Wairarapa encore for guitar virtuoso

Roots music guitar virtuoso Nick Charles will be special guest at the Cross Creek Blues Club show night at the Village Cafe in Martinborough tomorrow night. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Roots music maestro Nick Charles is returning to Wairarapa for an encore guest performance for the Cross Creek Blues Club tomorrow night.

Club spokeswoman Linda Sorensen said the Australian guitarist had, during his last Wairarapa show, "held the capacity audience spellbound" with his finesse and expertise as a roots music guitarist and performer.

Charles is a guitar virtuoso who the American Black Rose Acoustic Society described as "a world-class stylist and composer" on slide, six and 12-string guitars.

He had garnered world-wide recognition for his work on many roots and guitar music labels, including an acclaimed series of releases through Black Market Music.

His work with the prestigious label ranged from his early album My Place to his latest works Closer to Home and Return of the Travelling Fingerpicker, and led to his being signed to the Grammy award-winning label, Solid Air Records USA.

He has, to date, released a dozen albums between the pair of labels.

His live performances run through an eclectic blend of acoustic roots including blues, folk and early ragtime jazz, Ms Sorensen said.

Charles averages about 150 live shows a year in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the UK, and his latest tour through the Shakey Isles brings him to Wairarapa for one of his last Kiwi performances before he leaves for home next week.

Charles has also, during his career, played to critical acclaim at world-class roots music festivals from the Edinburgh Festival 1995 to the Port Fairy Folk Festival from 2005 to 2010, Walnut Valley Festival from 2003 to 2010, Fairbridge Folk Festival 2008, National Folk Festival 2008 to 2010 and the Australian Blues Festival 2009.

"Anyone who has read Nick's contributions as a regular writer for Rhythms, seen him perform over the last 25 years, or has listened to his recordings will appreciate the extent of his musical knowledge and expertise over a wide range of roots music," Ms Sorensen said.

Club musicians Kate Marshall and Bob Cooper-Grundy and special guests Frank John and Erin Manu, from New Plymouth, along with Porirua bluesman Chris Moses will support Charles at his Wairarapa gig, Ms Sorensen said.

Charles plays at the Village Cafe in Martinborough from about 7pm on Wednesday.

Entry for club members is $2 and $5 for non-members. For more information go online to charlesguitar.com or crosscreekblues.org