Our acts have been as busy as we are on The Blues Train. Check out what some of the musos have been doing with themselves...
Whilst we've been rockin' the rails the past few months, our stable of musicians have been keeping busy. Here is a snapshot of what some of our musos have been up to of late:
Jimi Hocking
Jaimi Faulkner
Lloyd Spiegel
Jarrah Thompson
Mr Black & Blues
George Kamikawa
Mia Dyson
JIMI HOCKING
Jimi has been a busy lad of late, rejoining the Screaming Jets as well as his ongoing association with the Melbourne Old School Skaters.
Screaming Jets re-united
In the mid-1990's Jimi was hired as lead guitarist for the popular Australian rock band The Screaming Jets. For four years Jimi toured with the band and played lead guitar, mandolin and keyboards on their 1995 Top 5 'Self-titled' album, as well as the follow up release 'World Gone Crazy', receiving two gold records for his efforts. Jimi has recently rejoined the Screaming Jets, with extensive touring scheduled for 2010.
Melbourne Old School Skaters (MOSS)
If performing is not enough, Jimi is also a member of MOSS. The MOSS calendar culminates in the Melbourne Old School Skaters Skate Jam, raising funds for the construction of water tanks in Swaziland. See the MOSS Water Project website for more information
JAIMI FAULKNER
He's been a regular fixture on The Blues Train for a number of years now, so it is with a little sadness that we farewell Jaimi Faulkner for now as he heads to Germany, to further his already exceptional musical career.
"It's a big move i know, but Im really happy to be doing it... Over the last three years, Ive been really enjoying touring in Europe and have always wanted to spend some time living overseas. So I figure its now or never!!".
We wish Jaimi the best of luck!
LLOYD SPIEGEL
Speaking of Germany, Lloyd truly demonstrated his commitment to the show, performing aboard The Blues Train with little sleep after catching a flight from Germany to Australia that very day!
Lloyd was in Germany representing Cole Clark guitars at the huge Musik Messe trade show.
He'll now take some time out to finish and promote is new cd "Tangled Brew".
JARRAH THOMPSON
Since his blazing debut release, 'Stargazer', Jarrah Thompson has toured Australia extensively, with a number of shows on The Blues Train. Pegged as the "next big thing for sure" by Hugo T, Jarrah and his new band line-up are gearing up to jet across the globe to record in the land of salsa and samba, Brazil.
With a plethora of new material up his belt, Thompson reveals this will be a "much more personal album with real events and real experiences. The new album will be one Thompson has wanted to write for many years but never had the platform.
You can catch the Jarrah Thompson band again on The Blues Train as part of the 2010/11 Season. Check our Dates page for shows.
MR BLACK & BLUES
Returning to Australia in 2009, after 10 years in Europe, Mr Black & Blues has joined The Blues Train roster with loads of shows over the coming season.
After five months of touring, starting out with the headline at Spitz Festival of Blues in the UK and then all around Australia, Mr Black & Blues "The Morning Light" album launch national tour has seen him play just shy of 70 shows to audiences great and small.
"The Morning Light" album features some of the UK’s most experienced musicians: Zeke Manyika (Paul Weller, Style Council, The The, Kate Bush,) on drums, Double bassist Miles Danso, leader of The Spitz Jazz Collective (still London’s longest running jazz residency), and Greenpeace author, Lorne Stockman on harmonica.
The first leaves of Autumn have always been a sign to move on and for Mr Black & Blues that means slowing down the gigs a little to focus on writing and recording the next record.
You can catch Mr Black & Blues as he celebrates the end of "The Morning Light" tour at Fitzroy's Rainbow Hotel Saturday 24th April, or check out our Show Dates page for his upcoming Blues Train shows.
GEORGE KAMIKAWA
George has been keeping busy, with recent dynamic performances at WOMADelaide
World Music Festival in South Australia this March joined by renowned instrumentalist Noriko Tadano.
Combining Noriko's ability and drive to cross over between traditional and modern Japanese music with the Tsugaru Shamisen (Japanese Banjo) and George's raw blues performances, this is a side of George's music well worth a look.
George has also recently released his latest CD (with the Bellarine Railway yards featuring on the cover) and can still be spotted on occasion busking in the Burke St Mall.
MIA DYSON
A Blues Train act of old, Mia Dyson has recently signed a management deal with Dave Stewart’s (of Eurythmics fame) company Weapons of Mass Entertainment (WME).
“My focus now is to bring Mia onto the main stage and show the world this artist’s massive capabilities as a performer and recording artist.” “Having Mia on my roster is like having a young Springsteen or Chrissie Hynde,” said Stewart.
“Believe me when I say her next album will explode her into people’s consciousness, not only musically, but with a visual assualt that will bring a whole new audience.”
After relocating to the USA early 2009, ARIA Award winner, Mia Dyson has spent the past year, touring America and settling down. Mia starts working early 2010 on her new album under the creative guidance of Stewart.
Mia's dad, Jim Dyson, continues to perform regularly on The Blues Train with the Tuff Tones and Chubby Rae & the Elevators.