Superb show for ballet’s birthday

Vodafone season of Swan Lake Royal New Zealand Ballet St James Theatre, until July 27 A more fitting tribute to the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s 60th anniversary than this stunning Swan Lake would be hard to imagine. It is choreographer Russell Kerr’s fourth production and they get better every time.

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Album review: Flaubert’s Dance – Phil Broadhurst

FLAUBERT’S DANCE Phil Broadhurst (Rattle/ Rhythmethod) As one of Rattle’s more prolific artists, the first recipient of the MNZM award of services to jazz in 2001 and a three time winner of jazz album of the year, pianist and composer Phil Broadhurst is one of the main reasons why jazz in New Zealand is so vital and vibrant. Flaubert’s Dance is a tribute albums of sorts to some of his seminal influences such as Herbie Hancock (First Shot) and ECM artists Keith Jarrett (Loping), Tomasz Stanko (Scoreless) Manu Katche (Integrity) but Broadhurst, in quartet mode with Roger Manins, Olivier Holland and Cameron Sangster – aided by trumpeter Mike Booth, has that rare ability to acknowledge a love affair and take it in a direction where only he can go

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Seth Walsh, Gay Boy Bullied into Suicide, Remembered

Eleven-year-old Shawn Walsh paid a poignant tribute to the brother, just two years older, he had lost. Gripping a microphone as he stood at the altar of the First Baptist Church in Tehachapi, Calif., Shawn joshed that his brother could be “a pain in the butt” at times but that Seth was “the best big brother in the world — no, the galaxy.” Wearing a yellow

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Bon Iver, Bon Iver Review: Justin Vernon puts his Kanye West production lessons to good use with a new record of impressive textures

Every band has a story, but in the case of Bon Iver, it’s all but impossible to distinguish the notes from the narrative. Back in October 2007, the same month that Radiohead sent out its pay-whatever-you-please release In Rainbows, a shaggy-haired Midwesterner by the name of Justin Vernon was quietly self-releasing the moody, meditative record For Emma, Forever Ago

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