The Wellington Mingus Ensemble is a powerful 16-piece big band from New Zealand’s groovy little capitol city that pays tribute to jazz legend Charles Mingus. The band has been performing extensively in Wellington and around the lower North Island since its birth in 2012, inspired by the bassist's rich back catalogue of compositions and the work of the New York Mingus Big Band.
Definitely the hottest new big band band in Aotearoa for some time, The Wellington Mingus Ensemble is built from the country’s finest jazz musicians, many of whom are bandleaders, professionals, and recording artists in their own right. The band is on a self-funded tour through some the North Island’s coolest venues (quite a feat in itself with a group this large), which brings this overpowering beast of a band within a host of new audiences for the very first time. The expansive sound, rich textures and captivating soloists definitely make seeing The Wellington Mingus Ensemble an opportunity not to be missed.
