Te Arawa stories interpreted as instrumental jazz by Toi Ohomai lecturer

Ben Wilcock and jazz band The Jelly Rollers have spent six months interpreting Te Arawa stories into jazz. Photo/Stephen Parker

A Rotorua-based research project will see Te Arawa stories interpreted as instrumental jazz.

Toi Ohomai music lecturer Ben Wilcock began playing jazz piano as a teenager, and has performed for audiences around the world.

In January he decided to take on a challenge closer to home and write about Rotorua.

"I thought why not write about where I live, like the saying, 'write about what you know'," he said.

"I wanted to write about the area of Rotorua and the lakes."

Mr Wilcock took his concept to Toi Ohomai and was given a research grant.

The album Phantom Canoe has eight tracks which tell four tales of the lakes around Te Arawa.

"There is Hinemoa and Tutanekai, which is kind of a love song, the story of Kataore the taniwha, the discovery of Lake Rotoiti by Ihenga and the phantom canoe on Lake Tarawera," Mr Wilcock said.

As part of his research, Mr Wilcock visited elders on marae and approached the museum. Toi Ohomai employee Tepora Emery assisted with the research.

Mr Wilcock has been performing with the jazz band The Jelly Rolls for the last seven years with John Rae on drums, Dan Yeabsley on bass and Michael Barker on vibraphone.

"We recorded the music in Hamurana at rusty pole studios," he said.

"We recorded all eight compositions over two days, and we filmed it.

"I made a short documentary of my journey from finding out about these stories to turning them into jazz compositions."

The "USB card" album would be released on June 10, the anniversary of the Tarawera eruption.

The USB card album - Phantom Canoe. Photo/Stephen Parker

"We sell these in place of CDs at our gigs," Mr Wilcock said.

"They hold more than just music, there is video and artwork on there as well, created by a Toi Ohomai design lecturer Riley Claxton."

The album will debut live at the Jazz Festival in Wellington, but Mr Wilcock planned a release concert for Rotorua.

Until then you can hear some of the music or purchase the album at www.thickrecords.co.nz.

The track listing
1. Hinemoa (Mokoia / Lake Rotorua)
2. Hinemoa and Tutanekai (Mokoia / Lake Rotorua)
3. Hinemoa's Swim (Mokoia / Lake Rotorua)
4. Kataore (Taniwha) (Rotoiti / Blue Lake)
5. Man and his Dog (Ihenga's discovery of Rotoiti)
6. Potahatawhiti (Up tempo version of #5, from the dog's point of view)
7. The Phantom Canoe (Tarawera) in 3 parts;
PtA - The Phantom Canoe
PtB - Eruption (improvised drum solo)
PtC - The Aftermath