New Zealand musicians and bands you should really check out. See their websites for upcoming gigs. Also check out these sites for background, if I have foisted one of these albums on you.

Gahu

www.gahu.co.nz

Afro-kiwi fusion - guaranteed irresistable to dance to. They have released two albums, Hot Planet (2004) and Shell Money (2005). They regularly play around Auckland, and jazz/world festivals throughout New Zealand.

The Hot Grits

www.hotgrits.co.nz

They bring the funk - have you got a problem with that? This Auckland-based large funk band are on the up and up, driving crowds wild all over the country. Check out their EP, Championship Sounds (2006).

The Band Called Dave

www.thebandcalleddave.co.nz

Someone once described this Wellington band to me as "Janis Joplin meets Sleater Kinney", and I would say that's about right. I particularly love "Jamie", a love song to Karen's cat. Check out their album Hello (2006).

Ben The Hoose

www.benthehoose.com

Du craic, quoi. Check out their 2006 self-titled album (released with a tour in March 2007).

Bob McNeill

www.bobmcneill.net

Wellington-based singer-songwriter, with his last album Turn The Diesels out in 2005. Keep an eye on his website for new projects.

Christine White

www.christinewhite.co.nz

Immensely talented singer-songwriter, I met Christine in Auckland but she's now living in Wellington. Her latest album Pirouette (2005) has haunting songs right up there with Don McGlashan, in my humble opinion.

Tourist

www.touristsound.com

The NZTE alumni are travelling far and wide these days... Tourist do great jangly guitar pop. They recently recorded their first full-length album in the UK, Minutes Last For Years (2007), and are touring New Zealand in March to promote it.

Vorn

www.myspace.com/vornmusic

A Wellington-based one-man orchestra producing intelligent electro-pop. Check out his self-recorded album Thunk! (2006). It's an absolute steal at NZ$10.

Last updated 24 March 2007