WINTER JAZZ SERIES AT CASITA MIRO
The Little House of Miro is delighted to announce another season of live music supperclubs for 2026.
We are truly blessed to have long-time colaborator, sax man supreme and all-round New Zealand music industry heavyweight, Nick Atkinson on board to programme this year's lineup.
Nick brings his unparalleled ear and deep industry connections to the curation of our Winter Jazz Series. Best known as a founding member and saxophonist for chart-topping legends Supergroove, Atkinson has spent decades shaping New Zealand’s sonic landscape. Beyond performing on stage with the country’s premier acts—and driving his exotic soul-jazz trio Love Square—he has spent years documenting Kiwi music as an acclaimed music journalist and broadcaster for RNZ. Equal parts virtuoso performer, tastemaker, and historian, Nick has channeled a lifetime of musical obsession into programming a world-class winter lineup of exceptional jazz talent for a series of five Friday night jazz supperclubs.
New talent, same great format: Casita Jazz nights deliver a front row, intimate atmosphere inside the unique space that is our dining pavilion, alongside multiple courses of award-winning Spanish fare and fine Waiheke Island wines. Mark these dates in your calendar. Gather together your nearest and dearest. Book your table for the hottest tickets on the island this winter.
This years lineup:
Friday August 7th Milly Tabak & Dave Khan
The winter jazz season should always start with a country act. Milly Tabak, of Milltones fame, swaps the grand stages of WOMAD for the intimate chapel of grapes that is Casita Miro. She's joined by Dave Khan! He's the long-time lead guitarist for Marlon Williams and key side-man and producer for Reb Fountain. Milly and Dave have unbelievable chops and a huge repertoire of the best country songs you've never heard before. Khan also brings his exceptional fiddle sound. "The tone of Khan's violin at Casita will be epic." says Nick Atkinson "You're so close to the action you'll see little clouds of rosin burst from his strings as he bows his well travelled violin. With Milly Tabak at his side they unlock outrageously good sets. They'll open the winter jazz season with nothing but amazingly hot licks. Come for the embroidered shirts, stay for knees-up." Book Now
Friday August 21st Love Square
You heard about the Palm Beach Hall show in January?... how they had an outboard motor on stage, then the trombones rang out. They brought baritone saxes and bass clarinets...altos and cymbals.... oh.... and the meanest trumpet player the country has ever known. Al Deverick, Nick Atkinson and Finn Scholes always pack far too many instruments into this jewel of a small hall. Casita Miro has become their favourite show of the winter. These three are the backline of the Come Together Band who routinely sell out the Civic and the Wellington Opera House with their inch-perfect renditions of classic albums. On Friday the 21st though, they get to indulge their first love... acoustic jazz. As with Dave Khan's violin, the woodwind and brass will sound incredible in Casita Miro's superbly crafted reverb chamber. This jazz trio can explore the gentle and tender dynamics of Pōkarekare Ana before unfurling billowing crescendos of latin jazz-funk. Think cowbells, Cuban rhythms and songs that can evoke African sunrises. These tickets always get snapped up and the food, that simply arrives at your table, is luxury on a plate. Book Now
Friday September 4th Oscar Läven
In a coup for our Winter Jazz Series Oscar Lavën joins the line-up for the first time. Atkinson is gushing about this musician... "first and foremost he's a phenomenal tenor sax player from the jazz pressure-cooker that is downtown Wellington. His credits are borderline unbelievable. He's played bassoon concertos for the NZSO for god's sake! That is serious chops right there. In my view he's the finest saxophonist in Aotearoa." One choice that sets Oscar apart is his dedicated pursuit of the surprisingly powerful tones and timbres of early jazz. This stuff is raw and fiery in his hands. Among a wide and crowd-pleasing repertoire he's particularly devoted to the early rhythms of the New Orleans tradition at a time when outrageous horn players kept emerging from the delta. For those lucky enough to secure a seat at Oscar Läven's performance he's joined by guitarist Al Campbell for a showcase of incredible woodwind playing and expression. Book Now
Friday September 18th Carnivorous Plant Society
Speaking of searching for a sound, here's a band of top-shelf axe-wielders relentlessly composing. When they turn up to a Carnivorous rehearsal, bass player Cass Basil and drummer Alistair Deverick always know their maestro Finn Scholes will have new songs for them to play. His basement rehearsal room is strewn with compositions. You're either tripping over giant resonating marimbas or gingerly shuffling through screeds of seamingly unfiled manuscript rustling like a layer of thick autumn leaves on the floor. If you know Carnivorous Plant Society you probably recognise bass player Cass Basil as half of Tiny Ruins. She's in Home Brew now too. But how did she fit in that Bic Runga tour last month? Forget about Finn and Al. You'll be staring at Cass all night. She's the undisputed heroine of bass guitar in this country! This trio is another scorching ticket so don't sleep. Book Now
Friday October 16th Hopetoun Brown
To close the series the golden tonsils of Tim Stewart join longtime bandmate and Winter Series '26 programmer Nick Atkinson on bass clarinet. This is the only chance this year you'll get to catch a whole evening of Hopetoun Brown. They've been Taite Prize finalists, they've rocked Splore and WOMAD. They're the horn section of choice for Marlon Williams, Tami Neilson and of course Supergroove. During a Hopetouns set they delve deeply into spiritual jazz and blues. Some songs start with a swampy stomp, others with mercurial woodwind funk. Hopetoun Brown shows are like precious gems these days. They only get out of bed for the truly special sets now... and all the other bands have hovered up their remaining dates first lolz! We're gonna have fun tonight as we kick winter in the ass and raise a toast with some of the finest wine on the isle!! Book Now