Top International Talent Commit To Supporting NZ Music

Sounds Aotearoa is a two day event designed to expose NZ music to the global market and build capacity within the industry. And with UK punk scene and reggae music icon Don Letts and Australia’s No.1 festival director Peter Noble presenting as key speakers the industry is sure to take note and listen.

Don Letts is credited for bringing together the UK punk scene and reggae music in the late 1970’s. His highly regarded influence landed him on the cover art of UK seminal punk band The Clash’s album, Black Market Clash. Don went on to document the British punk scene and many other iconic music figures including Bob Marley, The Pogues and The Jam via documentary film & music video including the Grammy winning ‘Westway To The World’. Currently Don spins music to the world via his weekly BBC Music show  'Culture Clash Radio' and still DJs internationally.

Peter Noble is the director of Bluesfest that recently won the  ‘2010 Australian Event of the Year’ award. Blending his vision of artists’ ethos, crowd experience and dedicated environmental sustainability practices he has created a unique event on the Australian music calendar. With over 30 years in the industry Peter offers a wealth of knowledge and experience not only as a promoter but also as the Grammy winning record label owner of AIM Records.

It’s the music coming out of our country that has been the main draw card for the international guests explains Peter Noble, “I’m really looking forward to coming to this event. The music I heard from the New Zealanders at a recent expo here in Melbourne was fantastic....I can't wait to hear more.”

The line-up of presenters also includes festival directors: Toby Mills from the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (UK), Sam Cook from The Dreaming Festival (Australia) and Micki Sellton from Reggaetown Festival (Australia). Record label owners Scott Schorr (Lazy Bones Recordings, U.S.) and Simon Homer (Plus One Records, Australia) are joined by local industry experts Nicole Duckworth (Fat Freddy’s Drop, The Drop) and Moana Maniapoto (Moana & The Tribe, Black Pearl). Vicki Gordon (VGM Media, Australia) rounds out the currently confirmed line-up, who coincidentally is the sister NZ acclaimed chef Peter Gordon, brings her ground breaking strategies in artist promotion and marketing.

At Sounds Aotearoa a selection of New Zealand artists will perform as part of the showcase programme over two evenings. During the day the event runs as a “think tank” for the music industry via panels with the presenters, forums and provides an opportunity for musicians, promoters, managers and others to work with these industry experts to learn and share with one another.

Launched in 2010 by director Emere Wano in conjunction with the Taranaki Arts and Festival Trust (TAFT), Sounds Aotearoa deliberately precedes the ever popular Womad New Zealand festival so that international guests can take in both of these national events and experience five days of the best of national and international sounds and networking opportunities. 

Sounds Aotearoa will take place on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 March 2011 at TSB Showplace, 92 Devon St, New Plymouth, Taranaki.

Registrations for the conference aspect of the two-day event are open now via the official website www.soundsaotearoa.com

ARTIST SHOWCASE PUBLIC TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY DECEMBER 17TH

through Ticketmaster WWW.TICKETMASTER.CO.NZ  (09) 970 9700 .

THE ARTISTS (evening showcases)

1814 - up beat, funky, R’n’B, roots reggae, full of energy, up-beat grooves, wicked sax and sweet soulful vocals.

Batucada Sound Machine - Brazilian, Cuban and Afro‐beat rhythms, with touches of hip‐hop, carefully, crafted percussion, slick horns and soulful vocals.

Bebe Deluxe – this Wellington duo fronted by captivating songstress Kirsten Te Rito and keys extraordinaire Mr Illingworth, has been quietly been simmering away for almost two-years now. Their infectious sing-a-long melodies are sprinkled with obvious soul/R & B ingredients and just the right amount of pop for good measure.

Malcolm Lakatani (Pacific Music Awards Trust Selection) - The fusing of different genres and even languages has consistently proved to be a winning formula for exciting new music, and this NZ born Niuean musician. When he is not busy working on the production of first album, Malcolm also enjoys being lead guitarist for Che Fu and the Krates, Allegro and the Aggressors.

Moana & The Tribe – one of the most distinctive, articulate and significant Maori voices is multi-award winning Moana Maniapoto who - first with Moana and the Moahunters and latterly as Moana & the Tribe - has taken her often politically conscious music to festivals across the world.

Pacific Curls - with its world ribbed sounds, precise arrangements and a catalogue of songs that link the Pacific’s primal myths to Scotland’s mysticism, Pacific Curls – Kim Halliday (Rotuman/NZ/Scottish), Sarah Beattie (Scottish) and Ora Barlow (Te Whananu‐a‐Apanui) – make music that is both worldly and enthralling.

Victoria Girling-Butcher – Lupin, the new musical project from Victoria Girling Butcher, after ten years with Lucid 3 Victoria Girling Butcher decided it was time to work on some solo material, Lupin is the result.