Dan Costa and The Bill Martin Big Band

The Dunedin Jazz Club and the Christchurch Big Band Festival present a unique artistic collaboration between internationally acclaimed Latin jazz pianist and composer Dan Costa and Dunedin-based musical director Bill Martin.

Building on the success of Costa’s 2024 Chamber Music New Zealand tour of Aotearoa, Costa and Martin will further develop their creative partnership through performances of six compositions from Costa’s critically acclaimed album Suite Três Rios, arranged for big band by Martin. The programme will feature newly commissioned big band arrangements of Bossa Nova, Samba, and Alba, alongside three existing arrangements, creating a compelling six-movement Latin jazz suite.

As part of his New Zealand tour, Costa will also present educational workshops at the University of Otago and the Ara Institute of Canterbury Jazz School. These workshops will provide local musicians with a unique opportunity to explore and perform Latin jazz rhythms within a big band setting, fostering artistic development and cross-cultural musical exchange.