Performer Profiles
Jeff Lang Singer-songwriter Jeff Lang has built up a reputation for startlingly original performances, working without a set list, allowing the unique energy of each night to shape the songs. While Lang will talk of his admiration for the elemental blues of Skip James, the raw gospel of Blind Willie Johnson, the devastating guitar work of Jimi Hendrix, the masterful slide guitar of Ry Cooder, and the sublime songwriting of Bob Dylan and Richard Thompson, comparisons to these artists fails to paint an adequate picture. Jeff Lang is critically acclaimed as a truly great guitar player. The unusual thing is that the guitar playing never gets in the way of the music, nor overshadows his gift for hauntingly poetic songwriting. As a live performer Lang is only satisfied when something truly inspired takes place. This restless striving for the sublime pays great dividends for audiences that join him for the ride. Dallas Frasca and her gentlemenListening to the ball wrenching vocal performance of Dallas' debut solo recording, Acoustic Slide Groove, can give you a good indication of why she is where she is today. Dallas comes from a background of singing with roots bands. She began singing at the Saphire Coast town of Pambula, N.S.W, with some friends jamming. Re-locating back to her stomping ground, (North East Victoria), she worked rotating 12 hour shifts as a Lab. Technician for nearly 6 years on and off in her home town of Wangaratta. In almost solitary confinement for 12 hours a day, she learnt to sing by listening to vocalists on the small transitor radio in the lab. Frasca's distinctive, gutsy, heart-felt vocal style is of uncommon strength and her finger pickin / slide guitar grooves are earning her respect from fellow musicians and been wowing crowds all over Australia in the past few months. In just six months she has achieved more than most musicians could hope for in a lifetime. Bob Brozman TodayRedefining musical diversity worldwide, Bob Brozman is a remarkably prolific artist whose wit, energy, and musical technique combine powerfully to create an unforgettable live performance. A master of slide, fingerstyle, and percussive guitar, Bob's exhilarating show spans the global and musical spectrum, and keeps audiences enthralled, begging for more of his endearing, infectious energy. Bob's familiarity with diverse world music cultures produces a novel blending of rhythmic and timbral influences, unparalleled in today's musical environment. His rhythmic dexterity resonates with elements of blues, jazz, Gypsy swing, calypso, sega, and even the most modern hip-hop and ska beats. Jan PrestonJan can best be described as Australia's "Queen of the boogie woogie piano." Her stunning ability as a boogie, honky tonk and ragtime piano player, is matched by a richly resonant voice and a joyful and communicative stage personality. Jan is enormously popular on the festival circuit, having played more than 40 festivals throughout Australia, New Zealand, and Europe in the past 3 years. She has won 4 Best Female Blues Artist and Blues Artist of the Year Awards, is a regular ABC and RNZ radio performer, and has sold out concerts from the tip of Australia to the very South of New Zealand in main centres and tiny regional towns.Jan has a way of fully engaging the audience in her shows, and her mastery of the boogie woogie, barrelhouse and honky tonk piano style, leaves listeners in raptures. Andy CowanWhen the house is rockin' with the big horn section and Cowan's soulful vocals and keyboards are right out front, this is killer stuff. (Jeff Glorfeld - The Age Entertainment Guide) His songs and style reach back into the very heart of Blues and Soul. Cowan shows himself to be a great songwriter and musician. (Ed Nimmervoll - Music Australia Guide Magazine) One of Australia's most experienced and talented singer/songwriter/pianists in the Soul-Blues idiom, Andy has been described justifiably as the "King of the Keys". He ripples, rolls and rocks through original compostitions with passionate and soulful vocals, wrapping the audience in his energy and weaving an emotional and spellbinding magic. Andy has evolved into a refined and sophisticated songwriter/performer, arriving at his music after a long and winding journey - the resulting confidence, maturity and taste are well earned and deeply embedded. Andy's musical career began in Melbourne, Australia, growing up in a household surrounded by music. Following classical piano studies, he began exploring improvisation, and absorbing musical ideas from soul, blues, and folk artists developing his very own signature style that has matured over time. In his late teens Andy played and recorded with many well-known Australian and overseas musicians, as well as piano and keyboard arrangements on many film scores - including the cult movie Stone. James SouthwellJames was asked up to play with Kevin Borich, Phil Manning and Aussie Legend rhythm section Mark Kennedy & Harry Brus when he was 13. A year later he was asked up on stage to play with Chain and Phil Manning handed the lead over for James to play the solo on Black & Blue. His first album, “DARK ANGEL”, was recorded at Kevin Borich's studio in December 2005. Mark Kennedy, Harry Brus & Kevin played on Dark Angel. Phil Emmanuel & Mal Eastick featured on the cover of Stevie Wright’s “Guitar Band”. Since the release of Dark Angel by MGM in June 2006, the James Southwell Band has been in constant demand playing almost 200 shows all over Australia including Major Festivals, Blues Clubs, Dedicated Music Venues as well as Pubs & Clubs from the top of WA all the way down to the bottom of TAS. During 2006 James also played three shows with Angry Anderson as lead guitarist and two for Stevie Wright. In 2007 JSB has a 70 show “Rock ‘n the Blues” National Tour with 21 of these show in WA alone, playing headline shows for both the Perth Blues Club & West Coast Blues Club. 2008 is looking great for JSB with an All Star line up Headlining the Entertainment at Summernats 21 in Jan. Then it's off to this festival at Thredbo
2 weeks ago
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