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Al Ward
Acoustic / Blues / Swing



New South Wales
Australia

Profile Views:  2994




Last Login:  7/9/2009
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   Al Ward: General Info
Member Since5/13/2008
Band MembersAl is primarily a soloist, who sometimes becomes Nick Gritti ( Nikolas Zsazsagritti ) for corporate events. At the moment he plays with Blue Mountains guitarist about town Steve Mann, who doesn't mind if Al yodels or imitates a muted trumpet now and then.
InfluencesJerry Jeff Walker and David Bromberg, The Byrds, Marion Henderson, Paul Simon, Gordon Lightfoot, Red Shea, Paul Siebel, Lennon and McCartney, Wendy Waldman, Dan Hicks, Chet Atkins, Willis Alan Ramsay, Joni Mitchell, Doug Ashdown, Mike McClellan, my occasional co-writer and superb guitarist Tony Burkys, Nick Drake, Jose Feliciano, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Leo Kottke, CSNY, Loggins and Messina, Jimmy Webb....LATER...Cab Calloway, