"If the larger-than-life, room-filling splendour of Roger Manins' saxophone is not fully captured, its bruising, beautiful tonal quality certain is."
John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald
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Roger Manins, born in Waiuku, New Zealand has been branded one of the most exciting and explosive saxophonists in Australasia. His warm passionate sound and his remarkable instrumental ability is in demand throughout Australia and New Zealand, and he has recorded on over 15 jazz albums with many of the leading names in New Zealand and Australian jazz.
Roger studied at the Conservatorium of Music, Sydney, and built a solid reputation both in New Zealand and Australia for several years before leaving for New York in 1996. The 2 1/2 years he spent there, gained him a deep understanding of the jazz tradition through interactions with major players, with two main masters: George Garzone and Doug Lawrence. With a stream of constant playing, Roger developed as a strong and powerful player with an individual sound and style.
In 1998 Roger spent 2 months in Havana with the Cuban Churanga band Orchestra Sublime before returning to Australia. In 2002 Roger won the Wangaratta Australian National Jazz Awards and he was a finalist in the prestigious Freedman Fellowship Jazz Awards. He returned to New Zealand in 2004.
Hip Flask was recorded in Australia in 2001 with a stunning combination of players (Stuart Hunter, Adam Ponting, Brendan Clarke, Toby Hall), and was re-released in NZ in 2005 on Ode Records.
Roger’s television appearances include the ABC Pulse series, both with the Mike Nock Big Small Band (BSB) and the Aron Ottignon Quartet 2002 and 2003. In 2005 he recorded his NZ Trio for the ABC Radio show 'Jazz Track' produced by Malcolm Stanley.
Key Recordings:
James Muller’s Thrum, the tune Paul Bley performed by the quartet on this album won an ARIA award for most played jazz piece on Australian radio in 2003.
Mike Nock Big Small Band Live (ABC) won The Australian Bell Awards Jazz Album of the Year 2004.
Ashley Turner’s album Beautiful Open Spaces was also nominated for Australian Jazz Album of the Year 2004.
The Vaughn Roberts Big Band Grrreat Stuff was the winner of the 2006 New Zealand jazz album of the year.
Performances:: James Morrison Sextet, The Mike Nock Quintet and Big Small Band (BSB), James Muller, Manhattan Transfer, Bernie McGann Quartet, Carolina Moon Jazz Group, The Paul Dyne Group, Bruce Brown Quartet, Michele Benebig (New Caledonia) and the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra. Under his own banner, Roger has toured Australia (August/September 2005) and July 2006), played at The Bellingen Jazz Festival, The Wangaratta Jazz Festival and at New Zealand's Queenstown International Jazz Festival.
Recent news: Roger played tenor saxophone with the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra on their Australian 2006 tour featuring German Florian Ross and his compositions. The group did a live recording for ABC Melbourne and also a live recording at the SIMA Sound lounge, the result of which will be an album Dream Wheel, to be released at the end of October 2007 on Birdland Records in Australia.
Roger teaches at the University of Auckland. His credits also include NZSM Wellington.
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