Music worlds meet in Masterton

The fast friends making up Shogun Orchestra are coming to Wairarapa to party hard on Saturday night, says band leader and founder Lucien Johnson.

The performance at King Street Live in Masterton will be a Wairarapa first for the 10-piece Wellington-based band, he said, which features Venezuelan singer Jennifer Zea and a set-list that pivots on a unique fusion of "afrobeat funk and ethiosoul jazz".

Johnson said Shogun Orchestra includes Black Seeds and Fat Freddys Drop band members, who had previously played in the region at La De Da festivals. He had played in the region several times himself with the jazz group The Troubles at monthly gigs at The Tin Hut.

"In a way Wairarapa is our backyard - our second home - and we're all excited to be coming over to play.

The band is the brainchild of the talented composer and multi-instrumentalist, who had spent the past decade living, loving, and learning musical styles around the globe.

He wanted Shogun Orchestra, which conjures up the exotica of feudal Japan, to represent his journey through the distant lands of eastern Africa, the Caribbean and the Indian subcontinent.

"I wanted the band to reflect my travelling experiences and represent some of the countries I've been to. We play songs from those places, like Haitian folk songs that were taught to me by the communities in which I lived and original music that was inspired by my travels," he said.

"It's not some pastiche of world music but it is the music of my world."

Johnson said the community feel of the repertoire is mirrored by the camaraderie of the band itself, which is made up of "old mates" he had played alongside while studying at university in the capital 15 years ago.

"We're a real community too. We love sharing stuff and it's just like that, really. These are old mates that I've known forever and I want to stress our music is fun and just really good party time music."

The band also features members from Lord Echo, The Yoots, and the jazz trio Twinset..

Tickets for the show at King Street Live cost $25 each and are available through www.dashticketing.co.nz or by calling 370 4332.