The Comet Is Coming
Forget your preconceptions of what jazz sounds like.
Overview
Wellington Jazz Festival is a huge event crammed into just a few days - this year's lineup features 100 gigs in just five days. It would be a challenge to see even a small percentage of all that's on offer, but the diverse program means there's something for all levels of jazz knowledge, from fairweather fans who just want some pleasant background music while they drink beer to hardcore followers who are amped to encounter some of the jazz world's biggest names.
Keep your evenings free from 7-11 June and head along to a show or two, with cocktails and kai on either side. Here's your guide of what to see, dance to, eat and stumble across.
Forget your preconceptions of what jazz sounds like. The Comet is Coming are a stellar three-piece based in the UK, whose sound has been described as a "Saturday night soundtrack to an imagined apocalypse". They combine jazz, Afro-beat, electronic, psychadelic and funk sounds to create something you've probably never heard before, but that is eminently futuristic, danceable and joyous.
This will be a must-see show for jazz rookies who want to delve into this diverse style but don't know where to start.