STUDIO 54 is one of New Zealand's premiere corporate, wedding and function bands. A collaboration of the creme de la creme of South Island musicians, they provide a diverse repertoire enhanced by the unique sound of the ultimate horn section.
STUDIO 54 offer their clients a choice of lineup to suit the available budget and venue. From an intimate 4 piece Band through to an 8 piece extravanganza, STUDIO 54 have the ability to perform to your function's every requirement. Fronted by three time Southland Entertainer of the Year and Vocalist of the year 2016, Shannon Cooper – Garland, STUDIO 54 are your one stop shop for all your entertainment needs.
From sophisticated easy listening jazz to the best rock / pop / soul / disco covers available, STUDIO 54 can add the “Xfactor” required for your next function.
Greg Donaldson
is a Christchurch based session drummer and drum teacher who has performed at the Montreux Jazz festival in Switzerland, toured New Zealand, Australia and Japan with Hayley Westenra, and also toured New Zealand, Australia, China and Singapore with English singer Elaine Paige.
Greg can be heard on Bic Runga’s ‘Live’ & ‘Try To Remember Everything’ CDs, Hayley Westenra’s ‘Live’ DVD, & ‘Japanese Songs 2’ CD, Mandy Pickering’s Self-Titled album, and The Dukes ‘Lil’ Sunshine’. He has performed live with artists such as Dave Dobbyn, Anika Moa, Julia Deans, Malcolm McNeill, Petula Clark, and Renee Geyer, and has also performed for American President Bill Clinton.
Scott Taitoko
After graduating from CPIT as a jazz trombonist, Scott began a busy and varied professional career. He worked around the world as a musical director, arranger and trombonist on board cruise ships for four years, followed by festival and concert engagements throughout New Zealand and the South Pacific.
Christchurch fans heard him at his extrovert best in innumerable club dates, notably with the funk ensemble Oval Office. A real individual solo voice as an improviser, Scott’s formidable reading and interpretation skills in all styles of music ensure he is the first-call trombonist for any setting, from jazz quartet to symphony orchestra. He is also an accomplished composer and arranger. His compositions have featured in the Symposium Cathedral series, Kiwi Jazz with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and the Sumo Jazz album, Throwing Salt, which was a Tui Award finalist for best jazz album of the year in 2011.
Scott has played trombone for Diana Krall, Bill Cunliffe, Glenn Shorrock (Little River Band), James Morrison, Gordon Brisker, Bobby Shew, Hayley Westenra, Jackie Clarke, Delvanius Prime, Holly Smith, Tina Cross, Whirimako Black, Annie Crummer, Midge Marsden, the Top Twins and Dave Dobbyn.
He has also recorded for P-Bass Expressway, Solaa, Oval Office, Salmonella Dub, Julia Deans and A-Hori-Buzz.
Scott is currently teaching theory, aural, improvisation, trombone and jazz ensembles on the Bachelor of Musical Arts programme at CPIT. He also has a role in student welfare, all the while balancing life as a freelance musician and playing regularly in the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
Cameron Pearce
Cameron had regular exposure to brass instruments from an early age through his Salvation Army background. He began studying the cornet at age 10 and later studied for three years with world champion cornettist Ken Smith. Switching to trumpet he continued his studies at CPIT.
Cameron joined the teaching staff of the CPIT Jazz School in 1998 and in the years since has lectured across the majority of the core subjects. Cameron currently specializes in Jazz Theory, Jazz Arranging & Composition and trumpet studies. These are areas that he is hugely passionate about and contributes regularly to in the local music scene.
Cameron holds a Bachelor of Musical Arts from CPIT and has a Master of Arts degree from the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College, CUNY in New York.
As a trumpeter, Cameron has performed with many International and New Zealand artists such as Diana Krall, Arturo O’Farrell, The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra (Birdland), Bobby Shew, James Morrison, Michael Phillip Mossman, David Berkman, Beth Hart, Bic Runga, Dave Dobbyn, Julia Deans (Fur Patrol), Goldenhorse, Anika Moa, Tim Beveridge, Dame Melvina Major and Sir Howard Morrison.
Cameron’s arranging and composition credits include projects with acclaimed international jazz artists such as Dave Douglas, Ingrid Jensen, Terrell Stafford and David Berkman as well as Dave Dobbyn, Julia Deans, Sir Howard Morrison, Tim Beveridge, Ali Harper, Symposium, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Vector Wellington Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonic, Showbiz Christchurch and numerous theatre companies around New Zealand.
