Acoustic Avalon 2006

Bert Jansch

Bert Jansch, legendary songwriter and guitarist, is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential musicians of all time. Since the mid 1960s generation after generation have been enraptured and amazed by his extraordinary ground-breaking guitar playing and classic emotive songs. Jimmy Page, Neil Young, Nick Drake, Johnny Marr, Bernard Butler and Beth Orton have all been devotees, and today another new generation of musicians and fans, led by Devendra Banhart, are discovering Jansch for themselves.

Bert began performing his unique synthesis of folk, blues and jazz on the folk club scene of the early 1960s, having hitch-hiked to London from his hometown of Edinburgh. His first album, Bert Jansch (played on a borrowed guitar and recorded on a reel-to-reel tape deck in someone’s apartment) was legendarily sold to the Transatlantic label for £100. On its release in April 1965, Bert Jansch caused a sensation for its innovative guitar technique and powerful songs, and it has been phenomenally influential to this day, cited by legions of guitar players (famous and otherwise) as a major inspiration.

More info --> http://www.bertjansch.com/

Thomas Leeb

Austrian born Thomas Leeb plays a style he calls 'the bastard child of acoustic fingerstyle'. This style owes as much to percussive techniques as traditional fingerstyle guitar as his tunes are usually punctuated by slaps, pops and beats. Adding to the overall effect is his frequent use of ringing harmonics. The resulting blur of busy hands and fingers has to be seen to be believed.

His repertoire consists of self-penned numbers, traditional tunes and occasional covers such as Guns 'n' Roses' Sweet Child O' Mine and Bob Marley's I Shot The Sheriff.

Leeb released his first album, the now out of print Reveller, as a precocious 17 year old. However, his unique style didn't come into full force until his 1999 album Riddle. He has since released two further albums Spark in 2004 and Upside Down in 2005.

Along the way he has picked up a number of influential fans such as Eric Roche who was his guitar teacher, "for about five minutes and then I heard him play" and Guthrie Govan who thinks that "what Thomas does on an acoustic guitar probably shouldn't be legal."

More info --> http://www.thomasleeb.com/

Brad Davis

Brad started classical guitar lessons in his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas at the age of five. Shortly after, his brother Greg started on the banjo. Brad realized then that he wanted to pick bluegrass music and so he traded the gut-string classical for a steel-string bluegrass guitar. He began studying the music styles of Flatt and Scruggs, Doc Watson, Norman Blake, Clarence White, Tony Rice, and any other bluegrass he could get his hands on. In 1973 Brad then fell in love with acoustic jazz or (as it is sometimes called) Dawg music.

In 1978 Brad and his brother Greg formed the bluegrass band Ten Degrees and recorded their first record. Ten Degrees hit the bluegrass festival circuit for a number of years. During that time Brad and Greg also performed as a Flatt and Scruggs duo at The Grapevine Opry, a local music theatre. The recording industry in the Dallas-Fort Worth area kept Brad very busy until 1986, when Gary Smith (Ricky Skaggs’s band leader) contacted Brad to join Ricky's hot country band. Excited, Brad wasted no time. He packed up and moved to Nashville Tennessee only to discover that the job was given to another musician. Scrambling for income to pay bills, Brad auditioned and secured a job as a roving fiddle and guitar minstrel at Opryland in Nashville.

Six months later he was offered the lead guitar job with Warner Bros recording artist the Forester Sisters, with whom he toured for five years. In 1992, MCA recording artist Marty Stuart offered Brad a job. Brad began his studio career with Stuart directing. After three years of whirlwind touring, Brad left Marty’s camp in 1994 for a year to tour and record with Sugar Hill recording artist Sweethearts of the Rodeo. With brother Greg now in Nashville, Brad formed the progressive bluegrass band wHITE wATER. In October of ’94 Brad recorded his first solo record and also co-produced a record for the brothers’ new group on Raisin' Cane records.

