Brother John & Captain Bluetonge were until recently The Blues Preachers. Under that moniker they receved this brilliant review -
"Last year, with the release of their second record, Dry Long So, the Sydney based Blues Preachers in my opinion, put out one of the best blues records of the decade."
Samuel Fell / Rhythms Magazine.
This duo will take you to another place and time, somewhere between 1920 and 1940. Their music paints a landscape of pre-war struggle and determination with sounds reminiscent of the Deep South.
They perform a fusion of good old blues, rags, gospel and hillbilly folk. The powerful simplicity of driving finger-style and slide-guitar combined with the sounds of tasteful harmonica and old-school vocal harmonies create a traditional and untarnished sound that will have you on the edge of your seats. They will make you want to get up and dance with their joyful country and ragtime blues, and send a shiver down your spine with their atmospheric feels, echoing and paying homage to the sacred sounds of early artists such as Blind Willie Johnson.
Their three albums were released under the name of The Blues Preachers. The 2008 album ‘Next Stop Beulah Land’ and their highly regarded 2009 release ‘Dry Long So’ showcase the talents of
Brother John on guitar, banjo and vocals, and Captain Bluetongue on harmonica, mountain dulcimer and vocals.
Their latest release ‘Dead Catz Can Bounce’ goes one step further. It contains many original songs about the big issues of today: the global financial crisis, greed, relationships, global warming, materialism, life and death and the search for truth and meaning in the great age of misinformation.
After highly acclaimed performances at The Woodford Folk Festival, The Australian Blues Festival, The Blue Mountains Folk Festival, The Cairns Blues Festival,
The Gympie Muster,
The Echuca Blues Festival, The Sunshine Coast Blues Festival, The West Coast Blues Festival and The East Coast Blues Festival, these guys have secured a reputation as one of the best acoustic blues and roots acts in the country.
Recent Achievements:
The Blues Preachers were 5th overall in the Australian Songwriting Awards 2009 for “Divine Justice Coming Down” which also received a top 5 nomination in the Sing Out For Social Action category of The Independent Music Awards 2009.
“Divine Justice Coming Down” was chosen by Yoko Ono as runner-up in the John Lennon 70th birthday anniversary song contest.
They received a top 5 nomination in the Acoustic category of The Independent Music Awards 2011 for “The Free Train Agreement”. It was also selected for a Canadian compilation called “Protest Songs For A Better World”.
They've had sell out shows in Melbourne and Sydney at
The Way Out West Club , Lizottes and The Vanguard.
http://bluespreachers.com/ |
These guys have won the Manly Fig's hearts before. Their breathtaking original songs are reminiscent of the beauty of James Taylor, some honey from Melodie Gardot, a lyrical spice of Cohen washed down with some Waits-like humour. An acoustic candle that licks at the heels of Folk, Blues and Jazz. Tony King has a reputation for setting fire to a 12 string with his solos, while Kris Ralph melts hearts with her rich, mellifluous voice and nylon string guitar.
Tony is an accomplished composer, electric, acoustic (steel, nylon, 6 & 12 stringed) guitarist, bass player on fretted & fretless Instruments and is gifted with a smooth, creamy voice. He is also a Producer and Film composer.
2014: Winner of Best Lyrics of the International Songwriting Awards judged by Tom Waits, Bernie Taupin and Shirley Manson.
2012: "An Eye for an Eye", "If I Could Sing You" and" Song for the Newborn" were all shortlisted in the ASA Awards.
2011: "She kept on swimming" won 'Best acoustic' in the ASA awards
2009: Tony was Awarded Australian Songwriter of the year. He won an unprecedented 3 categories
Billy's Dream for best lyrics; When we're Old in both the open and folk/acoustic categories.
2008: Tyran Parke enlisted Tony to record and produce his debut CD. Tony played guitar with the brilliant Chanteuse, Camille O'Sullivan from Ireland. The Dark Angel played to sell out audiences at The Sydney Opera House.
2006: Tony co-wrote a song with Louise Perryman, Kris Ralph and Bill Risby for Louise's solo album. The song "Genius of Love" won Song of the Year.
