Jazz trio triumphs

The Wellington-based Kevin Clark Trio has won this year's New Zealand Music Awards best jazz album for its live-with-guests The Sandbar Sessions.

It is the second Tui for Clark, whose band won best jazz album at the Music Awards in 2003 for Once Upon a Song I Flew.

The other two finalists were Auckland's Dan Papirany Trio for its debut album Session One, and the Julie Mason Quintet for its third album Estate (Summer).

The Tui was presented on Saturday night at the Manawatu International Jazz and Blues Festival in Palmerston North.

South African-born pianist Kevin Clark has a background in world music. He holds an honours degree in music and has been performing in and around Wellington for the past 35 years.

Other members of the trio are Rowan Clark (bass) and Richard Wise (drums).

The Sandbar Sessions features guest performances by Colin Hemmingsen (soprano sax), Michael Taylor (trumpet), Wade Sharp (guitar), Lance Philip (percussion), Alex Nyman (sax) and Hannah Griffin (vocals).

The music includes originals written by Clark and interpretations of jazz standards and Latin tunes.

* Kylie Harris, a Kiwi singer based in Nashville, is the winner of this year's New Zealand Music Award for best country music album.

The self-titled Kylie Harris was her third Tui-winning album after successes in 1995 and 1997.

The award was presented in Gore on Friday night as part of the week-long Gold Guitar Awards in the South Island town.

Harris' father, Clem, accepted the award on her behalf. Harris hosts a TV show called The Edge of Country, which reaches 30 million homes in the US, and has performed on the popular Grand Ole Opry radio show.