Auckland Jazz and Blues Club

Welcome to the home of jazz in Auckland

Birkenhead RSA, Recreation Drive, Birkenhead.

Please see EVENTS section for weekly concert details.

($10 members/$25 non-members - cash only)


The club was formed around 1992 to further the interests of jazz & blues music in Auckland.

The club has a membership of around 250 and has regular club nights every Tuesday evening at the Birkenhead RSA.

Concerts start at 7.30pm and finish at 9.30pm with a break at half time. Meals are available before the concert. Full bar service.

Ample off-street parking. Come early to secure your seating.

Each night features a different local or out of town band.. Sometimes an International star makes an appearance.

Back to All Events

Mark Baynes

  • Pt Chevalier RSA 1136 Great North Road Pt Chevalier, Auckland, 1022 New Zealand (map)

Mark Baynes

Mark has over fifteen years experience as a pianist, and has enjoyed working with quality acts such as NZ hip hop artist King Kapisi, Che-Fu, Andy Vargas USA (Santana), Tim and Neil Finn, The Mint Chicks, Eric Marienthal (USA), Clay Jenkins (USA), Tony Christie (UK), Tim Beveridge, Anika Moa, Don McGlashan, Batucada Sound Machine, Tina Cross, Taisha, Annie Crummer, Tama Waipara, Bella Kalolo, Jackie Clarke, Frankie Stevens, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, and the Topp Twins.  He has been broadcast on Christmas in the Park, Homegrown, Juice, Maori and Alt TV.

Mark worked for eighteen months in the Middle East as a Musical Director, an MD for Proship (Canada) for two years, a pianist in Korea for a US production of Chicago the musical for 2 months, and has released two jazz albums under the pseudonym of Ironic Trio (available oniTunes).

Mark collaborated with King Kapisi, contributing to Kapisi’s latest album release (due late 2015), and co-wroteSunshine, a soon to be released single/video. One of the tracks on this album (Crush) won the best video category at the Pacific Music Awards 2014. Mark also collaborated with Georgia Wood and Chris Neilson (Katchafire) to produce and perform on a vocal album called Happenstance, by the Standard Funk Ensemble (of which he is a member).  He has also worked with the Kid’s Music Company to MD and record three albums, two of which won gold and silver at the Practical Pre-school Awards, UK, 2010-2011.

Mark currently teaches at Massey University (New Zealand School of Music).  In 2008 Mark was awarded the Ariadne Danilow Music Prize (Victoria University) and the Sir Alan Stewart Postgraduate Scholarship (Massey University) enabling him to pursue postgraduate qualifications.  Mark has studied under Gary Burton (USA) at the prestigious Berklee College of Music; he has also studied under Andy Laverne (University of Hartford NY) and Hal Galper (The New School NYC). He has contributed to Downbeat magazine and was recently awarded a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Auckland.

The band will feature Steve Thomas on Drums and Jo Shum on bass.

Door Charge:
Members $5.00
Non Members $15.00

Earlier Event: July 12
Edwina Thorne Quartet
Later Event: July 26
Fibonacci