2005-2007: Tony released a series of compositions made exclusively from the sounds of wine, wine glasses, bottles, barrels, corks popping and called it The Wine Music. It was the most requested piece of music on ABC Classical FM radio. Tony and Kris successfully launched The Wine Music in the USA and then in Europe. Tony used 100% of proceeds from sales of The Wine Music to build wells in Ethiopia in a project called "Wine into Water".
2001 –2003: Tony continued to produce and co-write with Andrew Strong in Ireland and co-wrote and produced an Album ”The Dream” with Elizabeth Geyer.
2002: Tony went to Ireland to co-write an Album Gypsy’s Kiss with Andrew Strong (of The Commitments) then toured Scandinavia with Andrew’s band in conjunction with the release of the album. It reached the top twenty in Denmark and Sweden.
1997 Full of the Moon, Tony & Kris’ second Album of original songs was reviewed by Drum Media:“Hauntingly Beautiful...Together they have combined their talents to produce a stunning array of diverse songs".
In 1997 Tony composed the score for the Feature film Wanted. Burbank Animation Studios chose Tony to score their series of six Animated Videos beginning with The Secret of Camelot, Mulan, The Three Little Pigs, The Littlest Mermaid and Moses The Prince of Egypt. More projects for Burbank, D4 The Trojan Dog, Silent Night and The Canterville Ghost based on a story by Oscar Wilde and the classic Anna and The King - all of which were screened internationally. Close Contact, tele-movie score written and composed by Tony has been screened locally and internationally.
1995-96 Tony worked with Phil Scott, George Washington, and co-wrote with Gullifer Smith (A Touch of Paradise)
1992: Moonlight Cactus was released and sold out of it’s first pressing by word of mouth.
1991: He won an ARIA for writing the highest selling single.
1987: He wrote the longest running Australian Political radio satire How Green Was My Cactus for which he was nominated for an Awgie for Best Radio Comedy).
KRIS RALPH
Starting at the Riverina Trucking Company for 4 years, she moved to Sydney where she starred in The Department with Tracy Mann and Max Gillies, The Madras House with Peter Carroll and Hugo Weaving, The National tour of Stepping Out with Nancy Hayes, Rowena Wallace and Colette Mann, Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers with Christina Amphlette and Russell Crowe.
Kris formed her own Band The Other Woman with Genevieve Lemon. Although the band’s life was short-lived Kris continued to sing with Genevieve, culminating in performance at the Sydney Opera House in “A Month of Sundays”.
She has co-written songs for Beautifully Mad’s albums, Let Them Fall , Mandarin Sky (Australian Songwriter’s Award in the Inspirational Category).
Kris is an accomplished Singer/Actor who plays guitar, percussion, and paints. Gifted with a mellifluous singing voice, she has been performing on stages all over Australia since she left school.
2007: Kris has been working on original songs and painting commissions for private clients. A major work was commissioned in 2009 for the celebration of the Merimbula Jazz Festival Band, headed by John Cursley. It was 3.2 metres wide x 1.6 metres high.
Kris and Tony won the 2006 Best Song Award in the Open category of the Australian Songwriters Awards with Genius of Love.
2011: "She kept on swimming" won 'Best acoustic' in the ASA awards
www.beautifullymad.com
www.myspace.com/beautifullymad2 |
Hucker Brown is the culmination of years of bands, travel, friendships, stories and life. The the result is a new original Australian band creating music that spans several genres with honesty and integrity.
Formed in 2013 rising from the loose incarnations of Twinnset whose 2002 EP, Watching theCars Go and a follow-up album Warm Yesterdays in 2008 received positive acclaim and airplay on community radio stations throughout the country.
There’s a lot to like in their music; space, integrity, measured, exploratory reflecting the years spent on the road of life.
The individual band members Bio’s span 30 plus years including legendary bands of Australia’s music scene. Goldrush, The Flood, Gangajang. King Horse, The Danglin Brothers Psycho Zydeco and Astro Tabasco, the depth and quality is there.
Recording collaborations include Oud maestro Joseph Tawadros, Michel Simon, Mark Punch, Wally Budai as well as up and coming talent.
huckerbrown.com
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