We continue the occasional series wherein Winston expounds on things that currently make him happy. And this week he's very happy.


Izzy Bones (Dylan Israel). Photo: James Stanbridge.

Because it's Easter. Hot cross buns, Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies, what''s not to like? The Jazz Festival isn't the only music around this weekend, or even the only jazz.

Winston has some alternative suggestions. And a cocktail. Just because.
Jazz and beer!

166) Jazz and beer! Perhaps you associate jazz with the refined sipping of something wine-like. Some prosecco on a sunny summer lawn perhaps.

But time moves on and beer is the new bubbly. As sales of all other types of alcohol decline, the one drink that sells more monthly is craft beer. And it's getting really flash.

You can now find craft beers that cost $35 for a 750ml bottle. Yes, you can buy a bottle of champagne for that amount!

On Easter Saturday, March 26, The Hop House in Mount Maunganui is hosting their own Jazz and International Beer Festival.

Actually, it's more of a general music fest than a jazz fest but jazz is certainly part of it.
Things kick off at midday, but the music starts 3pm with acoustic guitar sensation Josh Durning, who has just returned from his second trip to the United States and is playing better than ever. Josh specialises in old-timey music – blues, ragtime, roots country – and is a fantastic player.

At 5.30pm the Trevor Braunias Trio takes over and they really do play jazz.

Trevor has for many years been one of the Bay's finest guitar players – electric in this case – and his trio explore a vast range of mainstream jazz with taste and skill. To add extra spice a few visiting jazz musicians will most likely drop in to jam. Then at 9pm things switch to the unpredictable sounds of Izzy Bones and The Salty Dogs.

This is Dylan Israel, son of singer John Michaelz, who plays a sort of ambient hip-hop with hints of reggae and a smattering of jazzy touches.

He has a rich warm voice and writes interesting songs.

There is a CD due out any time now which I've been listening to for the last week and really enjoying but I've never caught them live.

If the music on record is any idea of the live show then I'm really looking forward to it.
Add in beers from around the world and the fact this is a free event and you have a winner. And it's going ahead rain or shine.

167) Jazz & Plants! Mostly people go there to sojourn with nature but on Easter Monday, March 28, Auckland's Nairobi Trio bring their slick brand of swing to the Te Puna Quarry Park after a very successful Easter concert there last year. Nairobi's guitarist John Quigley is the main man behind the resurgence of the Waiheke Island Jazz Festival so it's a busy time for him.

The show is at 3pm and entry is by the carload, each car costing $25. Bring a picnic.

The rain plan is to use a small undercover area at the park.

Blues and rhythm!

168) Blues & Rhythm! Or rhythm & blues as it's more generally referred to. Brilleaux, Tauranga's premier purveyor of English R&B, is doing a special gig on Saturday night, March 26, at Crazy Jacks from 7pm, no charge.

The Brilleaux boys are off to the UK in June for their third tour, this time also heading to Italy to play a festival there. And frontman Graham Clark's book about the Tauranga music scene, ‘The Right Note', is in Books-a-Plenty now.

I'll be interviewing him about it in the next couple of weeks.

169) An Easter cocktail! And why not? Something light and bubbly is just the go for Easter, a good antidote to all that chocolate you've been wolfing down. Try this: Dip the top of a champagne glass in lemon juice then sugar for a nice sweet rim.

Add one tablespoon of Limoncello and half a teaspoon of lemon juice.

Top it up with bubbly – anything will do, from a nice brut methode champenoise to a Lindauer or Prosecco.

Enjoy, and have a good Easter!