Te Vaka

Artist Information

Biography

Te Vaka is a group of musicians and dancers from Tokelau, Tuvalu, Samoa, Cook Islands and New Zealand brought together under the inspired leadership of Opetaia Foa'i. Te Vaka has been enchanting the world with their own brand of South Pacific Fusion since 1997. Using the rhythms of the log drum ("pate"), combined with traditional and contemporary instruments, Opetaia Foa'i and the band deliver a kaleidoscopic array of Pacific flavors in a genre all of it’s own.

Te Vaka has toured the UK, Europe, USA & other parts of the world extensively over the last 15 years, performing in such prestigious venues as London’s Royal Festival Hall and Ronnie Scott’s nightclub. The group has headlined music festivals throughout Europe and been favourites at WOMAD festivals around the world including the WOMAD Festival in Seattle, USA. They are in demand for many important world events and have represented New Zealand and the South Pacific with performances for the America’s cup events in Auckland, the Commonwealth games in Melbourne, the Rugby World Cup in Paris and the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Opetaia Foa’i is the songwriter/ lead vocalist of the group. The inspiration for his music comes from his multi-cultural upbringing - half Tokelauan, half Tuvaluan, born in Samoa and bought up in a Tokelauan community in New Zealand. Opetaia’s musical background spans both the traditional and the diverse influences of contemporary metropolitan culture. Described as “one of New Zealand’s finest songwriters” and “ a true son of the Pacific”, he won the Senior Pacific Artist award in 2005 for his contribution to the Pacific Arts.

Te Vaka has performed in 40 countries around the world and released seven internationally acclaimed albums to date. The first released in 1997 through ARC Music, a UK based record company, gained immediate worldwide success and recognition for the group and was distributed to over 80 countries. The second album, released in 1999 through Warm Earth Records created an even bigger impact going to number one on world music charts and on mainstream radio in the South Pacific. The third album, released in May 2002, was described as “Phenomenal” and gained the group a nomination in “Best Roots” category in the New Zealand music awards and nominations for BBC 3 World music awards in the UK. The 4th album Tutuki , entered the European World Music Charts at no. 4 & the USA Global Rhythm top 10 chart at No. 3. It won a Tui for “Best Pacific Music Album” in the New Zealand music awards as well as Songwriting Awards in both the USA and Australia. The fifth Te Vaka album Olatia, released in July 2007 entered the European World Music Chart at No. 4 and won a “Tui” for “Best Pacific Album” in the 2008 Pacific Music Awards. Sixth album “Haoloto” released in 2009, won 2 awards -“Best Pacific Group 2010” and Best Pacific language song” and 7th Album “Havili” released in 2011, is receiving rave reviews and a track from the album has won second place in the USA songwriting completion. ISC. The band has recently completed two very successful tours of North America with further tours in the pipeline for 2013.

www.tevaka.com

Instrumentation

Opetaia Foai - vocals, acoustic guitar, lead log drum
Matatia Foai - drumkit, log drums, skin drums
Neil Forrest - Electric guitar, flute, skin drums
Olivia Foai - vocals, keyboard, dance
Talaga Sale - vocals, dance
Etueni Pita - dance, chants
Tremayne Lihou - dance

Discography

CDs:
Havili 2011
Haoloto 2009
Olatia 2007
Tutuki 2004
Nukukehe 2002
Ki mua 1999
Te Vaka 1997

DVDs:
Te Vaka Live In Concert 2006
Live at Apia Park 2003

Official Website

http://www.tevaka.com

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Last.fm
• MySpace
• Main Te Vaka website
• 2nd Te Vaka website and shop - sells download
• Te Vaka on Reverbnation
• Facebbook fan page
• Facebook page

Audio

• Tutuki
  Listen   Download
• Te Namo
  Listen   Download
• Pate Pate
  Listen   Download
• Vakaaitu
  Listen   Download
• Papa e
  Listen   Download
• Tauasa
  Listen   Download
• Pate mou to vae
  Listen   Download
• Nukukehe
  Listen   Download
• Manatu
  Listen   Download
• Haoloto (Free)
  Listen   Download

Lyrics

• Papa e
• Te Mavaega
• Tauasa
• Samulai
• Na ko koe
• Haoloto
• Pate Pate
• Lelei ilo tenei
• Iuliana
• Lovely World

Video

Pate Pate radio remix

Vakaaitu -live

Photo Gallery

Press

• The canoe skipper [+ Show ]
  

  OPETAIA FOA'I continues to guide with ease what can only be described as one of the greatest South P...OPETAIA FOA'I continues to guide with ease what can only be described as one of the greatest South Pacific bands of all time - Te Vaka.
  
