Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band featuring Chris Henry (USA)
2016 Australian Tour
+ Special Guests Mike, Tinker & Ged
Sat 2nd April 2016
Venue: HOTEL GEARIN, 273 Great Western Hwy, Katoomba, Blue Mountains NSW 2780.
Legendary US Bluegrass singer-songwriter and Grammy award winner, Peter Rowan, “the voice of Bluegrass”, returns to Australia with his Bluegrass Band, featuring Chris Henry on mandolin, Patrick Sauber on banjo, and Paul Knight on double bass.
Chris Henry is one of the most highly regarded young musicians on the American Bluegrass scene today, “the premier Monroe-style mandolinist of his generation”, while Patrick Sauber has recorded or performed with many artists, including Doc Watson, Chris Hillman, Herb Pedersen, John Fogerty, Richard Greene and Laurie Lewis, and was the banjo-player in the movie, ‘A Mighty Wind’. Paul Knight has been playing with Peter Rowan in various configurations for about 20 years. His driving acoustic bass has been part of recordings and live performances with the likes of Jim Lauderdale and Laurie Lewis, as well as being integral to the sound of the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band.
Peter Rowan is a true legend of American Bluegrass, with a history dating from 1964 and his role as lead-singer/guitarist with the father of Bluegrass, the late Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys. Rowan then went on to form the revolutionary Folk/Rock band, Seatrain, which recorded two albums in the UK, produced by Beatles producer, George Martin. He left Seatrain to team up with David Grisman, Richard Greene, Bill Keith, & Clarence White (from The Byrds) in bluegrass supergroup, Muleskinner. He and Grisman moved on to form Old & In The Way with Jerry Garcia and Vassar Clements. Since then Rowan has released numerous albums of mostly original songs, is a Grammy Award winner and six-time Grammy nominee, and has performed and recorded with the likes of Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas, Gillian Welch, Tim O’Brien, Bela Fleck, Tony Rice, Del McCoury, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Flaco Jimenez, and Peter Tosh.
Today at the age of 73, he is still touring constantly, writing new songs, making new recordings, including the highly-acclaimed 2013 release on Compass Records, ‘The Old School’, featuring 10 new original songs, and two more recent albums, “Dharma Blues” and “Peter Rowan’s Twang An’ Groove Vol 1”.
Rowan has demonstrated himself to be an artist of unusual depth and imagination, experimenting with other influences, while never losing track of the deep roots and musical purity that are integral to his presence. He is a singer and songwriter without equal, a multi-instrumentalist and accomplished guitarist. His beautiful singing is of the classic “high-lonesome”, borrowed by Monroe from the Appalachian ballad singers, and which became the defining style of all bluegrass vocalists. The spirit of Bill Monroe lives on in the old and new music he and his band will bring to Australian audiences on this tour.
“Rowan is one of the greatest and most important of all the bluegrass players. He understands what he calls “the joy” of bluegrass and acoustic music, and, with wonderful artlessness, he insists that he is coming to Australia to do nothing more than “be a singer of songs and a player of tunes”. His admirers know he will be much, much more than that.” – Bruce Elder, Sydney Morning Herald
Website: www.peter-rowan.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
Videos that give some idea of the variety of his material (all are his original songs except for the Merlefest 2015 video):
Peter Rowan, with Chris Henry on mandolin: Keepin’ It Between The Lines (The Old School):
http://www.youtube.com/
Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band: Land of The Navajo: https://www.youtube.com/
Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band Merlefest 2015: Righteous Pathway & Goodbye Old Pal: https://www.youtube.com/
Peter Rowan, with Chris Henry on mandolin: Midnight Moonlight: https://www.youtube.com/
Peter Rowan: Doc Watson Morning: https://www.youtube.com/
Peter Rowan: The Free Mexican Airforce, with introduction: https://www.youtube.com/
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Special Guests Mike, Tinker & Ged
Mike, Tinker & Ged are an eclectic band of misfits with diverse backgrounds in rock, Irish, bluegrass, old timey and everything in between. Comprising of virtuoso fiddler (Slim Dusty’s favourite), sultry singer and all-round musical genius Mike Kerin, Blue Mountains dweller Tinker Duffy, who plays fiery accordion and sings with husky vocals, and Ged Corben who holds the band together with his powerhouse rhythm guitar and delicate slide and mandolin work.
Winner of no less than 6 Golden Guitars, Mike Kerin leads this lineup of long time collaborators & stalwarts of the Oz Folk & Bluegrass scene. Apart from producing, arranging, recording & playing on many fine albums, Mike played for 10 years with 80‘s Country fave’s The Flying Emus, for more than 20 years with Slim Dusty in his Travelling Country Band, and currently tours with Anne Kirkpatrick & numerous national & international acts. Mike was the featured artist on the recently released ABC Fiddle Album “The Devil’s Instrument”. He has also played as a featured artist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, touring Australia & Slovenia.
Tinker Duffy is no stranger to the NSW Folk scene. Hailing originally from Armidale, she has dazzled audiences with her fiery accordion playing from Newtown to Gulgong, & Yeppoon to Port Fairy over the last 20 years. She has had a lifelong involvement in the traditional music, song and dance of Ireland as well as in bush bands, dance bands, choirs and sessions.
Mike & Tinker are joined by co-hort Ged Corben on guitar, mandolin & resonator. Ged has at one time or another played with the original Cruel Sea, is lead guitarist with The Lime Spiders & moonlights with Rebecca Hancock & The Prison Wives, amongst others.
All three were members of the now defunct Wheelers & Dealers, winners of numerous National Folk Awards, who toured NSW, VIC and QLD extensively over the last 15 years.
The band play an eclectic up tempo mix of Celtic & American Folk, with a touch of Western Swing & Roots thrown in. They feature material from Mike & Tinker’s latest album “For Good Measure”, & Mike’s solo album “ The Dining Room Sessions”.
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Doors Open 8:30pm. Support Starts 9pm.
General Admission. Room configuration is a mix of cabaret seating and standing/dancing.
Tickets $25 DISCOUNT pre-sale available from:
KATOOMBA MUSIC, 140 Katoomba St, Katoomba, NSW 2780 (Tues-Sat. Cash Only)
Or the Hotel front bar.
Or DISCOUNT Early Bird pre-sale online $26.50 (Including booking fees):
www.trybooking.com/JZRP
Or $30 on the Door from 8:30pm (Unless Sold Out)