Kingsley Spargo is a sound artist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter based in Auckland. His acclaimed recent album Chasing Spirits is a showcase of vocals, brass, guitar, pumoana, percussion and composition. As an educator, he has taught music for more than a dozen years including as a Programme Manager at MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand). He holds first class honours in a Master of Music from the University of Auckland and a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching, and is now embarking on a PhD.

An exciting and compelling performer, Kingsley has played professionally with Don McGlashan, Tim Finn, SJD, Harry Lyon and Witi Ihimaera, among others.

+ What I can teach you

We have a lot of fun in the music industry workshops learning about:

• Who you are you as an artist. What is your 'brand' and uniqueness?
• Financial skills for making money from your creativeness
• Event planning for organising gigs
• Mentoring sessions to help you with specific projects (such as organising an upcoming gig, releasing a recording, realising a business plan etc).

In my one-to-one lessons we can jam on:

• Trumpet or trombone
• Songwriting

+ My teaching style

We'll be jumping in head-first but don't worry - I'm right beside you! I'm the 'guide on the side' and with extensive experience teaching people of all ages in the classroom and individually, I know what it takes to make things work.

+ My first significant musical moment

I was 15, had never been to Auckland before, and I went to Western Springs Stadium to see David Bowie. What a man, what a band, what a crowd, what an experience! I'll also never forget the nagging worry of whether I'd find the overnight bus back to Napier amidst 60,000 people...

+ Most enduring influence

Sounds cheesy, but my most enduring influence has to be my family. My wife and three children are my bedrock and inspiration for a lot of what I do. Even our arguments make for great material in my songwriting LOL.

+ Most thrilling gigs I've played

I had a Eureka! moment when I did a gig at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC with some amazing African-American jazz musicians including Harold Anderson (double bass) and Brother Ah (who played with pianist and composer Thelonius Monk). I was so 'in the zone', feeling the music deeply and expressing myself how I had always wanted. However, it was performing alongside Bernard Makoare who played taonga puoro (traditional Māori instruments) that triggered an awareness of my tūrangawaewae. The realisation that, in Aotearoa, I had a place to stand: I had something important to contribute. I had to go halfway around the world to discover that but I'll always be thankful for that moment of clarity.

+ Who I’d most like to jam with

My ideal band would have to include David Bowie and Sarah Vaughan on vocals, Prince on... well everything, Miles Davis on otherworldly trumpet, the Rebirth Brass Band second line rhythm section, and Bootsy Collins on bass. Hang on, there's nothing left for me to play... okay, well they'll have to play my songs!

+ Fave YouTube clip

Well, the only time I spend listening to music on YouTube is to myself, ha ha! All in the spirit of shameless self-promotion...