Tuesday August 9 2022: Tura “Bullfrog” Rata + Supports
Bullfrog Rata’s musical journey has been wide and varied. From busking on the streets in towns like Wairoa & Waipukarau to flying on jets to play for billionaires in the US complete with limousines and secret service agents. He has also travelled to the UK with Midge Marsden and The Exponents on a number of occasions.
He has been lucky enough to open for and share the stage with international blues acts like Junior Wells, Charlie Mussewhite, Watermelon Slim, Canned Heat, Taj Mahal, Keb Mo, Chris Cain and mega stars, Tina Turner, Charlie Pride and Jethro Tull.
Joining him are members of Mucho Mojo, Patrick Bleakley on Double Bass who is a very busy member of the Wellington jazz community and in June toured the South Island with jazz saxophonist and composer Lucien Johnson.
Bullfrog Rata & Mucho Mojo Trumpet player Geoff Culverwell who is one of NZ's premier jazz trumpeters will also join the fray.
Rounding out the lineup is Shaun Anderson, drummer extroadinaire who's has played in jazz, blues and cutting edge heavy metal bands.
Simple Gifts
Sue Rose and Philippa Boy, are two friends who share a love of harmony singing, and very eclectic musical tastes.
They perform both 'a cappella', and with hurdy gurdy or dulcimer accompaniment, sometimes including guitar.
Their music ranges from the 15th to the 21st Century and includes Irish, English, French, New Zealand Colonial, and Modern Folk.
Murray Kilpatrick
Where to start? Well, you've almost certainly seen him before. You've almost certainly enjoyed his music.
And what a lot of music there is. Murray's contributions to Sage, to Parcel, to Blakewater Blues. His many side projects. His hosting of the Pukerua Bay folk club with its homey atmosphere and wonderful scones. His love of wood and luthiery. Murray Kilpatrick is a bona fide legend in the Wellington folk scene but he's too modest and chilled out to claim that title.
With his masterful fingerpicking style and his rich, distinctive, baritone voice, Murray is not just a great performer, he is a genuinely nice guy as well.
-VC
Ron Craig
Helping to open the show is evergreen Island Bay rocker Ron Craig.
Ron’s a stalwart of the acoustic music scene, has a deep cache of songs, from Bob Dylan to modern country, Stan Rogers etc and there’s a good measure of trad in the mix too. Often being the thorn between two roses when in a trio, Ron is quite happy playing solo. The opportunity to unleash his wilder side suits him well at times. With some slick fingerpicking and a rich mellow voice (think Willie Nelson meets Jim Reeves), Ron Craig is just the bloke to get the show rolling. From putting goosebumps on the backs of female necks while at the same time warming hearts, well, who said males couldn’t multi task.
