Wahine Toa tour

Wahine Toa tour
Hannah Howes
Ariana Tikao
(with Ben Lemi Wood and Nanako Sato)

Two exceptional singer songwriters will be gracing the stages of New Zealand to celebrate NZ Music Month, and Matariki in May and June, 2010.
The Wahine Toa tour begins this Friday in Christchurch and over three consecutive weekends throughout the country.

Each performance will consist of a set of Hannah Howes’ and Ariana Tikao’s songs, and they will accompany each other for part of each set. On tour with them will be the hugely talented Ben Lemi Wood of Hikoikoi fame, on percussion/drums/keys/backing vocals, and the virtuosic talents of Nanako Sato on keyboard/backing vocals. Nanako will also play a support slot for each show, of her original songs.

Wellington based Hannah Howes has gained recognition for her dreamy soulful voice, adapted reggae style and philosophical lyrics in a deliciously dub-rounded setting. Miss Howes' ten-year apprenticeship in song-writing has set her on a course of broad spectrum collaborations (also under the moniker of Sing-J, Sista Mischief), several NZ tours, one Japan tour and resulted in three independently released albums. Noted for her unmistakeable voice, profound lyrics and equally awe-inspiring accompanists, Hannah's repertoire is heightening with the NZ release of her masterful album CANDY.

Award-winning Christchurch based songwriter Ariana Tikao has been mesmerising audiences all over the country for years at a mix of festivals, intimate shows, and events such as the WOW show in Wellington’s TSB Arena. Her music is inspired by the writings and deeds of her Kai Tahu ancestors, but brought well and truly into the present, with haunting melodies and accompaniment of both contemporary and traditional instruments. She has released two solo albums, Whaea and Tuia. One reviewer said of Tuia: “A magical and at times mystical trip... like being bundled up in a big feather cloak and transported to another world”. This is also what audiences experience when they come to see Ariana perform in concert.

Nanako Sato is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger and songwriter, originally from Japan, but now based in Christchurch. She has been one of Ariana’s principal accompanists now since 2007, and will do a set of her original songs on this tour to celebrate the release of her album The Miracle Tree.

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