There's been some nice press coverage recently about some of our hardworking IMNZ members...
The New Zealand Herald's William Dart talks with Ode's Roger Marbeck: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/music/news/article.cfm?c_id=264&objectid=10783363
Here's a piece about Powertool Records' Andrew Maitai: http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/western-leader/4486604/Powering-ahead-with-a-passion-for-music
And apologies for not getting the news out to you last week - I had to take some unexpected time off - but congratulations to the Parachute Band who pipped Six60 at the top spot in the Album Chart. Here are last week's charts if you'd like to investigate: http://www...indies.co.nz/imnz-album-singles-chart.html

IMNZ News
The Tui for the Best Folk Album was presented on January 29 to Amiria Grenell by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) at the Auckland Folk Festival in Kumeu (West Auckland). The other finalists were Mel Parsons from Westland and Otago quartet The Chaps. Lyttelton-based Amiria recorded ‘Three Feathers’ at the Grenell farm in Whitecliffs and family links run thick through the recording with older brother Oakley on production and arrangement, brother Redford featuring on drums, and guest appearances from partner Tola and Grenell’s father, New Zealand country music legend John Grenell. Released in September 2011, Three Feathers’ ranges stylistically from folk to reggae, country to blues. At age 10 Amiria played the violin, she also began playing the guitar and making up her own chords. Her first EP, ‘Cola Monti’, was released in 2005 and the following year she made her first full length album, ‘Kapowhai’. Amiria has since graduated from NASDA (National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art) with a Performing Arts Degree. http://www.amiriagrenell.co.nz/

After over 35 years of gallant service to the NZ Music Industry James Moss, the man behind legendary Jayrem label has decided to hang his distributor’s hat on the hook and depart our fair shores. Jayrem and Border Music have always had a very close relationship (Border was born out of the same Wellington office many years ago!), so, knowing that they would look after his ‘babies’ James has handed his stock to Border to continue distribution. Rarely in the mainstream of pop/rock, Jayrem Records album releases have tended to reflect James' eclectic and specialist tastes - Maori (Wai, Patea Maori Club, Aotearoa, Apanui, Dalvanius Prime, Upper Hutt Posse, Elena, Tuahine, Big Belly Woman, Brannigan Kaa, Roger Cunningham, Aotearoa Maori Chorale), reggae (Dread Beat & Blood, David Grace & Injustice, Sticks And Shanty, Simon & Fire), women singer/songwriters (Mahinarangi Tocker, Charlotte Yates, Jan Preston, Hinemoana Baker, Jordan Reyne, Donna Muir), contemporary instrumental (Brendan Power), country (Roger Tibbs, The Cattlestops, Ann Pascoe), jazz/blues (Midge Marsden, Hot Club Sandwich, Kokomo, Rodger Fox, Sonia Bullot, Bullfrog Rata), poetry (Bill Manhire, Sam Hunt, Jenny Bornholdt, Michele Leggott) and childrens (Fatcat & Fishface).

New Zealand singer songwriter Flip Grater has had a busy and exciting few years, gaining French representation with music management and branding company So-U, securing agents for six new territories, signing a deal with German label Make My Day and completing four European tours including a support tour for popular French band Cocoon. The indie singer’s signing to French indie label Vicious Circle is the latest in her string of new business partnerships. The deal includes France as well as the UK and will see Flip based in Paris for most of 2012 to write and record her forth studio album. Past releases by Vicious Circle include the collaborative album by Yann Tiersen (who wrote the soundtrack for the French film Amelie) and Shannon Wright. After touring NZ as a member of collaborative band Fly My Pretties in late 2011, Flip has spent the southern hemisphere summer promoting her latest book The Cookbook Tour Europe - a collection of stories from her tours through Europe which includes collected recipes and a special release CD. This month Flip will head to South America to collaborate and perform with Brazilian folk singer Bruno Morais before beginning a March tour in Italy with Herve Peroncini, the frontman of Italian pop-punk band The Peawees. Flip was also recently confirmed as the support act for an upcoming Germany tour with acclaimed French band Aaron. Vicious Circle: http://www.viciouscircle.fr/

In news from Dudley Benson, at Golden Retriever HQ, freshly in is the second pressing of his double live album, Live Series: Volume One. If you'd like a copy of the deluxe 2CD of concert recordings from 2008 and 2010 with six individual artwork cards by Nigel Brown, buy it at The Shop, or for the digital version pop over to Bandcamp. Designed by Saskia Nicol, a shot of the packaging will be attached.

