Whirimako Black
Whirimako, of Ngai Tuhoe, Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngati Ranginui, Kahungunu, Te Whakatohea, Te Whanau-a-Apanui, Te Arawa, and Ngati Awa descent, is , undoubtedly, one New Zealand's finest musicians. She is equally comfortable performing in jazz, blues and Maori medium - An artist who creates a truly unique, intimate presence in her performances with her 'sublime and exceptionally expressive voice' that has been described as 'pure velvet'.
This exceptional singer has appeared at such varied events as festivals in New Zealand including WOMAD, AK'07 and AK'09, Soundsplash, Splore, Hamilton Gardens and Ngapuhi. She has performed with Salmonella Dub and Fat Freddy's Drop, and has toured her own music with guitar virtuoso Nigel Gavin and presented her superb jazz sets at the major NZ Jazz Festivals in Wellington, Christchurch, Tauranga and Nelson. As well, she has performed at the Te Papa Tongarewa and Auckland Museums.
For the past few years, she has been a featured artist at the annual Pao Pao Pao Festivals in Wellington. "Highlights included the short set by Whirimako Black, showcasing her stunning voice. By singing in English and te reo…Black showed that great music does not need to adhere to any one style – nor be tied to one specific culture." (Simon Sweetman, Dominion Post)
She has featured as solo artist with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra , singing her jazz repertoire to special arrangements by jazz legend Russ Garcia. "Whirimako could be one of the new great singers…She's got the sound and swings and is creative!" (Russ Garcia, jazz legend and arranger for stars like Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald) In 2008 she toured with Salmonella Dub and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in 'Feel the Seasons Change' also featuring Richard Nunns and Paddy Free. The show combined modern music and production values with the ancient arts of taonga puoro, te reo Maori and the NZSO's classical tradition. The resulting live CD was released in September 2008.
Whirimako Black then featured in a musical collaboration 'Green Fire Islands' with Richard Nunns and a group of world-renowned Gaelic musicians that toured NZ and performed at WOMAD.
Internationally, she was invited to perform with 1 Giant Leap in 2004 as the headline act at the 'European Music Day' celebration in Athens, which was part of the pre-Olympic Games build-up. In 2008, she presented 3 shows at the Southern Hemisphere's top world music festival 'The Dreaming' in Australia, performed at the Anzac commemorations at Gallipoli, and toured to Taiwan on behalf of the New Zealand Government.
Whirimako has made many TV appearances, including as a judge on Maori Television's popular 'Maorioke' series, and is now on her 6th year in this capacity. Maori Television audiences have also viewed her as a guest for one of Anne Thorpe's 'Kai Ora' programs, on the music entertainment program 'Coast' and in April 2006 Whirimako performed live, along with Joel Haines, Hinewehi Mohi and Don McGlashan, on the station's live TV special for Anzac Day.
She has enjoyed several engagements performing live and being interviewed on TV1's Good Morning Show and she sang 'The Christmas Song' (composed by Mel Torme and Robert Wells in 1946) on TV3's Campbell Live on 22 December 2006. Whirimako has 6 solo albums to her credit as well as compilations with the 1 GIANT LEAP Project, Salmonella Dub and the Hone Tuwhare Project
Whirimako was awarded the NZ Order of Merit (2006) for services to Maori music; received the APRA Maioha Award (2004) for her songwriting in te reo Maori, as well as the NZ Music Tui (2008) for best Jazz Album, the Te Waka Toi Award (2004) for her contributions to contemporary Maori music and the NZ Music Award (2001) for Best Maori Album.