Honeydripper” Sykes encouraged him to become a professional musician. Paquette played in Colorado ski resorts then at San Francisco’s Boarding House where he opened for Dr John and Taj Mahal, as well as Bette Midler and the Pointer Sisters.

Paquette has recorded more than 45 albums, toured the European Jazz circuit, and was founder of the annual Waiheke Jazz Festival.

David Paquette with Ben Wilcock and Wil Sargisson bring Long River Swing to Tairawhiti Museum, Sunday, November 29, 2pm. Entry $35. Book at i-SITE Wairoa or phone 06 838 7440. Or phone Tairawhiti Museum on 867 3832.