Two Frequency Media Group artists are set to take their music to international audiences with the announcement that local Drum & Bass icon Concord Dawn will play four dates across India in February. Additionally NZ chart topping Hip-Hop artist David Dallas will cross the Tasman to celebrate the release of The Rose Tint Deluxe Edition with four Australian dates. After returning to New Zealand from Vienna to play shows over the New Zealand summer, Concord Dawn (aka Matthew Harvey) is taking his critically acclaimed brand of Drum & Bass to audiences in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Pune, headlining the fourth installment of India’s Bass Camp Festival, the country’s only Bass-heavy music festival. After a huge few months in New Zealand which saw the deluxe edition of his NZ Music Award nominated album The Rose Tint become the highest charting Hip Hop album of 2011 in NZ, New York based Kiwi David Dallas is set to play four shows across the east coast of Australia to support the album’s release across the Tasman. 2011 saw David Dallas dominating the local music scene in NZ, clocking up over 60,000 downloads of his free album The Rose Tint as well as having his music videos play-listed on U.S & Australian MTV networks and being nominated for three NZ Music Awards including album of the year.

There is no denying it's been a massive few months for Six60 - two platinum singles; one double platinum single; a double platinum album that hasn't been out of the Top 10 since it debuted at No. 1 back in October; and a completely sold out summer tour that saw them play to over 15,000 people in just seven days. Now Six60 are about to embark on their first world tour. First up is New Zealand, where the band will hit a few towns they didn't get to during their summer tour. Then they'll head back over to Australia for their fourth headline tour to celebrate their Australian album release. Next stop is the UK where they have already sold out two London shows! Then Europe and finally America... http://www.six60.co.nz/


New release fanfare

The Black Seeds feature on the new WOMAD 2012 collection, which celebrates another groundbreaking year with a list of acts as diverse as ever. Other artists featured include The Pajama Club, Baaba Mal, Gurrumul, Lo’Jo  and many more, it’s the best way to get a taste of music from the festival or relive the sound once the festival has passed. The CD comes nicely digi packed this year
too. http://cartellmusic.com.au/

Sinate return for NZ Metal fans and have recorded their most brutal album yet - ‘To The Death’ is Sinate like you’ve never heard them before. The band which released their first two albums barely a year apart may have taken some time to put out this record, but the final product has only benefitted. With Sweden based Pelle Seather (Corporation 187, Carnal Forge) taking care of production duties for a second time, this recording has that monster production the swedish metal releases are revered for and at the same time sees Sinate reach new heights in terms of song writing and technicality. A must for all NZ metal fans. http://www.sinateband.com/

Alizarin Lizard are four young men intent on avoiding the real world by living in one huge musical party until it all goes horribly wrong. The Lizard was forged in late 2008 amid chaos and confusion, and spent the next year concocting weird pop songs and freaking out the punters. During one of the longest band tours around NZ in 2010, the band tightened up and shook off a touch of their psychedelic jacket before returning home to Dunedin to record their debut EP Oh, Colour. Another massive tour is scheduled and the album is here! The Weekend Went Without You is a beautiful album of slightly left of centre pop, maintaining an edge but really excelling in writing songs which a lot of people can get into. The boys are about to head off on another sizeable tour, covering Whangarei to Invercargill and pretty much everywhere in between (eg Napier, Wairoa, Rotorua, Dargaville, Riverton, Bluff and tons more).  http://alizarinlizard.tumblr.com/

Ladi6, P-Money & Dan Aux, David Dallas and Tiki are amongst the artists presented on the George FM Yearbook 2011. George FM have let the listeners vote for the top tracks from their airwaves in 2011 and had them all mixed up by the mix-master himself Dick ‘Magik’ Johnson. 2011 was a year where local acts made a big impact, sitting alongside big international tunes from around the world. The George FM Yearbook 2011 is released Monday 13th February in all good record stores and online. Head to www.georgefm.co.nz for more information.

