Whitestone 2014: Glitz and Glam
Hyram Ballard
Hyram is mostly known for his work with the long running folk band The
Chaps but he has another side... Playing guitar since he was a young boy growing up in Los Angeles, he listened to Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and George Jones on the AM radio in the car on the way to school and rounded out that listening with Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and Joni Mitchell after school. He played in various bands in school, one of them snagging a gig at the infamous Gazzari's on the Sunset Strip while still under-age. The last few years he has been seen performing solo at the Tui Festival and the NEFC and recently accompanying Bill Morris at Whare Flat and on tour. At Whitestone he will be debuting "Eureka" - a set of songs with a California theme, interspersed with stories of history, social commentary and his experiences growing up in "The Golden State". www.twangtown.co.nz www.facebook.com/TwangTownNZ Twitter - #TwangNZ |
Tiny Pieces of Eight
Since the much anticipated first solo album Tiny Pieces of Eight released in October 2013, Deirdre Newall has developed the TPo8 musical project in ever inventive ways with a growing spicy mix of collaborators. Operating as a collective, the current line up consists of Newall (Delgirl), Grant Ramsay (Swampy), Chris Heazlewood (King Loser), Elise Allen (The Scruffs), Sam Wilkinson (Von Klap), Chris Schmeltz (Whiskey & the Wench) and Rosa Cameron (Sky Bus).
Radio NZ host, Nick Bollinger, describes the sound as “Delta Swamp Blues with a touch of improv Jazz” but Newall coined the term “Psychedelic Folk” to describe a blend of folk incorporating experimental blues and rock. A series of gigs at the Crown Hotel in 2012 tested the musical theory and what developed out of this creative primal ooze was also the notion of a collective of musicians instead of a traditional fixed group. ABOUT THE MUSICIANS DEIRDRE NEWALL started life as a 2nd double bassist in an experimental jazz group and prior to this was a punk rocker, so go figure… CHRISTOPHER HEAZLEWOOD’S credentials include playing bass for Psychic Maps, stoned guitar with Peter Gutteridge and releasing records for the Flying Nun label with the King Loser outfit. GRANT RAMSAY aka SWAMPY - and another guitar god - performs solo as well as with Newall and other Dunedin musicians. ELISE ALLEN is harmonica player to die for and is also a multi-instrumentalist. SAM WILKINSON is a songwriter and another multi-instrumentalist whose current musical moniker is Music Sux, CHRIS SCHMELTZ is an extraordinary percussionist tapping out a textural tempo on unusual objects. ROSA CAMERON is a natural double bassist with all the attitude you could ever hope for and an absolute pleasure. https://www.facebook.com/tinypiecesof8 |
Lynley Caldwell and Bridget Ellis
New acoustic duo Lynley Caldwell and Bridget Ellis take you on a journey from sealing to space travel. Singing rich harmonies, their voices draw listeners in. Beguiling arrangements for voice, harp and guitar are sometimes surprising, always strong. Original and recovered songs pass through celtic, jazz and contemporary kiwi styles to lead you to a satisfying destination. Lynley and Bridget have engaged audiences across Waitaki over the last year. Together they bring a lifetime's worth of musical experience to share with you. The pair plan to record and tour their music this year and are delighted to be part of Winter Whitestone 2014. |