  Since the establishment of the group in New Zealand 15 years ago, Te Vaka's music has encapsulated the heart and soul of the Pacific, Polynesia specifically.
  
  And, in the process, it has crushed underfoot once and for all the widely-held perception that Pacific music is only about ukeleles and hip-swaying hula girls.
  
  With his trademark open-key acoustic guitar, Foa'i steers Te Vaka - "The Canoe" - up several notches with the release of their latest South Pacific fusion CD Haoloto - their sixth since their self-titled debut album in 1997.
  
  But in doing so, the band doesn't stray an inch from the world-renowned Te Vaka tradition of adrenaline-pumped tribal percussions and soft-rockish ballads that pack the potential to pop goosebumps, or even reduce one to tears.
  
  While categorised "world music", several of the 15-track CD are definitely crossover material, particularly the anti-drug cut Well ... you lied,which lead female vocalist Olivia Foa'i delivers with a passionate, forceful grace.
  
  The vocal arrangement here is eerily reminiscent of the 1992 Herbs and Annie Crummer collaboration See What Love Can Do.
  
  In an acknowledgement on the CD sleeve, Opetaia describes the record as "the most challenging and most satisfying of all the Te Vaka albums".
  
  He says: "Once the canoe got rolling with all on board, there was a feeling that we were heading for somewhere special".
  
  Te Vaka has also been heading all over the world since day one. The multi-award-winning ensemble has globe-trotted ceaselessly and performed at prestigious venues in Europe, the Rugby World Cup in Paris, the Beijing Olympics, the United States and throughout the region.
  
  Haoloto is a special dedication to the victims of the tsunami in Tonga and Samoa and the earthquakes that claimed over a thousand lives in Indonesia.
  
  Opetaia writes: "We owe much to groups like the Red Cross, Oxfam and the Volunteer Ministers (the flash of yellow) and all other emergency response groups like them.
  
  "It is with great respect for their hard work and care that I dedicate this album to them."
  
  But most of all, in this writer's humble opinion, the music of Te Vaka is a kind of rallying call for people of the Pacific diaspora, no matter where in the world they have established their new Jerusalem.

• Making the SCENE [+ Show ]
  

  Adrenaline-powered, bare-midriffed, percussion-pulses, infectiously happy, beautiful people bringing...Adrenaline-powered, bare-midriffed, percussion-pulses, infectiously happy, beautiful people bringing ancient traditions into the modern world.

• UK Review
  

  The best, and internationally most successful of all modern Polynesian bands is TE VAKA.

• New Zealand Review [+ Show ]
  

  Te Vaka’s music always embraces indigenous Oceanic roots. The highly talented musicians sensibly loo...Te Vaka’s music always embraces indigenous Oceanic roots. The highly talented musicians sensibly look to their rich Polynesian heritage for inspiration. The seamless cohesion of the band, drawn from such diverse cultures, is a political statement as well as an artistic one. All paddling in the same direction Te Vaka sails straight and true. The sustained standing ovation at the conclusion of the show (and a haka by one section of the audience) spoke volumes about the power this band has to talk across cultures. A festival highlight.

• Los Angeles Review
  

  …a refreshing antidote to much of today’s self-obsessed pop.

• UK Review 2
  

  One of the most dynamic live experiences I have ever witnessed.

• Review of music [+ Show ]
  

  Te Vaka’s forceful rhythms, inspired melodies, and heartfelt songwriting offer a long - overdue, ste...Te Vaka’s forceful rhythms, inspired melodies, and heartfelt songwriting offer a long - overdue, stereotype-smashing glimpse into the true soul of the South Seas. - j.poet

Setlist

All Original 30mins - 2hours plus. Material ranges from beautiful harmonies, log drums grooves to wild percussion and dance and tracks that demand you dance to them. Costume changes throughout - lots of action!

Basic Requirements

PDF Rider

Basic stage plan with mic & monitor requirements

Calendar