The Noveltones are an improvising chamber quartet based in Wellington, featuring the unexpected instrumentation of violin, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet and double bass. With a sound that is melodious, beguiling, and sometimes startling, the Noveltones fuse spontaneous improvisation with the lush sonorities of chamber music.

 

Featuring Blair Latham on bass clarinet (the Woods, Little Blast Orchestra), Tristan Carter on violin (the Troubles, Bazurka), Jasmine Lovell-Smith on soprano saxophone (Arthur Street Loft Orchestra), and Tom Callwood on double bass (the Phoenix Foundation, Melancholy Babes), the music of the Noveltones ranges from carefully designed sonic architecture to free-form textural explorations, combining their individual strengths as members of Wellington’s jazz, composition, experimental and world music scenes. The repertoire of the band includes compositions by each of the band members, covering a wide stylistic range including  tranquil ballads, off-kilter swinging jazz, folksy melodies and the mind-opening sounds of the avant-garde.

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In 2020 the Noveltones headlined the Wellington Jazz Festival, premiering ‘Karla and the Divide,’ a new commissioned work by bass clarinetist Blair Latham with visuals by Andy Wright and audio manipulation by Dan Beban.  Described as  “…a thrilling, thought provoking experience” (Tim Gruar, Ambient Light Blog), this multidisciplinary collaboration added a new facet to the band’s range of expression.

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For booking inquiries, please contact Jasmine Lovell-Smith at j.lovellsmith@gmail.com