Kapabal is offering a FREE download of an EP (5 tracks) that he has put together to say thanks to his fans for all the support during 2011 - it also nicely coincides with his Facebook page reaching 6,000 likes.
The Brunettes’ 2004 sophomore album 'Mars Loves Venus' is finally available on vinyl…and in a limited edition colour. http://www.marbecks.co.nz/detail/index.lsd?catalogID=856037

Auckland songstress Lydia Cole releases her debut album 'Me and Moon' presenting more acoustic, delicate and light melodies accompanied by intimate and sparse vocals. Read more...

Andrew Uren’s Steep Steps is a CD of outstanding bass clarinet music from New Zealand and elsewhere, in the solo, ensemble, and chamber concerto genres. Performed by Uren with performers 175 East, Stroma, Sarah Watkins, Lenny Sakofsky, Katherine Hebley, James Gardner, Timothy Sutton and Matthias Erdrich. Read more...
Tales of Panapa is composed by Gary Daverne and narrated by David Weatherly with the Auckland Aotea Art Ed Choir. Co-writers are Phil Mark and Rosemary Cranswick. Tales Of Panapa is comprised of two stories based around a wise old village elder called “Panapa” - The Mountain Fairies and The Floating Island - based on legends, telling of the need for sacredness and respect when using our environment. Read more...

Colin Hemmingsen is a name synonymous with jazz in New Zealand, and his reputation as a composer, performer and improviser has spread well beyond these shores. Mike Nock's 40-odd minute composition Transformations was recorded live on October 1st, 2011 at IlottTheatre, Wellington and here Colin Hemmingsen (saxophones, clarinet) is joined by the New Zealand String Quartet, Nick Tipping (bass) and John Rae (drums). Sketches features the compositions of Mike Nock, Phil Broadhurst and John Rae as played by Colin Hemmingsen (saxophones, bassoon). Read more...

On Martin Riseley's 'Lilburn Master Works for Strings', Martin Riseley (violin) with The Chamber Players of The New Zealand School of Music performs selected works of Lilburn (composed in the 1940s and 1950s).
Read more…


On the live front

Singer-songwriter Jackie Bristow is a southern girl at heart. Born and raised in Gore, this kiwi has found her wings. Now living in Austin, TX, listeners can hardly discern her lilting kiwi accent when she sings her own brand of alt-country roots rock. After releasing her third album Freedom in New Zealand and Australia and touring in support of Shawn Mullins, Bristow returned to the USA in February 2011 as the opening act for internationally acclaimed guitar legend Tommy Emmanuel. Playing to sold out 1,500+ capacity theatres, Jackie is at home on the stage. 2011 was a very successful year in the US, touring and opening for some big names - Marc Cohn, John Waite, BJ Thomas, John Oates, Bettye Lavette, Joe Ely, Jimmy Lafave, Marcia Ball, Charlie Robison and Bob Schneider and in past years Daniel Lanois, Art Garfunkel, Phoebe Snow, Madeleine Peyroux, Jimmy Webb to name a few. Her new album Freedom has received national airplay and garnered generous praise from top critics. She starts her New Zealand tour next Friday 17 February in New Plymouth, travelling the country until her final show at Howick's Uxbridge Arts Centre on March 10.

