Ivan Zagni

Ivan Zagni (born 16 October 1942) is a New Zealand-based musician and composer who has been a member of bands such as Jody Grind, Big Sideways and Avant Garage, and has recorded albums with Aynsley Dunbar, Elton Dean, Don McGlashan and Peter Scholes.

Early years
Ivan Zagni sang as a boy chorister at Norwich's St John the Baptist Catholic Cathedral and began taking guitar lessons at age 12. His first group was The Cadillacs with his brothers John and Frank. He then teamed up with vocallist Mike Patto (Spooky Tooth) in The Continentals, soon renamed The News and signed to Decca for two singles. Zagni moved to London in 1964 where he worked as a freelance guitarist, composer and arranger, session musician for Decca and Transatlantic, and played with a variety of groups including Chicago Line Blues Band with Patto, Tim Hinkley and Louis Cennamo. Patto later joined Timebox who covered Patto/Zagni composition "A Woman that's Waiting" as the b-side to their single "Begging'", which charted in the UK at #38 in July 1968. Zagni joined the progressive group Jody Grind and recorded on their first album, then in Bogomas with Louis Cennamo, and then in Blue Whale with Aynsley Dunbar, who disbanded the group to join Frank Zappa.

Mature British works
From 1971-77 he was Choir Master at St John the Baptist Cathedral in Norwich where he composed a number of works for the Cathedral. . He then returned to London and recorded an album with saxophonist Elton Dean (Keith Tippett sextet/Soft Machine, as well as becoming increasingly involved in the European improvisation scene.

Arriving in New Zealand
Zagni settled in New Zealand in 1980 and has since worked as a teacher, composer and freelance musician. He quickly connected with the independent music scene and recorded a mini-album for Propeller Records with Don McGlashan who was also a member of Blam Blam Blam and From Scratch.

Avant Garage and Big Sideways
In the early 1980s, Zagni formed Big Sideways as part of a government scheme for unemployed musicians. These included Mark Bell (Blam Blam Blam/Coconut Rough), Jacqui Brooks, Scott Calhoun (Wentworth Brewster & Co.), Lee Connolly, Chris Green (The Hulamen/The Neighbours), Paul Hewett (Coconut Rough), Brent 'Sid' Pasley (Newmatics/Miltown Stowaways), John Quigley (The Bongos/Nairobi Trio), Kelly Rogers (Newmatics/Miltown Stowaways), Robbie Sinclair and Phil Steele. They toured nationally with assistance from NZ Rail. Their track 'Conversation With a Machine' later appeared on the compilation Unexplored - A Compilation Of New Zealand Recordings 1982-86. Big Sideways continued without Zagni and released the 3-song 12" Let It Out with new members including Graeme Gash, Debbie Harwood and Tom Ludvigson (Low Profile/Bluespeak). Justin Harwood (Coconut Rough/The Chills/Luna) also spent time in Big Sideways. They supported Split Enz on their 1983 New Zealand tour  and were one of the last groups to play Mainstreet in Auckland.

Big Sideways evolved into the more advanced Avant Garage. Zagni's work with Steve Garden (Low Profile) on the Avant Garage album and their subsequent collaboration 'A Selection of Trouble Spots' (1984) recorded in Basement Tapes, Garden's basement studio, set the scene for what would become Garden's label Rattle Records.

Orchestral commissions
From the mid-1980s Zagni received a succession of orchestral commissions, including becoming the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra's first composer in residence. In the mid-1990s he withdrew from public life for a period of recuperation.

Recent appearances
In 2003 Zagni was the focus of a Radio New Zealand 'Musical Chairs' documentary. Several compositions were featured in the Auckland Chamber Orchestra's 2005 season. His graphic scores featured in exhibitions at the Audio Foundation in 2011 and the Gus Fisher Gallery in 2012, both accompanied by low-key performances.

Awards
Zagni was Composer in Residence at Glenfield College for six months in 1986. He was inaugural Composer in Residence with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in 1989-90. Awards include major grants from QEII Arts Council in 1984, 1988, and 1990.

Discography

 * Jody Grind, One Step On (Oct 1969)

Recorded March - April 1970, Marquee Studios, London
 * Aynsley Dunbar, Blue Whale (BYG Records 529 015, released 1971)

Recorded c.1977
 * Elton Dean, Three's Company, Two's a Crown (Culture Press 1005, 1997)

Blam Blam Blam is Don McGlashan, Tim Mahon and Mark Bell. Artwork: John Reynolds Ivan Zagni plays guitar on track 'Call for Help'
 * Blam Blam Blam, Luxury Length (Propeller Records REV 204, May 1982)

Ivan Zagni: electric guitars, built-up 11 sting, cello guitar Don McGlashan: bass guitar, percussion, horn, whistle, vocals, marimba Backing vocals: Ivan Zagni, Kim Willoughby, John Quigley, Kelly Rogers, Syd Paisley, Anna Phillips, Ben Staples, Greg Brice, Martin Williams and Phil Steel Engineer: Martin Williams, Produced: Ivan Zagni, Don McGlashan and Martin Williams, Recorded at Last laugh Studios, Auckland, September/October 1982. Artwork: John Reynolds
 * Don McGlashan & Ivan Zagni, Standards (Propeller Records REV 207, December 1982)

Big Sideways is Mark Bell, Jacqui Brooks, Scott Calhoun, Lee Connolly, Chris Green, Paul Hewett, Brent 'Sid' Paisley, John Quigley, Kelly Rogers, Robbie Sinclair, Phil Steele and Ivan Zagni Engineered by Lee Connolly and Simon Clark, Recorded and mixed at Harlequin Studios, Auckland, 1982 Musical Direction: Ivan Zagni
 * Big Sideways, Big Sideways (Unsung Music 2, 1982)

Avant Garage is Mike Caen, Pamela Gray, Wayne Laird, Mark McEwan, Tim Mahon, Prasada, Peter Scholes, Ben Staples and Ivan Zagni. Enginereed by Steve Garden, recorded at Mascot Studios, Auckland, July 1983 Director: Ivan Zagni
 * Avant Garage, Music (Unsung Music UN11, 1983)


 * Ivan Zagni, London '79 (cassette release, 1983)


 * Ivan Zagni & Peter Scholes, Four Minute Exposure (cassette release, 1983)

Also Peter Scholes, Don McGlashan and Amanda Hollins Engineered by Steve Garden at Basement Tapes, March 1983 - April 1984
 * Ivan Zagni & Steve Garden, A Selection of Trouble Spots (Ode SODE 193, 1984)

Ivan Zagni contributes acoustic guitar, backing vocals and arrangements on the track 'Nothing's Going to Stop It'
 * Tall Dwarfs, That's the Long and Short of It (Flying Nun Records Long 1, 1985)

Television

 * Peter Peryer: Portrait of a Photographer (NZ 1994) Director/writer: Greg Stitt, Producer: Trever Haysom, Camera: Leon Narbey

Dance
Music for Limbs Dance Company, New Zealand
 * Sunday Horrors (1985) Choreographer: Mary-Jane O'Reilly, Music/Composer: Ivan Zagni & Steven Garden (NZ). Dur: 20:00

Other sources

 * Norman, Philip: Bibliography of New Zealand Compositions, Third Edition; Nota Bene Music (1991)
 * Dix, John, Stranded In Paradise, Penguin, 2005. ISBN 0-14-301953-8
 * Eggleton, David, Ready To Fly, Craig Potton, 2003. ISBN 1-877333-06-9