Rolling Stones vibe shakes MTG stage

ROCK ON: Performing at Lifting The Blues charity concert tonight at MTG Century Theatre in Napier are Marty Williams (left), Tom Waters, Tim Ries, Bernard Fowler, Tom Williams and Ben Waters. PHOTO/DUNCAN BROWN

Ben Waters dropped out of high school to tour with Shakin' Stevens 30 years ago and this weekend brought a strong Rolling Stones connection to the MTG Century Theatre in Napier.

He enjoys top billing for last night and tonight's shows because of his profile after lifting the lid when he performed last year.

"I thought they might get a bit bored if it was just me again so I brought along a band this year," the pianist said.

He said the show was a band with a piano player, not a piano player with a band.

Jools Holland, Britain's most connected musician and television presenter, asked him to play at his wedding and he has played with Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and the Rolling Stones.

Two of the Rolling Stones Band and Mick Jagger's brother have joined him in New Zealand.

Singer Bernard Fowler has been provided backing vocals for the Rolling Stones since 1988 and like the rest of the band crosses multiple musical genres. He has performed with Herbie Hancock, Herb Alpert, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Robert Plant.

Tim Ries plays saxophone, keyboards and organ and when not on Rolling Stones Band duties is Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Toronto. He has played with Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart and Michael Jackson.

With "The Rolling Stone Project" he recorded two albums of jazz arrangements of Rolling Stones music.

Guitarist Chris Jagger is a true renaissance man, having succeeded in clothes design, journalism, acting and helped out older brother Mick by contributing to two Rolling Stones albums, Dirty Work and Steel Wheels.

His musical style incorporates elements of cajun, zydeco, folk, country, blues and rock with his band, Atcha Acoustic, featuring Ben Waters on piano.

Waters'16-year-old virtuoso saxophonist son Tom Waters will be playing with the band in Hawke's Bay.

The show is called Lifting the Blues, a title relating to the charity to which all proceeds of the Hawke's Bay leg of the New Zealand tour will go, the Brain Injury Trust.

"I love upbeat happy music," Waters said.

"I play just enough blues to get into a blues festival, enough jazz to get into a jazz festival and enough rock and roll to get into the rock and roll festival."

He also loves piano and collaborating, recording Boogie For Stu as a tribute to the late Ian Stewart, the unknown and founding member of the Rolling Stones.

The album features the Stones, Jools Holland and Ben Waters' cousin PJ Harvey amongst others.

Support act for the Napier concerts is Cousin Leonard, a duo of Australian brothers Marty and Tom Williams described as "a contemporary alt-folk/soul-pop band with a snappy hip-hop"

"It is simply fantastic that such calibre of musicians are coming to Hawke's Bay to help raise funds for the charity," Brain Injury Association Hawke's Bay chairman Brett Morris said.

He said the region had 1147 registered charities and competition for funds was tough, but on the back of Waters' one show last year ticket sales for this weekend had put the Trust into the black.

Tickets are still available for tonight's MTG Century Theatre 7.30pm performance from Ticketek.