Kicking off the highly anticipated first PANNZ Touring Agency tour, the acclaimed Modern Māori Quartet are excited to be heading to a range of venues across the North and South Islands, including Whanganui, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Tauranga and Christchurch, from August to October 2015.
Modern Māori Quartet have come together from different corners of Aotearoa to perform their signature cabaret show, An Evening with the Modern Māori Quartet, full of waiata, humour and charm. A fresh take on classic Māori showbands, Modern Māori Quartet (MMQ) are a good looking, suave and multi-talented Māori foursome who love crooning their spin on modern and classic numbers. So suit 'em up in their number ones, shine their shoes, hand them a guitar or two and they’ll have you melting like golden syrup on a piece of fresh hot fried bread with their signature brand of Māori entertainment.
MMQ comprises of four talented Toi Whaakari graduates, James Tito, Maaka Pohatu, Matariki Whatarau and Francis Kora* who all lead illustrious careers outside of their work together.
In 2011 James Tito was nominated as Most Promising Male Newcomer at the 2011 Chapman Tripp Awards. He was inspired by the Māori showbands and entertainers of yesterday to establish the Modern Māori Quartet. Maaka Pohatu has performed in numerous productions such as the critically acclaimed Strange Resting Places and The Māori Troilus and Cressida, which featured at the prestigious Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Matariki Whatarau’s screen credits include Find Me A Māori Bride, The Almighty Johnsons, Go Girls and The Pā Boys and for the last decade, The Pā Boys co-star Francis Kora has been a musician with (and now the frontman of) iconic NZ band KORA.
Their show promises a trip down memory lane into New Zealand's musical past and present as well as recent international hits, all with a unique Modern Māori Quartet twist and flavour.
“The Modern Maori Quartet radiate good times” - Metro
“A full house clapped, cheered and stamped their way to three encores from the Modern Maori Quartet after an evening of wonderful close harmonies and sly wit – all delivered with down-home warmth.”- Otago Daily Times
