On Saturday afternoons in Raglan’s town centre, the melodies and grumbling of live music spill out from behind the shops along Wainui Road and Bow Street. At the end of Volcom Lane, The Yard Music Café hosts its weekly Deckside Sessions — a free jazz event led by local band The Sauce, along with an array of local guest musicians. For one of the performers who plays these shows, this area means more than just a gig: this is where his life in music first began.
A founding and backbone member of the Deckside Sessions is drummer and musician Leonard “Leon” Davey. Davey is a well established musician within the Aotearoa(New Zealand) music industry, best known for his role as percussionist in internationally acclaimed all-Maori reggae band, Katchafire. Beyond percussion, he is also a singer, songwriter, and producer – though the drums have always been his main instrument. Davey shares that music has long been a central part of his life and much of the foundation for this is attributed to his time as a child living in Raglan.
“I was raised very religious,” Says Davey, “I wasn’t allowed any… toys. We didn’t have a tv… I always used to listen to the radio 24/7”.
Originally from Wellington, Davey’s family moved to Raglan in the mid 1980’s when he was 11 – where they would live for the next four years. Though only a short time, he shares that they were some of the most formative and, “… best years of…[his] life”. Adding, “This is why I’ve come back”.
This time period in the mid-80’s also coincided with a musical renaissance in Raglan, as its live music scene was in its infancy but growing rapidly. Living right in the centre of town, in an apartment which used to stand on the site of Volcom Lane, he got his first taste for live music listening to the live acts echoing throughout town centre at night from his very own home. Davey recalls saying to himself, “That’s what I want to do”.
His father eventually bought him his first drum kit, which he quickly devoted himself to learning with dreams of becoming the best drummer in Aotearoa. His dedication led to being accepted into the prestigious New Zealand School of Music at Victoria University to study Jazz in Wellington. He studied here briefly before the birth of his son necessitated him to find work to support the baby. He took a job in China, touring Asia as a drummer at Hard Rock Cafes which he said paid well at the time. He did this job for three years before choosing to move back to Aotearoa as he began to feel the strains that the distance was putting on his relationship with his son.
A few years passed, picking up odd jobs before the death of a close friend along with other personal life events made Davey decide to give music one last shot. Knowing the potential demands of being a musician, Davey shares how it was important to him to ensure however that it didn’t impact his role as a father or his relationship with his son. He decided “…this is what I’m going to do. I’m going to figure it out. Just give it all I got”.
He took up playing in live bands again, joining Hamilton-born group Native Sons. After a series of lineup changes, he eventually left this group to join Katchafire which he remains in to this day. Going onto international recognition, Davey has toured with Katchafire around Aotearoa as well as in Australia, The US, Brazil, the UK, and many of the Pacific Islands.
Though the success was a welcome outcome, it entailed tiring touring schedules away from family and home. He shares that this was especially painful as he now also had a young daughter.
“When everything took off and we were touring all over the world, it was great. But then… I realized I was missing out on too much”.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic gave an unexpected reprieve and an opportunity to move back to Raglan. This is where he has remained since – happily, with family, and playing once again in the place where his passion and musical career began.
He now only tours three months out of the year with Katchafire compared to the previous six to seven months, and spends the rest of the time primarily here in Raglan playing local gigs like the Deckside Sessions.
He says, “…jazz has been my first love. Jazz and hip hop…. So when you see me playing there, that’s actually my first love. And the fact that I get to do that now, you know, in my hometown…”.
Davey plays as often as he can at the weekly gigs and other odd performances around town – filling the very streets that he used to live on, listening as a child through the windows of his home, now with music of his own.
by Erin Smith
