bentenlaughing

Jan.s: Peter, we go back to the sixties when you were playing with Max Merritt & The Meteors. I remember you guys either coming to our gig at Romanos for a late night jam with Little Sammy & The In People or us heading around the corner to hear you at one of your gigs...You worked with a variety of bands during that period but I'd like to ask you about the highlights... Peter: Jan, on reflection there have been lots of highlights in many little ways but maybe an outstanding one is that after many years I realised that the first song we (The Groove) recorded in the U.K. when we arrived was done at Abbey Rd., and written by David Most (Mickey's brother) & Clive Westlake called 'How The Web Was Woven'. Initially they were quite enthusiastic about it but later changed their minds & pulled it from us!  Subsequently they gave it to Elvis & he recorded it about a year after us! (and never had success with it anyway!) So we in a sense sung the 'de...

Jan.s: Bill, I believe you grew up in the South...? Were they any direct musical influences from growing up there? Bill: At first, growing up in North Carolina may have been an impediment- as a kid from Pittsburgh, I had some hard times growing up in a community that was still sore over the civil war. I might add that, even though Monk and Coltrane were Carolina-born, they both escaped. There are certain earthy, folksy attributes unique to the south that left a mark on my playing. Back in the 1950s, radio and TV ran a lot of local artists, mostly in the country or R&B genres, and that had to have rubbed off. Still, there wasn’t much jazz in my life until I was well into my teens. My first jazz guitar influence was Kenny Burrell- prior to him, it was all rock ‘n roll, R & B, the Barkays and, of course, Stax session guitarist Steve Cropper. Jan.s: By the late sixties you were working with musicians who were driving more than half the teenager population into reckle...

Jan.s: Evie, we go back a long time, back to the 1960s but I want to begin at a later period, in 1980 when you invited me to visit you in Paris. I've an image in mind of both you and I on the Champs Elysees and then squeezing backstage into a tiny dressing room where you were preparing to go on stage...tell us about this place and what you were doing in Paris? Why Paris? Evie: The club you mentioned was called La Villa D'Este.   In 1968 I visited my sister living in Paris to pursue a modelling career and auditioned for a radio/television show called, ‘La Petite Conservatoire’ which had at its healm a formidable Madame Mireille. She invited me to perform on her show regularly and to tour France. These were my first professional singing jobs and the experience and exposure lead me to a woman, Brigitte Bertholier who was a French music publisher. She gave me original songs to sing and almost a decade later when I returned she signed me to CBS Epic label to record ...

Jan.s: Wendi, you are a renowned healer in the Blue Mountains, you're a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism and you're going through a sea change! Can I ask you about your 'take' on change? Wendi: Here you go Janice.... Thank you for the challenge - it has been good to try and put this in words and to have to think about it. Change? Tricky .... that's like asking a girl what her personal response to infinity is. Its left me gob smacked for a few weeks. Change is one of the constants in our reality at any level. It is something which has fascinated me as long as I remember. Our experience of Consciousness is so linked to our experience of and perception of Self and Other, which is in a state of constant change. This is something I am facing in every relationship. Even the aspects of our lives which we view as static, such as rock,is in a state of ongoing movement and change. In thinking about this question I am returning over and over again to both Science,...

Sending greetings to all on this beautiful sunshine filled Blue Mountains day...I'm enjoying the last of these warm days as autumn approaches...soon it will be a long brrrrr in these here hills... Below you'll find a banner for Art for Cancer which you can click on to see one of my pieces of artwork, along with many other beautiful works by imagekind.com members ..the group has been has been formed by the gracious, Cid Palacio whose work can also be viewed and purchased in this group and site. I'm meeting so many wonderful fellow artists on this site..recently I've come across the beautiful and haunting photography of Ariana who now, as I've learnt also has a blog! Yeah Ariana! http://www.arianasart.blogspot.com/ Please visit us when you can! I'll be back soon with more 'one question' interviews! Wishing all of you well wherever you are....

Jan.s: I'm listening to your CD 'Sunshine Embrace' and I'm enjoying both your bright and sultry vocals and impeccable keyboard skills....There's a lovely mix in these largely self penned tracks of sunny Brasil 66/ Latin crossover; infused with Ozzie know how and your general exuberance...!! Tracey, I'm intrigued...who influenced you vocally? Tracey: I'm so glad you're enjoying listening to Sunshine Embrace, the album was a big healing process at a difficult time and worked like a charm! My younger teenage self was influenced by Joni Mitchell and Bonnie Raitt. I think in later years I am more influenced by some great pianists even vocally, I mean the phrasing and stuff. I play and create melodies on the keys as I sing them, gotta mention Eliane Elias, number 1 favorite and Joe Sample for impeccable phrasing, he phrases like a singer. All the musicians on the album were assembled by Phil (my hubbie). I felt so privileged to work with Jackie Orszac...

Dear Julie Milligan, much loved by all here in the Blue Mountains passed away, last night...but me thinks Julie is still around...her favourite local singer, Robyne Dunn's music just came up on my computer....ah....the Blueys are a mysterious place.... Julie, you will live on in our hearts for countless aeons and may countless blessings be yours in all your future lifetimes....you were gracious and kind to all...and we will miss you sorely.... I can't find the photo I wanted to post of Julie and Robyne, caught by me, spontaneously one lovely Bluey's morning...but it's on this blog... For now...an image of spaciousness...the sky Julie loved so much...here in the Blueys... om mani padma hungs to you and yours Julie....