Former Rotorua musician's new group album on American Billboard chart

Mykeljon Winckel's band Groovexpress has an album on the American Billboards. Photo / Supplied

Kiwi Mykeljon Winckel and musician Van Morrison have one thing in common, they are both in the top 10 on the American Billboard jazz albums charts.

Originally from Rotorua, Winckel said his jaw dropped when he found out his group Groovexpress had debuted on the jazz album chart at No 7 and contemporary jazz album chart at No 5.

"It was heck of a shock for me. If my jaw was any wider you could have backed a truck in it.

"This is a lifetime dream and it isn't easy doing it part time. These are all my own compositions."

Since the debut on August 11, the album has risen to the number three spot on the jazz album chart and the second spot on the contemporary jazz album chart.

The eight-member group is spread across the world including Los Angeles, Nashville and New Zealand.

Each of the parts in the songs was recorded separately and Winckel pieced them together to make it sound like it was all recorded in the same room.

Growing up in Rotorua Winckel remembers playing in school bands at Western Heights High School and music was always part of his life.

"It's always been in my blood. Ever since age 4 or 5 I can remember strumming on the ukulele. It's always been there."

When Winckel left high school he moved to Auckland to go to teachers' college but continued to play music and recorded a few demos at a studio.

"I recorded two or three tracks of my own. I returned to Rotorua for Christmas and took them to the old RNZ station and played it to one of the DJs," Winckel said.

"He sent it around and before I knew it there were a lot of people calling requesting the songs."

A short while later he was offered a record deal which he turned down. But that was a turning point.

"I didn't have ambitions to be a star and I still don't but I wanted to make a career in music, so I went home to Rotorua and told Mum and Dad I was going to leave teachers' college with six months to go. They weren't that thrilled to say the least."

Since then Winckel has gone on to study music in New Zealand and Australia and spent time in the United States.

He returned to New Zealand in 2004 and continued to pursue his music part time.

Groovexpress was formed in 2010 but Winckel already knew and had played with its members.

The group's third album Amsterdaam was finished in July and put out by Motown veteran Michael Sutton who has worked with Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder.

It debuted on the jazz Billboard charts the week of August 11.

"I'm still flabbergasted," Winckel said.

He hoped it would open new doors including the potential of touring. A few tracks on the album had also been submitted for the Grammy Awards.

"That's an exciting prospect."

Groovexpress
- Mykeljon Winckel: Guitars, vocals
- Ernest Semu: Piano, and keys
- Anthony Hunt: Organ
- Robert Kyle: Saxophones, flutes
- Chris Tedesco: Trumpet, Flügelhorn
- Jim McMillen: Trombone
- Trinidad Sanchez III: Bass
- Isaac Sanchez: Drums, percussion