Post #572536 by Club Nouméa on Wed, Jan 19, 2011 4:24 AM

Just picked up this book, by Chris Bourke, which came out shortly before Christmas - fantastic stuff.

It is packed with tales about this forgotten era of popular music and various things I never knew about.

For instance, the 1930 jazz promotional film shot in Rotorua by Epi Shalfoon's Melody Boys:

Or how about New Zealand's very own 1950s Exotica LP?

Along with coverage of Hawaiian and Pacific Islands music in New Zealand:

(Bill Sevesi & His Islanders, 1958)

And not forgetting Maori popular music:

(Unknown group from Wanganui, 1930)

It can be purchased from this site:

http://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/Book/Blue-Smoke-The-Lost-Dawn-of-New-Zealand-Popular-Music-1918-1964/4721630/

CN