Who plays on these albums?
On the album "Crossing the dirty river" we brought into the studio some of the same musicans from the first album " Read the Road Signs"
Robbie Duncan (engineer)
Mark Laurent and Brenda Liddiard (guitar / mandolin)
Michael Petrie (guitar / vocals)
Ray Ahipene-Mercer (guitar)
Lester Mundell (harp)
Richard Klein (fiddle)
Blair Latham (sax)
backing vocalists Laura Collins and Chris Price
The new team members on "Crossing" are:
Elliotte Fuimaono and George Barris (bass)
George Westrop and Des Mallon (drums and percussion)
Alan Galloway and Cindy Muggeridge (keyboards)
Catherine BB Bowness (banjo)
Marian Carter-Price (clarinet)
Robbie Duncan- Braeburn Studio engineered, mentored, mixed and mastered all the songs. He also is a fine musican, a member of Waiting for Donald and he plays many solo gigs. His first solo album is called 'The Sound of the Sound' and his new album will be out very soon.
Des Mallon and George Westrop shared drumming duties for "Crossing the dirty river". They are both from North Wellington, highly regarded musicians and great to work with. Thanks guys.
Elliotte Fuimaono is the bassist for "Crossing the dirty river". A fine local musician, he is a very busy man playing for just about everyone in town. A gem!
The drummer and percussionist for the first album is Steve Cournane. He is also the drummer for the award winning CL-BOB jazz band. Go to the LINKS page to read more about Steve and CL-BOB. Amongst other NZ bands such as The Windy City Strugglers, Steve has worked for the Laura Collins Band and is a first class composer of fine music.
Clinton Brown played bass on Read The Road Signs and also contributed production advice throughout the recording and mixing of the project. A well respected member of the established New Zealand music scene, Clint has been the bass player for many bands including the 1974 sensation Rockinghorse and the Sharon O’Neill Band in the 1980s. These days he is playing bass for the Wayne Mason Band and his own Irish pub band called Mickey Finn.
Laura Collins sings backing vocals on 4 of my songs; Power of the People, Resurrection, My Paradise, and Dreaming Fool. Her website is on the LINKS page.
She has two albums out and she also runs the Ruby Lounge www.therubylounge.co.nz
Bob Smith is an established musician who has played since the 1970s in bands such as Human Instinct, Karma, Shotgun and the Sharon O’Neill Band touring with her through Australia. On 'Crossing the dirty river' and 'Read the Road Signs' Bob plays his atmospheric Hammond keyboards through a Leslie speaker, creating whirling sounds that transport the listener back to the 60s and 70s. It took 4 guys to get that speaker up the path and into Braeburn Studio! Thanks Bob for creating such brilliant 'feel' on my songs.
Mark Laurent is a gifted guitarist whose playing features on both my albums. When I first met him in the early 70s in Auckland, he was playing in a rock n' roll band. He now focuses more of his playing and singing around acoustic guitars and lutes. Mark is a superb songwriter. When he plays guitar all the young dudes line up in front of the stage and watch his flying fingers.
Throughout New Zealand and the UK Mark appears solo and in a duo with his partner Brenda Liddiardand also in a quartet called Waiting For Donald, which includes Robbie Duncan, Brenda Liddiard (who sings BVs on Resurrection and My Paradise) and Chris Price (who sings BVs on Carol’s song My Paradise). The website for Mark and Brenda is featured on the LINKS page.
Ray Ahipene-Mercer plays electric guitar on the songs 'Messy Girl', 'Kicking & Screaming' and 'Freeze Frame'. Ray is also a well known NZ musician; his band Dedikation had chart-topping hits. He is a luthier [guitar craftsman] of renown. His legendary acoustic guitars are sought after worldwide. He is also a guitar doctor and, lucky for me, Martin guitars are his specialty. Ray is lead guitarist for my band Blue Highways. He is also a pro-active Wellington City councillor who supports conservationist issues, has an expertise in caring for injured 'little blue' penguins and to top it off is a member of the classic cars club- he renovates and builds his own cars. Busy guy!
Lisa Tomlin has sung for the NZTV show Dancing with the Stars and is a gifted and soulful singer who performs for many bands and musical events around New Zealand such as Fat Freddy's, Shaken Not Stirred, and Rhombus. Not only has she sung with Diva Mahal but she has her own fan base and is a recognised 'Diva' within New Zealand.
Paddy Burgin is a luthier, a teacher, a musician and a band leader. Go to the LINKS page to see his work and read about his latest musical projects. He crafts and plays Weissenborn slide guitars, two of which he has sold to the famous musician David Lindley. Paddy's Weissenborn creates a unique sound and atmosphere on my song Eastbourne Jetty. He is a member of the band Live Bait along with Bernard Wells and Ruairidh Morrison who both play on my song Resurrection. Paddy also has a band called The Dunstan Rangers who have just released a great [and quirky] CD called Unhugged.
Blair Latham on saxaphone was an active member of the New Zealand jazz community but now lives in mexico with his wife and daughter. His NZ band was called Arc Trio but Blair played with many other line ups. He composes and plays avante garde jazz...jazz that transcends the listener into exciting and challenging arenas of music.
Michael Petrie is a Wellington-based electric guitar player with great talent and spontaneity. With his inherent understanding of all genres of music, he can fearlessly step off the deep end of a song and play like one possessed! His instinctive licks, chops, and grooves are accompanied by a life-long knowledge of guitar techniques. He performs for David Greer Music playing guitar and singing for many nationwide musical events. He also guests quite often for my band Blue Highways.
Richard Klein on fiddle has his own band called the AR-Kay Cajun Band. He is from New Jersey and has lived in Europe and travelled the world learning and playing different styles of fiddle. His two favourites styles are Swedish fiddle [which he plays on Do You Remember Me] and Cajun. He often teams up with NZ musicians Wayne Mason and Simon Burgess to play for Cajun dances. He and his wife Pia own an award winning Italian restaurant in Wellington called Maria Pias Trattoria. Along with the music comes the fabulous food and the fine wines- great friends to have!
Lester Mundell on harmonica is my partner. He started playing harp while in jug bands in Palmerston North during his student days in the late 60s. Lester and I have had a fine time over the last 20 years creating musical events for many musicians and friends as well as playing in our band.
John Broadbent plays the second harmonica on my song Saying No. He and Lester traded off harp licks and build up the energy for that song. On stage their harp showdown takes the roof off! John guests with Blue Highways but mainly he has his own band the Eastborne Burough Council Band.
Jyoti Verge is my eldest daughter and sings backing vocals for Being in the Right Place in harmony with Steve Cournane. In the last chorus of that song we clap hands together to build the vibe and she calls out 'rock this place' with great gusto. When she's in town I get her up on stage. |
