4 June, 2025

Worlds collide as roots veteran and choir join forces

Collab at the PumpHouse… producer, composer and Jubilation choir member Marshall Smith (left) and Tigilau Ness

Takapuna music producer and composer Marshall Smith is looking forward to getting out of his sound studio to bring some fusion sounds to local audiences.
As a member of Jubilation choir, he is part of an upcoming collaboration with the godfather of the New Zealand reggae scene, Tigilau Ness. At the PumpHouse theatre next week, the a capella choir will depart from its usually unaccompanied status for a second half when it is joined on stage by Ness on guitar and vocals. Smith promises: “You could not not enjoy it – it has such life.”
Along with warm touches of Pasifika reggae, he says to expect beautiful hymn-like pieces. “We’ve brought the gospel and soul flavour to his work.”
Ness, a first-generation New Zealand-born Niuean and father of hip-hop rap artist Che Fu, has a long pedigree of writing and playing music and being a social justice activist. His band, Unity Pacific, has been together for more than 20 years. In 2016, its album BlackBirder Dread won Best Roots Album at the Aotearoa NZ Music Awards.
The 70-year-old says he is looking forward to working with the “wonderfully gifted” choir. For his part, Smith says of Ness: “He’s a fantastic musician and wonderful performer.”
The PumpHouse is poignantly familiar to Smith, who worked on about a dozen productions for Tim Bray Children’s Theatre there. From knowing Bray, he got involved with doing the music, score and special effects for various shows created by the director, who has closed his company due to ill health.
Smith fitted shows for Bray around an already busy schedule working on music for film, television and games through his The Sound Room business, operating from his home studio in Takapuna. He found the fun of doing children’s theatre a welcome change of pace.
He joined Jubilation several years ago when he realised he was missing the performance side of music. Choir member and well-known entertainer Jackie Clarke twisted his arm to join up.
He enjoys the camaraderie and says the choir, which has been going for 25 years, is keen to stretch itself and connect to new audiences. It also does corporate work and is sometimes called on to perform at funerals.
Although Jubilation rehearses in Ponsonby, it performs four or five times a year in venues across the city.
Smith draws on a background singing in the choir at Westlake Boys High School when growing up in Castor Bay and then gigging in bands in the early 2000s.
A career in sound was a natural development. “I fumbled my way into behind-the-scenes production,” he says. A diverse mix of work has included soundtracks for television shows. Work on commercials and voice-overs rounds out his portfolio.
For the PumpHouse show he is particularly looking forward to opening up his vocal cords on a personal favourite, Paul Simon’s Loves Me Like a Rock.

• Jubilation choir with Tigilau Ness, 8 June, 6.30pm, the PumpHouse, Takapuna.

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