Introducing......

Jody Keehan - Alto Saxophone and Vocals

Jody Keehan is a musician, mum and concert manager who feels very lucky to be able to be able to combine her love of music into everything she does.

As well as playing saxophone and clarinet, Jody sings all styles of music but has a special love of jazz. She is recognised as being one of the foremost female Big Band swing singers in Christchurch. Her influences are Mavis Rivers, Betty Carter, Natalie Cole and Ella Fitzgerald.

She has sung on stage at Christmas in the Park, sung at the opening of the Timaru Theatre Royal, played sax in the Hot Tones when they supported Boney M on the Caroline Bay Soundshell and with several Christchurch groups including the Garden City Big Band and Sideline Swing. She considers herself extremely privileged to have worked with wonderful musicians like Stu Buchanan, Tom Rainey, Mike Kime, Alice Sollis and Doug Caldwell to name a few.

Mike Bickers - Trumpet and Flugelhorn

Mike Bickers has played with many different jazz and rock groups over the years on trumpet and flugelhorn. Mike was a founding member of the Bold As Brass band in Dunedin in the 1980s as well as playing with Calder Prescott’s Dunedin City Jazz Orchestra, Calder Precott Octet and Quertet. Mike currently plays with the Garden City Big Band and is the founder and MD of the the Mike Bickers Boptet.

Allan Hawes - Tenor Saxophone

Playing tenor with the Roger Fox band in the 1970’s and 1980’s and touring with the band to Montreux, Allan is a well-respected and highly experienced jazz woodwind performer.

Allan is currently a founding member of the River City Jazzmen as well as teaching and session work in and around Christchurch.

Lana Law - Baritone Saxophone

Lana has been playing the baritone saxophone since she was 13. After attending Burnside High School where she developed her passion for music, jazz in particular, she moved on to complete a Bachelor of Music (BMus) degree in Jazz Performance at Massey University in Wellington. Upon graduating she worked on cruise ships around North America and the Caribbean, in a 10 piece show band. Lana is currently teaching and is the Musical Director for both the Garden City Big Band and the All Girl Big Band.

David Wallace - Trombone

David Wallace is a much in demand trombone player in Christchurch, having performed in a wide variety of musical setting. David has worked with the Christchurch Symphony, Glynn Powell’s Symposium Big Band and with Garden City Big Band as well as the Boptet.

Katie Martin - Keys

Katie Martin has been playing jazz piano for over 25 years with a wide range of ensembles from solo work through to big band and show bands.

Katie has been associated with the Even So quintet with Jody Keehan, Stu Buchanan’s Garden City Big Band as well as putting together her own ensembles for performing live and recording in New Zealand and overseas.

Katie is a founding member of the Mike Bickers Boptet and has contributed a number of arrangements for that group.

Mike Kime - Double Bass

Michael Kime is a graduate of the Christchurch Jazz School. Mike has been a professional musician for fifteen years and has played with many of New Zealand¹s finest musicians performing in Jazz, Classical and Free Improvisation settings. Michael is a founding member of Christchurch¹s celebrated Silencio Ensemble. Michael has performed in Concert halls and venues in America, Japan and Dubai.

Lou Moverley - Drums

Lou is a highly-respected jazz and rock drummer, backing and touring with many New Zealand artists. Over his career, Lou has toured internationally with the New Zealand Army Band and spent some time in Auckland playing with jazz and fusion groups such as the modern jazz sextet Spectrum. Lou now works with Air New Zealand and is a regular session drummer as well as running his own rock group.