Kevin Downing

Kevin has been playing guitar and keyboards, song writing, recording, and teaching for over thirty five years. He began guitar at age 13, started performing professionally at 15, and by 21 years of age was working with some of the biggest names in the music business. Today he is an internationally recognised performer and sought after teacher.

He has worked with a various range of international artists who include singers Harry Secombe, Cilla Black, Tony Christie, New World, Peters and Lee, Jackie Trent & Tony Hatch, Basil Brush, and John Rowles. Jazz and blues guitarists such as Chris Cain, Bruce Forman, Larry Koonse, Steve Cardenas, Bruce Paulson, and Rodger Fox. New Zealand artists include Dinah Lee, Angela Ayers, Tommy Adderley, Bunny Walters, Malcolm McNeil, Ray Wolf, and Suzzane Donaldson, to name a few.  However, the most memorable artist he says he has worked with is Bert Weedon, the British guitarist who inspired players like John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, etc., to get started playing guitar.

Kevin has had compositions in the NZ Top 40 and has produced many radio jingles. His students are now following his footsteps with many of them playing professionally, touring the world, teaching, and producing their own CD’s. Two of his students – Charlotte Yates, and Simon Bowden – have won their respective categories at the NZ Music Awards recently.

He also used to write the bass guitar examination syllabus for the Australian and New Zealand Cultural Arts – an internationally recognised music examination board based in Melbourne, and used to teach on the Massey University College of Education Performance Music Program. He has a B.A. (psychology), Post Grad Cert in Music Education, is a writer full member of the Australian Performing Rights Association, and is a registered music teacher in Australia & New Zealand.

He has currently six published books with The Secrets of Successful Practicing being a Gold seller. He has also published many articles relating to music and guitar, currently you can see some of them in his bi monthly column for The New Zealand Musician Magazine, or on this website.

Kevin currently performs with singer Tony McLaughlin, The Blues Busters, The Rodger Fox Band, and his unique guitar ensemble The 101 Lab Band which accompanies famous international guitarists at various Jazz & Blues Festivals around New Zealand.

He also currently teaches along side his expert team of teachers Joella Lauridsen, Tracey Shailer-Lewis, Brenda Pinfold, and Kirsty Blair.