Billie Holiday and Whirimako Black inspire Māori musicians to the jazz scene

Jazz duo Goldsmith Baynes release track on Waiata Anthems. Photo / Supplied

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From playing Billie Holiday in a school production to featuring in the just released Waiata Anthems, Allana Goldsmith's career already spans a generation of music.

But it's her love for jazz music, inspired by Māori jazz musician Whirimako Black, that has her interest.

Goldsmith and pianist Mark Baynes have combined to bring fans the vocal prowess of Goldsmith and pianist of Baynes in a jazz duo, with an indigenous twist.

Hailing from Te Tairawhiti, with whakapapa to Ngāti Porou and Ngai Tai ki Torere, Goldsmith Baynes journey to reclaim te reo has led to the creation of a full album in Māori, lending the waiata "Te Aranga o Matariki" to Waiata Anthems 2022.

But this project is not the duos first experience with Waiata Anthem's founder Hinewehi Mohi.

"Dame Hinewehi messaged me out of the blue… She was looking for more waiata Māori. It was really amazing timing," Goldsmith told the Herald.

In a rush recording before the August 17 lockdown of 2021, their waiata "Tipuna" was added to the Waiata Anthems playlist, that was released last week.

"We got to perform that at the Aotearoa Music Awards which was amazing, in the Memoriam section," Goldsmith said.

Off the back of that performance, Goldsmith Baynes received funding from Te Mangai Paho for a second track. Creative NZ then jumped on board to fund their entire album.

Goldsmith says there needs to be more Māori representation in all genres of music and acknowledges there is big a gap in jazz music.

"Other than Whirimako Black there aren't any jazz singers singing in te reo," she said.

Goldsmith Baynes has two concerts in Tāmaki Makaurau. Tonight (Tuesday) they will be at the Auckland Jazz and Blues Club in Pt Chevalier from 7.30pm along with Justin Kereama from Ruatoki on the taonga puoro.

Wednesday celebrates 50 years since the Māori Language Petition, and the duo have an 8pm performance at the Anthology Lounge at the Creative Jazz Club of Aotearoa in K Rd, Auckland.