Cool Jazz ... Bluetrain at the Hardware Cafe.

Busy day today acting as taxi driver for the old girls.  As such, no pictures to show you from today ... but there are a few from the Titirangi Music Festival I didn't show yet.  One of the acts that really impressed me was Bluetrain.  

Bluetrain at the Hardware Cafe, Titirangi

Led by renowned Auckland jazz pianist Alan Brown, Bluetrain was formed as a duo in 1991 with sax player Chris Mason-Battley. With the addition of Matt Gruebner on bass and Jason Orme on drums, they released a self-titled and self-funded CD. Chris was later replaced by Steve Sherriff and augmented by Robbie Karena on guitar. The band went on to record No Free Lunch which won Jazz Album of The Year 1996, and subsequently Never You Mind in 1998. The band went their separate ways shortly after although it still exists as an occasional outfit.

The Hardware Cafe in the Centre of Titirangi.  Great atmosphere!

Bluetrain performed in the Hardware Cafe ... great place, full of atmosphere both inside and out!  Lighting was a bit awkward and I was at the limit of what the camera could do.  ISO was up at 6400 all the time, lens was wide open and the shutter speed ... well in many cases way slower than it should have been.

Bluetrain's audience at the Hardware Cafe.  A bit cramped, but well worth squeezing in :-)

Last shot in this post is of Chris Mason-Battley, one of the group's founding members.  I'd have like to get a shot or two of Alan Brown, but the light really wasn't doing me any favours.  Perhaps the band will let me know when they get together again and I might get a better chance of better lit shots of each band member.

Steve Sheriff, playing sax with Bluetrain in Titirangi's Hardware cafe.