Equally at home playing jazz, classical or pop styles, Cameron is in regular demand as a performer across a wide range of musical genres. Cameron has been a member of the Christchurch Symphony since 1995 and is also the first call trumpet for pit orchestras and recording session work around Christchurch.
Gwyn Reynolds
was drawn to the saxophone in his formative years and fell in love with the playing of Dexter Gordon, whom he has transcribed extensively. Areas of musical interest include the improvisations of trumpeter Roy Hargrove and the composition of Oliver Nelson and Dave Holland. In 2009 he produced and played on an album by ‘Sumo Jazz’ (finalist in the Tui Jazz Awards). He is a regular performer at Jazz and Blues festivals throughout the country and has composed for numerous projects, including ‘Symposium’ and the C.S.O.
He is currently programme leader of Ara Music Arts (formerly CPIT jazz school) and teaches a number of subjects, including specialist ensembles, improvisation and Principal Study (saxophone) and jazz composition/arranging.
Gwyn has studied at a number of institutions throughout the country, including Auckland University, Wellington Polytechnic (now Massey University)[Dip Exec, Jazz], Victoria University [B Mus Comp] and Canterbury University [BMus Hons], as well as a two-year music scholarship in Bremen, Germany.
Shannon Cooper
Since being voted back-to-back Southland Entertainer of the Year awards in ’96 and ’97 and again in 2009, Shannon has continued her musical career performing at countless corporate functions, festivals, weddings and international sporting events around the country and offshore.
Shannon has been a guest artist with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra no less than five times and when not behind the microphone herself, has shared her experience and knowledge with others as a Music Tutor for the Southern Institute of Technology. Shannon has also assumed the role of Musical Director and Conductor for three successful Invercargill Musical Theatre productions.
Shannon has been fortunate enough to travel to Canada, Australia, Germany and PNG with powerhouse group “Pipeworkz”. With their unique blend of Celtic and Pacific Island music, this group continues to travel across New Zealand and abroad.
Since forming the vocal trio LIPSTICK, Shannon has continued to promote the Southland province wherever she goes, taking with her the cream of Invercargill's talent. The newest addition to the Invercargill band circuit being an acoustic duo, aptly named – La Belle.
Shannon was recently awarded the 2016 Vocalist of the Year at this years Southland Musician’s Club Awards and was also a nominee for Entertainer of the Year.
Michael Story
Michael Story is a double bassist and electric bassist now based in Christchurch after spending 6 years performing, touring and teaching in Melbourne. Michael's passion for performing has seen him involved in numerous tours throughout Australia and New Zealand from Roots, Hip Hop and Pop music, through to Jazz and improvised music. He has made multiple appearances at the Melbourne, Wangaratta, Nelson, Tauranga, Christchurch and Queenstown Jazz Festivals, Adelaide Fringe Festival, WOMAD, Port Fairy and Woodford Folk Festival, plus national and regional Victorian tours with Kate Vigo and the Underground Orchestra, Flow and Plenty, Pan Francis, roots and country singers Neil Murray and Tecoma plus numerous others.
Michael performed with Australian Idol star Carl Riseley for his '08 and '09 national tours and Channel 7 Telethon and as part Daniel Gassin's trio tour to the Dubai International Jazz Festival in 2010.
Since returning to Christchurch Michael has performed with touring artists Simon Barker, David Berkman, Jamie Oehlers, James Sherlock, Hetty Kate, Roger Manins, Reuben Bradely, Flip Grater, James Morrison, Midge Marsdon, Mary Coughlan, Dixon Nacey and Marc Hannaford to name a few. He has joined the CSO and performed multiple masterworks concerts and jazz/contemporary festival concerts as a casual CSO member. He has also performed in Grease, Buddy Holly, Mary Poppins and Blood Brothers for the Court Theatre and Showbiz Christchurch.
All of this performance and personal study enriches his teaching at CPIT Music Arts; taking jazz and pop ensemble sessions, Professional Practice and individual bass lessons. Michael completed his BMus in Christchurch at the Jazz School and continued his study in Melbourne completing his Honours Degree at the Victorian College of the Arts. His thesis received praise from New York bassist Larry Grenadier "..your dissertation was the most in depth examination into the collective interplay that we do in the trio that I have seen."
