High Tea: Jazz like it used to be served in Taihape this weekend

Classy jazz will be served by Margot Pierard and Wil Sargisson along with high tea and champagne at the Taihape Musicians Club. Photo / Supplied

A classy afternoon of jazz, high tea and champagne at the Taihape Musicians Club featuring world-class jazz diva Margot Pierard, accompanied by Wil Sargisson on the piano.

Think Nina Simone and Billy Holiday, with a little funk and soul thrown in for good measure. Ticket includes high tea and drinks on arrival.

Vocalist Margot Pierard and pianist Wil Sargisson first worked together in 2005, as members of the Napier funk band Tropical Downbeat Orchestra.

A couple of years later Margot and Wil recorded a duo album of classic jazz and blues songs at Napier's Century Theatre.

Wil moved to Australia to pursue work as a session musician in 2008 and it wasn't until the Covid lockdown this year that he and Margot were able to rekindle their duo act.

A recent sold-out performance at 'The Sitting Room Sessions' in Haumoana was reviewed by renowned Kiwi music journalist Simon Sweetman, who called the performance "sublime" and "world-class".

Their repertoire runs the gamut from so-called 'jazz standards' (Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael) through to pieces by Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Etta James, and Donny Hathaway.

Margot and Wil are vastly experienced in these genres and able to perform comfortably here with minimal preparation.

Margot Pierard with Wil Sargisson: Saturday 7 November at 3pm. Tickets $25 (include high tea and a drink on arrival). from Eventfinda or at Taihape Information Centre.