MUSICIAN GUESTS: MANGO BEACH
Phil Toms, guitar
Mango Beach is led by Phil Toms on guitar. Phil is the former bassist of legendary New Zealand Pacific reggae band Herbs, and is a New Zealand Music Hall of Fame inductee. Phil’s guitar and bass work is well known in NZ music circles. He has played in many other bands as well (Neighbours, Head For The Hills, Hattie and the Hotshots, Sweet As, The Electric Car and Tribrations). He counts performing to thousands at the Nambassa Festival in 1979 as a particular highlight of his musical career. He has also released two albums of his own compositions, Storm Warning and Tall Stories From Beyond the Grassy Knoll, which features the well-known song I Wanna Be GE Free.
His latest venture is his own jazz band, Mango Beach, to explore a tropical fusion of Latin grooves, jazz standards and his own compositions.
Guy Halpé, bass
Guy Halpé plays fretted 6-string, fretless and upright basses. He is classically trained in violin and viola, giving him a uniquely melodic and lyrical approach to his playing. He played viola in orchestras in Sri Lanka and Australia before discovering his calling as a bassist in his tweens. Exploring rock and pop bass with makeshift equipment as a start, a gift of a bass guitar from a Sydney session musician in 1981 opened up a new world of music for him in jazz. He has since played bass for world famous jazz musicians Martin Taylor, Eberhard Weber and Jan Garbarek, and the Dutch Swing College when they toured Sri Lanka. He has been a New Zealander since 2000, immigrating here with his wife and son, and has played for a number of jazz groups at events and festivals in New Zealand.
Kia ora Phil and Guy for being available to share waiata and korero with us. Inside Out is open mic spoken word, with great musician guests.
