From Australia
SLIM PICKENS & DR. BAZ
Acoustic Country Blues, Western swing, Cajun grooves ....
DR.
BAZ - Piano-accordian, guitar, vocals
Byron
Bay, NSW is one of the most vibrant music scenes in Australia, well known
to travellers from all over the world. Dr. Baz has been one of
the originators of creative music in the Byron region since the early
80's, the first musician to play at the famous Railway Friendly Bar and
John "Strop" Cornell's Beach Hotel, Baz has played in a
huge variety of combos showcasing the talent that has emanated from this
unique part of the world.
Baz
has won four North Coast Entertainment Industry Association's
"Dolphin" Awards, including 2 for Best Blues Artist,
as well as numerous other awards for his songs and soundtracks. While best
known as an accomplished guitarist, and boogie woogie piano player, Dr.
Baz takes up the accordian for his partnership with Slim, to create a
vibrant and rhythmic Cajun Delta Blues sound.
Dr.
Baz has had an interesting musical career with some fascinating credits to
his name. He acted in the original Aussie production of "Jesus
Christ Superstar" and "Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolour Dreamcoat" in Sydney, and has written several
musicals and an opera, which have been performed and recorded. He played
bass with chart-topping 70's pop group the Ferrets. He has opened
for blues legends John Hammond, and Ry Cooder (at the Palais
Theatre in Melbourne), as well as with his group Giant Steps
supporting eminent Australian acts including Cold Chisel, Dragon, the
Black Sorrows, & the Divynals. He was musical director /
guitarist for the legendary Eartha Kitt on her 1992 Australian
national tour, which included a nationally televised live performance at
the Gold Coast International Jazz & Blues Festival.
He
has been a recording artist for R.C.A. International and performed on the
legendary Australian music-industry television show Countdown on
the ABC.
Baz
set up the first Aboriginal music recording facility for the
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association in Alice Springs. and has
since had extensive experience recording Australian Aboriginal music.
Dr. Baz has recently recorded an album of his original classical guitar music compositions entitled Pieces of Gold
SLIM
PICKENS - Steel
Resonator and trad. guitars, bass, stomp box, vocals
"Foot
stompin grooves, bareboned Delta fingerpickin styles and smooth
vocals"
is how Mark "Radar" Watson describes Slim's debut album "Chicken
Soup". Slim got into blues as a teenager in the 60's and played
guitar in a couple of bands before switching to bass at age 18.
Since
then he has played many styles of music from rock to jazz, Irish music,
folk music, reggae and funk. He toured Australia continually for 3 years
in the 70's with a funk band from Perth in Western Australia. Since then
he has studied music in India in the 80's, picked up more
instruments...mandolin, sitar, dulcimer, didgeridoo, Double Bass and
recorded several albums. He has written and recorded the soundtrack for an
ABC television documentary "Trek".
His
first solo album Chicken Soup has been heard on Blues radio shows
in Argentina, Denmark, Germany, and the USA as well as in Australia. In
2003 he signed a publishing deal with the ABC and had one of his recorded
tracks played in New York as part of the September 11th Commemoration
ceremony.
Slim's
song "Who Cares" went to No.1 on the Blues Charts of
the popular American web-site garageband.com.
Another of his songs "Losin' Sleep" has been getting
national airplay on ABC radio.
Slim is currently working on his second solo album.
Available
in duo format or with Errol Walsh for selected appearances.