- BIOGRAPHY-
“Saxophonist Roger Manins is becoming increasingly recognised as an outstandingly gifted musician.” Mike Nock
Roger Manins, born in Waiuku, New Zealand has been branded one of the most exciting and explosive saxophonists in Australasia. His warm passionate sound and remarkable instrumental ability is in demand throughout this part of the world, recording on over 15 jazz albums with many of the leading lights of New Zealand and Australian jazz.
Originally studying at the Conservatorium of Music, Sydney, he built a solid reputation both in New Zealand and Australia for several years before leaving for New York in 1996.
The 21/2 years Roger spent in New York (1996-1999) had a profound influence on his playing. There he gained a deep understanding of the jazz tradition through his interactions with major players on the scene, and through a stream of constant playing - on the street, sessions, jams and gigs. Gigging with New York rhythm sections, he developed as a strong and powerful player with an individual sound and style, playing latin, swing, free funk, Brazilian and blues with a wide variety of groups. He also studied privately with two main masters: George Garzone (advanced harmony) and Doug Lawrence (swing tenor).
In 1998 Roger spent 2 months in Havana playing with the Cuban Churanga band Orchestra Sublime and learning the language of Cuban music before returning to Australia.
In 2002 Roger won the Wangaratta Australian National Jazz Awards. Winning Australia’s most prestigious under 35’s jazz award gave him greater and much deserved recognition of his powerful talent. He was also a finalist in the Australian Freedman Fellowship Jazz Awards.
Roger’s television appearances include the ABC Pulse series, both with the Mike Nock Big Small Band (BSB) and the Aron Ottignon Quartet which was recorded live in 2002 and broadcast again in 2003. In 2005 ABC Radio Jazz Track program in Melbourne broadcast the Roger Manins Trio recording with Malcolm Stanley.
His saxophone ingenuity is found on several albums. On James Muller’s Thrum, the tune Paul Bley performed by the quartet on this album won an ARIA award for most played jazz piece on Australian radio in 2003. Mike Nock Big Small Band Live (ABC) won The Australian Bell Awards Jazz Album of the Year 2004. Ashley Turner’s album Beautiful Open Spaces was also nominated for Australian Jazz Album of the Year 2004. The Vaughn Roberts Big Band Grrreat Stuff was the winner of the 2006 New Zealand jazz album of the year.
The groups he has performed with during the last few years include: James Morrison Sextet, The Mike Nock Quintet and Big Small Band (BSB), James Muller, Manhattan Transfer, Bernie McGann Quartet, Carolina Moon Jazz Group, The Paul Dyne Group, Bruce Brown Quartet, Michele Benebig (New Caledonia) and the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra.
He played tenor saxophone with the latter band on their Australian 2006 tour, featuring German Florian Ross and his compositions. The group did a live recording for ABC Melbourne and also a live recording at the SIMA Sound lounge. The result of which will be an album Dream Wheel, to be released at the end of October this year on Birdland Records in Australia.
Under his own banner, Roger has toured Australia (August/September 2005) and July 2006), played at The Bellingen Jazz Festival, The Wangaratta Jazz Festival and at New Zealand's Queenstown International Jazz Festival.
Since 2004, when he decided to return to his home country, Roger has played as both a sideman and leading his own groups in New Zealand and in Australia. He taught music as part of the jazz program at Massey University in Wellington and now has this role at the University of Auckland.
Last year he joined his partner Carolina Moon, along with Kevin Fields, Chris O'Connor, Olivier Holland and Nigel Gavin, to record her debut New Zealand album East of the Sun which has received critical acclaim since its release a couple of months ago.
Roger's own solo album Hip Flask, recorded in Australia in 2001 with one of the best Australian rhythm sections (Stuart Hunter, Adam Ponting, Brendan Clarke, Toby Hall), showcases his versatility, was originally available in this country in 2005. Ode Records have decided to re-issue Hip Flask, calling it "one of the coolest New Zealand jazz albums of the decade." An accolade absolutely deserved.
He heads his own bands - Roger Manins Trio, Roger Manins Quartet and Hip Flask.
June 2007
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