When musician Steve Carlin was asked to find a venue for his Greytown Arts Festival gig, he thought what better place than his backyard.



Carlin and his partner bought the heritage-listed Armstrong Place house in March, and they plan to turn it into a bed and breakfast called The Saddlery.



The Jazz in a Spring Garden gig will see Carlin belting out Frank Sinatra classics such as the Best Is Yet To Come, which was one the last songs the singer sang publicly, and My Way, also one of the last he performed.



The theme of the gig is loosely tied in with the Greytown Arts Festival theme "The Last Piece".

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Carlin said the gig would be chilled out. "Just bring a blanket and a hamper, and hopefully it'll be a sunny day like this."



The long-time musician is part of Wellington band Uncle Monkey and has been crooning solo since a friend spotted his talents during a rendition of Mack the Knife at karaoke a few years ago.



The friend asked Carlin to do a few swing numbers at a Christmas party and he decided to develop the act from there.



He now has a repertoire of 30-odd songs which pay homage to the crooners - Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin and Dean Martin to mention a few.



Jazz in a Spring Garden featuring Steve Carlin, 174 Main St, Greytown, October 20, 2pm (gates open at 1pm), entry by koha, rain day Monday, October 22.


Music at the Greytown Arts Festival  -  October 18 to 22
www.greytownartsfestival.co.nz


  • Swing Time with the Beat Girls and a DJ afterwards, Friday, October 19, 8pm, Kuranui College Auditorium, $28

  • Jazz in a Spring Garden featuring Steve Carlin, Saturday, October 20, 2pm, 174 Main St, Greytown, entry by koha

  • The Yoots, Saturday, October 20, 8pm, Kuranui College Auditorium, $38

  • Finales and Fuges: A classical chamber music concert featuring the last works of famous composers, Sunday, October 21, 2.30pm, 57 Wood St, Greytown, $20

  • One More Tune and Urban Tramper, Sunday, October 21, 8pm, Kuranui College Auditorium, $25