Katikati Folk Club celebrates New Zealand music month tomorrow night with a performance by West Auckland band Wakakura.
In 2013 guitarist Ed Taylor began a search for a new vocalist for his jazz/folk band Akoustic Express.
Through mutual friends, he tracked down jazz vocalist Allana Goldsmith, who had been performing throughout Auckland for more than a decade.
By the end of 2013 Allana and Ed were playing regularly as a duo and decided to make it official by creatinganew band. Wakakura was born, the Maori word wakakura reflecting the duo's passion for Maori culture and language.
Initially the duo performed a mix of jazz, pop and folk, blending Allana's jazz-infused lyrical style with Ed's guitar playing.
