The Melancholy Babes
Jeff Henderson – alto saxophone
Tom Callwood – bass
Anthony Donaldson – drums
with special guest
Eric Boeren - trumpet
Following up from their 2010 national tour the Melancholy Babes bring their unique blend of new jazz improvisation and composition back to New Zealand audiences, this time with renowned Dutch trumpet player Eric Boeren.
The tour begins in Auckland and travels throughout the South Island before opening the iiii Festival of Adventurous Music in Wellington.
Jeff Henderson, Tom Callwood and Anthony Donaldson, the Melancholy Babes, met the inventive trumpet player Eric Boeren in 2005 when he performed in Wellington with a quartet featuring some of the most renowned musicians in the Netherlands including drumming legend Han Bennink.
The group hit it off and enjoyed each others music so much that they kept in touch and played together at every opportunity including playing Amsterdam at the famous squat venue Zaal 100.
With the success of Europe under their belt, and carrying the FREDS award for musical bravery, The Melancholy Babes have invited Eric Boeren to New Zealand to augment their joyful sound. He brings new compositions from the Netherlands to add a touch of European sophistication to the rough and ready tones of the Babes.
Eric Boeren
Eric Boeren made his first steps in music with the brassband Ulicoten, a small village in the south of Holland, on the Belgian border. At eighteen, after attending his first concerts of improvised music, Eric switched to cornet, his first love. In 1983 saxophonist Michael Moore invited him to join Available Jelly for a tour in Germany and France. He has been professionally playing creative music ever since.
Eric Boeren is now well established as one of Holland’s most creative and prolific trumpeters and bandleaders. He has performed in the Maarten Altena Ensemble, Sean Bergins MOB and with jazz legends John Carter, Roscoe Mitchell and Malachi Favors to name a few. this is Eric Boerens third visit to New Zealand and his first time performing in the South Island.
The MELANCHOLY BABES
Saxophonist Jeff Henderson is a prolific international performing and recording artist who has recently toured Europe with Winning Productions and Japan with drummer Shoji Hano. He has performed with many leading jazz and experimental musicians such as Steve Lacy, Wilbert De Joode and Marilyn Crispell and has close associations with great New Zealandmusicians such as Mike Nock, Richard Nunns and Gerard Crewdson.
Drummer Anthony Donaldson is a legend in New Zealand music, from the seminal avantjazz collective the Primitive Art Group to The Six Volts to hismassive stage show productions with The Village of Idiots, Anthony Donaldson is one of the most influential and inspirational musicians and bandleaders in New Zealand today.
Bass player Tom Callwood is a member of popular bands Little Bushman and the Phoenix Foundation. Recently he toured Europe with the Phoenix Foundation and has performed extensively throughout New Zealand. His jazz credentials are exemplary, having performed with Mike Nock, Roger Sellars, Leila Adu and Marilyn Crispell to name but a few.