Michael has released two piano trio albums as leader, two albums as co-leader of Pan Francis, hip hop EP with Flow and Plenty and has been a session musician and collaborator in many more. He has received the Jerry Wise Young Performers Scholarship, Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist Grant and The Foundation for Young Australians Buzz Grant.
Andy Genge
Since graduating from CPIT with a Bachelor of Musical Arts in 2001, Andy has performed widely in the New Zealand music scene.
He currently works regularly with Top 40 covers band “Headrush” and the Crusaders house band “The Vanguard”. Ongoing projects such as “Solid Cream” (dedicated to replicating the music of 1960’s band Cream), the roots/country based group “The Small Town Wranglers”, rock group “My Famous Friends”, funk/groove band “Oval Office” and regular session work all ensure his calendar stays busy! He is often seen as s sideman with various artists at many of New Zealand’s music festivals. Recent work has included gigs with Fantine, Annie Crummer, Suzanne Prentise, Midge Marsden and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
Andy has been on the teaching staff at Ara Music Arts (formerly CPIT Jazz School) since 2006. He currently teaches guitar (Certificate, Contemporary and Jazz), Contemporary Improvisation and Ensembles. In 2010 Andy earned a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours from the University of Canterbury.
Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Ain't No Sunshine
All Night Long
April Sun In Cuba
Baby I Love Your Way
Blame It On The Boogie
Boogie Oogie Oogie
Boogie Shoes
Brick House
Call Me Al
Can't Hurry Love
Carwash
Chain Of Fools
Chameleon
Chicken, The
Chuck E’s In Love
Cold Shot
Come Together
Conga
Could You Be Loved
Crazy In Love
Dancing Queen
Diggin' On James Brown
Disco Inferno
Dock Of The Bay
Don't Stop
Dreadlock Holiday
Dreams
Easy
Englishman In New York
Fell In Love With A Boy
For Today
Georgie Porgie
Get Down Tonight
Gimme Gimme Gimme
Give Me The Night
Go Your Own Way
Groovin
Gypsy
Happy Anniversary
Hard To Handle
Hello
Hungry Like The Wolf
I Don't Wanna Be
I Feel Good
I Just Whispered Your Name
I Keep Forgetting
I Shot The Sheriff
I Wish
Is This Love
Isn't She Lovely
It Only Happens
Its Not Unusual
Jammin'
Just The Two Of Us
Killer Joe
King Of Wishful Thinking
Kiss
La Bamba
Lady
Lady Marmalade
Lay Down Sally
Le Freak
Lets Groove
Listen To The Music
Livin' La Vida Loca
Long Ago
Long Train Running
Lovely Day
Love Shack
Loyal
Mama Mia
Man On Your Mind
Master Blaster (Jammin)
Mercy Mercy Mercy
Midnight Hour
Money
Monkey Man
Mustang Sally
Night Fever
Night Owls
No Woman, No Cry
Outlook For Thursday
People Get Ready
Pick Up The Pieces
Play That Funky Music
Power Of Love (Huey Lewis)
Proud Mary
Pull Up To The Bumper
Reggae Nights
Reminiscing
Respect
River Deep Mountain High
Rock With You
Sailing
September
Sharing The Night Together
Sign Your Name
Signed, Sealed Delivered
Sir Duke
So What
Something Got Me Started
Something Happened On The Way To Heaven
Son Of A Preacher Man
Spooky
St Thomas
Stayin' Alive
Stir It Up
Super Duper Love
Super Freak
Superstition
Sweet Child of Mine
Tennessee Waltz
Tennessee Whiskey
That's The Way I Like It
The Favourite
The Way You Make Me Feel
This Masquerade
Three Little Birds
Turn Your Lights Down Low
Turn Your Love Around
Uptown Funk
Wade In The Water
Waterloo
We Are Family
We're In This Love Together
What You Wouldn't Do For Love
Wishing Well
Word Up
You Can Leave Your Hat On
Your Love Is King
You Make Loving Fun
You Sexy Thing
Hi Robyn
Yes it went very well. Despite finding out the morning of the wedding the lead singer had been hospitalized, the singer who covered her was just amazing! Everyone has been raving about how good they were and had our guests up on the dance floor till they finished at 11.30. I was very impressed :)
Thanks very much
Natasha