News

First Thursdays New Orleans Style 4 December 6-9pm Celebrate this Thursday!. K Road and surrounds transforms into a vibrant New Orleans style carnival, complete with jazz bands, street performances, activations in various zones all around the K Rd area, and will offer … Read More

Vocalist John McGill and the Prohibition Swingtet have secured a residency at the Remuera CT Club starting this Friday 14 November, providing a mix of swing band classics, Frank Sinatra hits and Latin numbers. Over the next few weeks there are also … Read More

This coming Sunday 16 March, John McGill and the Prohibition Big Band are playing from 1pm till 3pm at the Cornwall Park Band Rotunda for the 2014 Music in the Park Summer Series. Expect a couple of sets of dance numbers covering … Read More

Tuesday 25th February 7pm Auckland Jazz and Blues Club – Pt Chev RSA Born and based in New Zealand, Bevan Williams has performed throughout his homeland and across the UK in stage productions, cabaret shows, corporate events, summer festivals and touring productions. … Read More

Tuesday 10th September 2013 7.30pm Auckland Jazz and Blues Club Pt Chevalier RSA The Auckland Saxophone Quartet (ASQ) will be joined by special guests Rosie Langabeer, piano, Trevor Thwaites, drums and Stu Johnstone, bass, at the Auckland Jazz and Blues Club this … Read More

From the Festival Trust Chairperson “Kia ora and welcome to the KBB Music Festival. Now in its thirtieth year, the KBB Festival has attracted many of New Zealand’s finest young musicians performing in secondary school orchestras, concert bands, jazz bands and chamber … Read More

Our vocalist John McGill in animated action

Over Queen’s Birthday weekend I upgraded the Prohibition Big Band website as it was looking a bit tired and was not responsive to tablets, smart-phones and varying size browsers. Some images that were on the old site have gone as the sizes … Read More

The Prohibition Swingtet is enjoying a busy March. On Thursday the band set the tone and rhythm for a corporate function themed as a Chicago “speakeasy”, that showcased the Candy Lane Dancers and dancers from the Jitterbug Dance Studio. Next week the … Read More

Two More Weeks of Jazz at the Zoo this Summer Come and enjoy the final two Wednesdays of the Auckland Zoo Summer Jazz series for 2013.  “Summer Zoo Lates” is at the Auckland Zoo band rotunda from 5.30pm until 7.30pm for the … Read More

This Sunday 3 February the Sisters of Swing and the Prohibition Swingtet will be playing songs and tunes from the 1940s at the Band Rotunda in Cornwall Park from 11am. The Jitterbug Dancers will also be in action. Cornwall Park Military Heritage … Read More

This year’s annual Auckland Anniverary Weekend Dance Party at Scott’s Landing for the Mahurangi Regatta was fun for the crowds that turned out as well as for the band. The place was rocking! A few live recordings from the event: Jump Jive … Read More

Summer Zoo Lates 13, 20, 27 February and 6, 13, 20 March Discounted entry from 4.15pm The zoo will be staying open until 7.30pm most Wednesdays in February and March. Early evenings are a magic time to be at the Zoo, so … Read More

I’m sorry to have tell you that Bruce Morley (drummer extraordinaire) passed away on Thursday 22nd November. Another sad day for NZ music. I will create a Tributes page for Bruce shortly, so if you would like to post a tribute to … Read More

Sorry to hear that Bruce passed away on Thursday 22 November at Mercy Hospice. A celebration of his life is being held at the Parnell Tennis Club at 1pm Tuesday 27 November. Check the Herald for details.

Rehearsals recommence for the Mahurangi Regatta Party on Tuesday 13 November.

Everyone is welcome to attend a free concert by Bevan Williams and The Bublé Experience on Tuesday 30 October in the Music Auditorium at the Faculty of Education, Epsom, Auckland. The progamme kicks off at 6.30pm with a short set of swing … Read More

Click here for the August 2012 Auckland Jazz & Blues Club newsletter.

If you are a dancer who has trouble finding a “right” beat to start dancing on, or difficulties keeping dancing in time with the music, then you are certainly in the majority of the population, in the majority of beginner dancers, and … Read More

If you could be interested in attending the free event management exhibition at the Viaduct Events Centre (Wynyard Quarter) on Tuesday 1 May, check out the link below. Trev, Stephen, Jon and Stu are playing as “The Bublé Set” from 10.30 till … Read More

This year we took only a septet and trio to play the festival, with Maddison Cooper on vocals. Here’s a clip of the Prohibition Swingtet in action: Stephen, Trev and Stu (a.k.a. Crystal Silence) opening the festival:

There were patches of drizzle but that didn’t deter the hundreds of attendees, many of whom danced (some holding umbrellas), to our song list of the day that covered many of the hits of Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble, Bobby Darin, Benny Goodman, … Read More

The Prohibition Big Band is playing in the Cornwall Park Summer Series at the Cornwall Park Band Rotunda 1-3pm on Saturday 12 February. There is publicity about the series on the web. Posters and programmes for notice boards and programmes (see links … Read More

Subject: RE: Fly Me to The Moon Mix Hi Trev I just wanted to send you a thank you note for the excellent job you guys did on our wedding night. The guests are still talking about the experience and I will … Read More

Here are some photos of the big band taken at Laura and Garth’s wedding at Markovina Estate Winery, Kumeu on 29 October 2011:

Click on the image above to see a YouTube clip of Karl Tenana and Room 15 at Royal Oak Primary School singing O Canada, the Canadian National Anthem, for the Anthem Idol Competition on Maori TV, with support from members of Prohibition … Read More

Come and enjoy Emergency Exit at the Jazz and Blues Club on 1 November.

Trevor’s new album “A Bridge to Somewhere – Jazz Perspectives of Auckland” has been released. The CD comprises nine Trevor Thwaites compositions, including “Jazz Waiata” performed by Bruce Morley’s Emergency Exit Band, “Millenium Samba” and title track “A Bridge to Somewhere” performed … Read More

Members of the Prohibition Big Band will be providing a nine piece backing group for a gospel concert to be held on Wednesday 20 July at the TelstraClear Event Centre in support of CanTeen to raise funds to aid teenagers who are … Read More

Welcome to our new website. We’ve retained everything that was on the original site, but the replacement is a jazzed up version complete with blog. Hope you all enjoy it. Cheers Stu a.k.a. admin