In just a few short years, The Jukes have garnered a reputation as a first class band.

Their repertoire is filled with vintage blues tunes and good old 12-bar Chicago blues never really goes out of style although the formula can grow trite in the wrong hands.

The Jukes play the music exceptionally well, have a deep sense of tradition for what they do and play the kind of raw, vibrant blues that harks back to the golden era of Chicago blues in the 50's and 60's with such household names as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson and Elmore James.

Those that are getting tired of all the overblown soul-blues and blue-rock projects that seem all the rage at the moment, or think that traditional Chicago-style blues has all but died or become little more than a museum display obviously haven't heard of The Jukes.

At every gig they deliver, as the band locks in to those classic grooves with some rock solid old school ensemble playing, and each time enhance their reputation as a live outfit.

In the age of DJ’s, artificial, synthesized meaningless pop and tired covers of songs the world was pleased to be rid off the first time round (and the time after that...), The Jukes are as much a cause as a band.

Blues is about tradition and personal expression, and at its core, the blues has remained the same since its inception.

Playing genuine, emotional music that you can dance to, the shuffling feet and shaking hips that accompany a Jukes performance are a testament to that.

The Jukes were formed in 2006 with the vision of bringing something different to the increasingly popular New Zealand blues scene.

The premise of the band is uncompromising authenticity, as faithful to the original Chicago blues style as possible.

The classic “Chicago style" was developed in the late 1940s and early 1950s, taking the Delta blues, amplifying it and putting it into a small-band context.

By adding drums, bass, and (sometimes) piano, the genre created the now standard blues band lineup.

Grasping the value of playing as a solid unit, The Jukes don’t try and reinvent the wheel or take the blues to the next level or in another direction, The Jukes just play the blues with the classic Chicago ensemble feel.

The Jukes sound is the balanced sound of classic “South Side” and “West Side”  blues tunes.
Propulsive shuffles, some fierce slow blues and a few funkier grooves are the hallmarks of a Jukes performance.

The band consists of vocals, harmonica, guitar, bass and drums in the classic Chicago tradition.

The set list includes classics from such legends as Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed and Slim Harpo and a couple of original tunes have also found their way onto The Jukes set list.

If you can’t be in a Juke Joint, being at a Jukes performance is the next best thing.

The Jukes are available for Festivals, Pub Gigs, Corporate Events and Private Parties.

For bookings or enquires please click here: Contact The Band

We will be updating the site as often as possible, so keep checking back for the latest band  information.
We hope you can make it to one of our upcoming gigs, and thanks to all of you for your support!

If you’ve enjoyed a Jukes performance or our new web site, please sign our guest book: Contact The Band


The Jukes are also now on myspace.com:  myspace.com/thejukesnz