Martin's
professional music career began at 20. He was in several 1970s bands including BONEYARD CONVENTION, (see
picture below on left), which had a few line-up changes and
became SYLVESTER WINCH STYLE, but ultimately this band moved
to Australia for three years to play in Sydney night clubs,
also in Singapore and Japan, similar line-up different name,
this time GUNTHER CAINE.
Boneyard Convention
Sylvester Winch Style
Upon returning to
NZ he worked in several bands including Dr Tree (Jazz Album
of the Year 1976), Mike Harvey's Salty Dogg
and later the famous "1860 Band" in Wellington. He appeared at two Montreux Jazz Festivals with the
Roger Fox Big Band.
Photo on left: Martin
playing jazz with the Roger Fox Big Band, which
performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival
Right:
Martin Winch during the days of the legendary 1860
band, which played a residency at the 1860 Tavern in
Wellington (note 1860 band tee-shirt)
Left:
Sylvester Winch Style early 1970s band.
Right:
The Club 21 resident band BILLBOARD,
mid 1983, line-up left to right: Ian Fraser (drums),
Geoff Castle (keyboards), Martin Winch (in hat),
Billy Kristian (bass), Beaver (vocals) and Brian Smith
(saxophone).
Right:
Screenshot captured from TV show "Jazz
Scene". Martin is playing with a jazz orchestra.
All photographs are thumbnails,
please click to view full size picture.
Left: photograph taken about
1980
Photo Left:
Martin in the recording studio 1980s. Over his career Martin has
played on in excess of 1,000 television and radio
commercials such as popular New Zealand commercial
Toyota's "Welcome to our World", playing
styles that range from country, raunchy rock, folk to
jazz.
Below is Sonny Rollins "Oleo" from the 1980's
Jazz Scene TV show, with Kevin Haines
And Oscar Pettiford's "Tricotism" also with
Kevin Haines from the same show
Martin
Winch was the recipient of
"Guitarist of the Year Award" presented at the
Aotea Centre, Auckland, New Zealand, 6th November 1999.
Click badge on left to visit the Amplifier.co.nz website page where Martin's
retro tracks are available for download exclusively.
SELECTED
HI-LIGHTS
ARTISTS HE HAS TOURED WITH (Selected)
Bill Reichenbach, Renee Geyer, Roger Whittaker, Elaine
Page/Tim Rice, Randy Crawford, Shirley Bassey as well as NZSO
and the Philharmonic
Orchestra .
STAGE SHOWSJesus Christ
Superstar, Cats, Footrot Flats, Anything Goes, 42nd Street,
Hot Shoe Shuffle, Me and My Girl and Little Shop of Horrors
(1999).
TV & FILM SOUNDTRACKS(selected)
HEARTLANDS, MARLIN BAY, DEAD CERTS & HIGH WATER (both
Montana Sunday Movies), plus feature film BROKEN ENGLISH
(guitars & tamburicas - a traditional Yugoslav
instrument.)
From 1997-2011 Martin performed regularly with corporate
pop dance band "The Mermaids",
which was formed with singer Pauline Berry. Martin was
Musical Director, created the pop dance tracks for The Mermaids. His
last gig was with the band at the Grand Chateau, Mt Tongariro on April 16th
2011.