In November of 1997 Brad became a columnist for Flatpicking Guitar Magazine. In 1995 Marty Stuart contacted Brad about coming back to form a new band, the Rock and Roll Cowboys. During his involvement with the Rock and Roll Cowboys, Brad recorded with Willie Nelson, Pam Tillis, Dwight Yokem, Steve Earl, Travis Tritt, Emmy Lou Harris, Sheryl Crow, Warren Zevon, Joe Diffee, Mark Chestnut, Billy Bob Thornton, and many others. In 2001, while still with the Rock and Roll Cowboys, Brad joined the Earl Scruggs Family and Friends band. Brad recorded his second solo record, his first with FGM Records. Billy Bob Thornton asked if Brad would tour and record with his new rock band, and Brad accepted. In 2002 Brad left the Stuart fold, and in 2003 turned down a touring offer from the Dixie Chicks. But Brad did accept a job offer from mandolin legend Sam Bush, with whom he now tours year round. Brad also tours solo, promoting his new record I'm Not Gonna Let My Blues Bring Me Down on FGM Records.

More info --> www.braddavismusic.com

Chris Newman

As far back as I can remember music has always been around me.  Growing up in the late 50’s / 60’s with two older brothers listening to everything from rock and roll, blues, folk, rock, jazz and classical.

Mum would be in the kitchen listening to jazz on the radio and Dad would be playing his classical guitar or cello elsewhere in the house.

Around 1967 I bought my first decent Spanish guitar and began to learn several classical pieces.

• 1972 – bought a steel strung acoustic and began learning blues and ragtime songs by Rev Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Big Bill Broonzy
• 1974 – formed first band called 'Warlock', playing prog rock covers. First gig we opened for the 'Global Village Trucking Company'.
• 1976 – started playing on the folk and blues club scene, solo and with a band called 'Alimony'.  We played mostly original material with big influences from Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal.
• 1976 – 1986 – During this period I played in various Rock, Blues and Folk Bands, some great and some not so great!
• 1986- joined the 'John Slaughter Blues Band' as second guitar and slide player. Two years later John returned to the 'Chris Barber Band'. We continued working and John would join us between tours with Chris Barber.
• 1989 – met Steve Leonard and formed a Band called 'Kik'. The material was mostly original. We had positive interest from Virgin Records and showcased at the Mean Fiddler - London. We released one single, which received some airplay. Material was recorded for an album but unfortunately it was never released.
• 1991/92 – solo support spots for 'The Climax Blues Band' up and down the Country. Joined the 'Gravy Train' a Band formed by Climax front man Colin Cooper, featuring Pick Withers on drums (Dire Straits). This Band went on to become the 'Mississippi Hounddogs', which featured Terry Butters on piano and Roy Adams on drums, Roger Innis on bass (both from the Climax).
• 1993 – recorded the soul classic 'Wooly Bully' as a member of the 'Soul Survivors' Band, featuring the now infamous Vinnie Jones.  He would occasionally get up and sing with the band and always loved singing this song. The single on Cherry Red Records was released 10 May 1993 and entered the lower reaches of the national chart. Several TV appearances followed on from this.
• 1994/95 – Joined a band with respected jazz/rock drummer Russell Gilbrook, to do Mapex drum clinic tour.
• 1996/97 – Started working more with Terry Butters and drummer John 'Crow' Wright in the 'Terry Butters Band'. Featured on Terry’s album on Redball Records.
• 2000/01 - Worked with Terry and Crow in the TBB. Regular duo gigs with Colin Cooper. Recorded an acoustic tribute to ‘Rory Gallagher’ featuring Terry on piano and the talented harmonica player Steve Lockwood. This album is available on Redball Records
• 2002 - Recorded a 4 track acoustic album, 'Thainoodling', inspired by a trip to Phuket, Thailand.
• 2003 - Played at the Cambridge Folk Festival with guitarist Eric Roche and harmonica player Steve Lockwood. Filmed by BBC tv. Recorded some new material with drummer John 'Crow' Wright for an album later in the year. Also recorded new material for an acoustic album. Went to Ireland in September for a short tour.
• 2004 - Played at the The Ninth Annual British Rory Gallagher tribute concert. Sat 29th May at the Boardwalk Sheffield.
• 2005 - Played at the Rory Gallagher Festival in Philadelphia in February.

Chris Newman appears at Acoustic Avalon courtesy of Collings Guitars.

More info --> www.chrisnewmangrooves.com