Jazz quartet set to blaze across small stages

The Carnivorous Plant Society start a five-night Small Hall Session tiki tour from coast to country on May 18. Photo / Supplied

The Carnivorous Plant Society are the next band to take to the region's small stages.

The multi-talented psychedelic jazz quartet kick off their Small Hall Sessions on May 18 at the Waimarama Memorial Hall.

Organiser Jamie Macphail says the Small Hall Sessions are making good on their commitment to present quality acts in intimate settings, breathing life into the little places of Hawke's Bay.

"The Carnivorous Plant Society will blaze across the small stages of the region, filling the space with joyful noise," Macphail said.

"Prepare to be astounded by the vast array of instruments that will be coaxed into making a cinematic soundscape to excite and delight.

"Led by the genius of Finn Scholes, New Zealand's greatest trumpet player, it's music that is as jolly as it is technically accomplished.

"As if being a veritable one-man orchestra is not enough, Scholes accompanies the band's boisterous, beefed-up sound with quirky animations to tickle your brain. His signature style is a little whacky, a little silly and a lot of fun, guaranteed to capture your imagination and put a smile on your face."

The Carnivorous Plant Society last played Hawke's Bay in 2018 when they closed out the Arts Festival.

"That night they led a procession through the Spiegeltent, marching-band style, gathering the audience behind them in an ecstatic dance. It's an infectious sound that will have you tapping your feet if not leaving your seat," Macphail said.

"Channelling everything from Mexican mariachi and spaghetti western to imagined inter-dimensional futurism, the Carnivorous Plant Society promises to take you on a journey of the mind, through a garden of musical delights all the way to the stars.

"Much more than a mere concert, this will be a magical series of experiences, an enchanting excursion into the realm of fantasy, not to be missed. "

Tour dates

Wednesday, May 18, Waimarama Memorial Hall
Thursday, May 19, Walling ford Community Hall
Friday, May 20, Haumoana Community Hall
Saturday, May 12, Maraekakaho Church Hall
Sunday, May 22, King George Hall, Bay View

All shows start at 6pm. Food and bar available.