Kapiti Playhouse are very proud to host the launch of the Andrew London Trio’s new album Middle Class White Boy Blues. To mark the launch, the trio will be playing at Kapiti Playhouse Theatre on 20th June at 8pm.

Tickets are available from Coastlands for $25 and can also be purchased online via TicketDirect (additional service fees may apply).

‘Middle Class White Boy Blues’ features Andrew on guitar and vocals, Kirsten London on bass, and Nils Olsen on saxophones, clarinet and flute. The album consists of half a dozen new songs in London’s signature satirical vein, and reworkings of several ‘most requested’ songs from his time with Hot Club Sandwich and Kapiti band The Cattlestops.

The new songs cover a variety of subjects including a surprising slant on relationship breakups (‘Should I Dump You Somewhere Private?’), Frank Sinatra (‘I’d Never Let My Daughter Out With…’), and the plight of covers bands playing at weddings (‘Two Words’). There is also an original from Olsen called ‘Dumb Me Down’, delivered in characteristically laconic style.

‘Nils’s influence is starting to make itself felt’, says London’ with his introducing different rhythmic styles to the band, which hitherto has focused on a  redominantly swing-derived tradition. His dry, laconic and slightly melancholy delivery is also an obvious contrast to my natural levity and profound superficiality’.

London has just completed a gruelling 6-week tour of the country with keyboard player Steve McDonald, which took them from Stewart Island up to the Hokianga and back. ‘The tour has been great but I’m relieved to get back and be able to start promoting the new album’ says London. ‘Kirsten and I are particularly thrilled to be able to launch an album together. We recorded the cd very quickly, and perhaps for that reason it has an urgency and energy that we think is very infectious. Nils plays some outstanding sax and clarinet solos, which jazz fans will find thrilling, but there are country, Celtic and blues influences as well. The Kiwiana -based lyrical content is, we hope, identifiable for everyone’.