Local electronic producer and DJ Scratch 22 has been announced as the support act for Mayer Hawthorne’s upcoming New Zealand tour dates.  Scratch 22 will support the Detroit crooner at both his Wellington show at San Francisco Bathhouse on February 22nd and his Auckland show at The Powerstation on February 23rd. 2011 saw the release of Scratch 22’s critically praised album Distance From View and saw him head over to Paris to represent New Zealand after winning the 2010 NZ Red Bull Fre3style competition. As well as releasing his own music Scratch 22 (aka Rodi kirk) has put his unique spin on other musicians’ music, remixing tracks for the likes of Homebrew, Electric Wire Hustle and Annabel Fay.
Last September saw Little Bushman and Electric Wire Hustle team up for two sell out nights of vibrant psychedelic and soul music at one of Wellington’s premier live venues, the San Francisco Bathhouse. Both bands and audiences alike enjoyed it so much they thought it best to take it on the road. After the release of their 3rd studio album Te Oranga, Little Bushman wowed audiences throughout Australia, including the prestigious Byron Bay Blues fest and are currently planning a returning mid 2012.These shows also mark the final performances in New Zealand for Electric Wire Hustle this summer before they head onto Europe for 6 months via stop offs in Australia and the USA. EWH are very excited to share some new material from their forthcoming sophmore album with the home crowd before taking it international with performances at WOMAD in Adelaide and SXSW in Austin, Texas in March. Both bands are also looking forward to the opportunity to play in Christchurch where they will perform in the beautiful garden setting of Deans Bush, the location of Riccarton House that was badly damaged in the earthquakes. Taste Events at Riccarton House have staged a series of outdoor concerts at Deans Bush to provide some entertainment and fun to Christchurch citizens and to help Taste Catering survive until the house can be rebuilt. Electric Wire Hustle will perform a solo show in Wellington at San Francisco Bathhouse where they will play an extended set to farewell their home crowd on the 2nd of March. Tickets from www.cosmicticketing.co.nz and Cosmic stores Auckland, Wellington & Christchurch.
www.electricwirehustle.com
www.littlebushman.com

Antagonist A.D have been confirmed to open for A Day To Remember on their one & only NZ tour date.


Around the World

We have two stories this week...
Finalists announced for Australian Music Prize

The shortlist for this year’s Australian Music Prize has been announced, with the following nine artists in the running for $30,000, and bragging rights. The shortlist features:
Abbe May – Design Desire
Adalita – Adalita
Boy & Bear – Moonfire
Gotye – Making Mirrors
Gurrumul – Rralaka
Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders – Hurtsville
The Jezabels – Prisoner
Kimbra – Vows
The Middle East – I Want That You Are Always Happy
The shortlist was decided by a panel of 42 industry, artist and media judges. The winner will be announced at an event at the Sydney Opera House Thursday 8 March. New York based Rolling Stone veteran journalist David Fricke will deliver a keynote speech for the event.
http://themusic.com.au/newsletter/4098/the-amp-s-shortlist-of-nine-announced

These Dressing Rooms Change Their Music to Match the Clothing Being Tried...
The motivational power of music can be astounding, which is exactly why retailers use it to sell products everyday. In fact, there are a number of companies that are focused entirely on creating in-store listening experiences that make customers more likely to buy stuff. 
By now it's basic retailing, but a concept called 'musical dressing rooms' is taking things to an entirely new level.  Over the past few months, a group of clothing stores in Singapore has been dynamically shifting the music that plays in dressing rooms to increase the chances of a final sale.  In the pilot, a collection of 10,000 songs from 16 different genres shifted according to the article of clothing being tried.  The article of clothing then mapped to the demographic in question: male, female, younger, older, hip, utilitarian, whatever.
The system basically works with RFID chips affixed to the merchandise, an installed RFID reader in the dressing room, and directional speakers that go straight to the person trying on the clothing.  This diagram was presented at Midem by UK-based marketing firm Contagious, which actually put the concept (and network of clothing retailers) together for the Singapore-based StarHub Online Music Store.
Check it out: http://digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2012/120207dressing