Tama Waipara
About Tama Waipara from Auckland
Tama Waipara is a musician’s musician. Ironically, Tama’s vocal career began when a head injury temporarily interrupted his clarinet studies at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music in New York. This pause gave birth to a soul filled vocal talent and equally thoughtful songwriting, and shortly after graduating with a Masters degree in clarinet, he was signed by New York indie label, Obliqsound as its premiere recording artist.
In 2004, Tama released his debut album, “Triumph of Time” debuting at New York’s famous Central Park Summerstage to rave reviews. This was followed by a highly successful European tour in the same year.
Since then Tama has been busy touring and performing across the US, Europe and the UK and working with some of New York’s hottest musicians on his follow up album with Obliqsound, “Something Sweeter” due for release in 2008. He also has been busy with composition, writing the music for Oliver Driver’s “Based on Auckland”, the recent sold out season of Silo Theatre’s “Rabbit” and the music for ESPN/ PBS feature “Polynesian Power” which aired recently in the US. His work with New Caledonian choreographer Richard Digoue, ”Symbole et Realite”, also recently opened to enthusiastic reviews in Auckland.
In June of 2007, Tama returned home to release an EP exclusively for New Zealand audiences, which he recorded both in New York and New Zealand. The six track EP is titled “Leaving Paradise” and features collaborations with artists such as Nathan Haines and Godfrey De Grut. The recording combines Tama’s distinctive soulful vocals and “homegrown” sensibility with the grit of Brooklyn. Also featured on this album is J Record’s newest discovery, Emily King (Nas, Lupe Fiasco, Floetry, John Legend). The EP was mastered in New York by Allan Tucker (Cibo Matto, Joe Henderson, John Coltrane) and was recorded at Brooklyn’s Bunker Studio’s with another fellow kiwi, Aaron Nevezie.
After debuting at No.15 on the IMNZ charts, “Leaving Paradise” has just been released to I-Tunes in The US, UK and NZ.
Following the success of LOOP’s OE: Brazil project that featured the likes of Hollie Smith, Tama has recently recorded with New York DJ, Nickodemus for the album OE: New York. He has also co-written with and features on Nathan Haines’ latest album, Right Now as well as recent releases with Epsilon Blue, Lewis McCallum and Mark De Clive Lowe.
“soothing and laidback….chilled out soul” - Scott Kara, NZ Herald
“one of the most powerful and moving singers I’ve heard anywhere” - Nathan Haines
“Sophisticated songs and soaring vocals” - Time Out New York
“Triumph of the senses” - Blues and Soul, UK
add your gig
add to favourites
