2007 lineup announced

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Announcing the Lineup for 2007 festival

The Australian Blues Music Festival has proudly announced the lineup of talent for February 2007 in Goulburn. It features the return of some previous Festival favourites as well as the introduction of some stellar new and emerging artists. They are:

8 Ball Aitken & His Band
Allez-Gator
Andrea Marr Band
Andy 'Sugarcane' Collins
Ben Witt & Ivan Zar
Blue Shaddy
The Blue Zone
Col Ray Price/Col Ray & the Scary Cats
Exeter Groove
Extended Family
The Fuelers
Geoff Achison
Good Medicine
Gospel Belles
Heather Frahn Trio
James Michael Thompson
James Southwell Band
Kelly Auty's Wild Women Show
Kerri Simspon
Lloyd Spiegel
Mainline
Marji Curran Trio
Mark Easton Limousine
Mark Vine & the Myx
Men in Blues
Rhys Crimmin
Shannon Bourne
Stevie Paige
Sweet Baby James & Rob Eyers
Wild Turkey
plus more to be confirmed

As the National Festival of Australian Blues Music, the 2007 lineup features a great mix of acoustic and electric acts from across Australia. It also includes local acts such as the young James Southwell Band from nearby Bowning and Exeter Groove from the Southern Highlands. From neighbouring Canberra will come the zany country blues of The Fuelers, folky blues of the Marji Curren Band and the wonderfully danceable Cajun Zydeco blues roots music of Allez-Gator.

A special feature this year will be the West Coast Blues Club showcase. Festival organisers have joined with the blues appreciation society from Perth to bring the Club's house band Mark Vine and the Myx, plus Blue Shaddy and duo act Ben Witt and Ivan Zar to the east coast to give a little taste of the thriving west coast blues scene.

8 Ball Aitken and His Band will be bringing the steamy swamp stomping, wildly spontaneous blues of far north Queensland to Goulburn. They'll be joined by fellow Queenslander Andy 'Sugarcane' Collins who has recently returned from a U.S. tour where his brand of Delta acoustic blues that pays tribute to the bluesmen of the 20s and 30s has gained much critical acclaim and praise that he sounds "so authentic that you'd think he grew up picking cotton by day and belly-fiddle by night near Tutwiler, Mississippi".

Also new this year will be a showcase of acts from Australia's premier blues label - Black Market Music. This will include the vocal driven acoustic groove of the Heather Frahn Trio from South Australia as well as the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society's 2005 Performers of the Year - the Andrea Marr Band.

The last time Geoff Achison performed at the Festival he played with a special guest - his former teacher Dutch Tilders. This year Geoff will return to perform a special duo show with his former pupil, the Festival's patron - Lloyd Spiegel. "Together, these two Victorian guitar virtuosos will set the stage on fire" says Festival Coordinator, Jenny Falconer.

Also returning to the Festival in February will be Kelly Auty's 'Wild Women Show' - a costumed show that pays tribute to the great women singers of the 1920s to 1960s. According to Ms Falconer, "When Kelly performed this show at the Festival in 2004 she had the capacity audience on their feet for standing ovations at every song". Kelly brings with her this year a new show 'Gospel Belles' in which she is joined by the celebrated vocal talents of Kerrie Simpson, Marisa Quigley and Diana Wolfe for a very special collaborative ensemble.

One of the sensations of the 2006 Festival was Adelaide-based blues duo Sweet Baby James and Rob Eyers. They'll be returning in 2007 but this time, James will be wearing a different hat - James Meston is the new Official Ambassador of the Festival. James brings to the position his enthusiasm for Australian blues music and the beautiful city of Goulburn. He shares the Festival's aim to nurture and promote the local industry. "I was honoured, honoured speechless in fact, to be asked to be the Ambassador for an event that I am so passionate about. I've been to blues festivals all over the world, but Goulburn is easily my favourite. It has such a soul to it, such a community behind it and has featured some of the best music I've ever heard. I honestly think that Goulburn should be re-named 'Blues Heaven' during the time of the Festival".

This year, for the first time, 3-Day Passes (9-11 February) will include free entry to the Australian Blues Music 'Chain' Awards and the official opening of the Festival on Thursday night 8th of February. Festival passes will also include free entry to a number of workshops to be held with the artists on the Saturday. There will be markets and free entertainment in the Park on Saturday with a free open mic/jam running all weekend in addition to the Youth in Blues Jam and the annual Pro Jam held at the conclusion of the Festival. Buskers are welcome and will feature at the many cafes and restaurants around Goulburn. There are a number of ticketed venues again this year - all within an easy walk of each other in the historic Goulburn CBD.

The Australian Blues Music Festival is held on the second weekend of February every year. "In 2007" Ms Falconer says, "you'll find young emerging artists sharing the stage with some of Australia's greatest, and the full spectrum of blues in its many forms - from its origins to the music it has influenced - offering a variety that is sure to appeal to every taste." Early Bird 3-Day Passes are on sale now. For more information visit www.australianbluesfestival.com.au or phone free call 1800 353 646.

ENDS [25 September 2006]

Media Interviews:

The Festival Ambassador, James Meston (aka Sweet Baby James) is available for interviews on 0407 404 278.

Goulburn Mulwaree Council's Tourism Events Officer & Australian Blues Music Festival Coordinator, Jenny Falconer i s available for interviews on (02) 4823 4492 .

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