Neil Billington

Harmonica

Neil Billington has shown he is one of the leading exponents of the harmonica to come out of New Zealand, and combines a rare capacity for the traditional blues harmonica and the less typical chromatic harmonica.

He is equally at home whether playing in the ‘Chicago-style’ of Little Walter, or the more sophisticated jazz sensibilities of the Belgian jazz great, Jean ‘Toots’ Thielemans. Neil has appeared with everyone from NZ jazz maestro Rodger Fox's big band, through to jazz combos and electric blues bands, and folk and roots groups. Neil's own band, The Neil Billington Band, is a regular favourite in NZ's capital city, Wellington.

Billington covers a range of genres, from old-time pre-war blues, through all the great Chicago blues harp masters, to the ballads of the American song-book and the jazz standards of Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. His is a remarkable versatility on a demanding instrument, showing at times a formidable virtuosity with a deep soulfulness that comes from playing the music he loves. The most typical response he draws from fans at his performances is – “I didn’t know the harmonica could sound like that!”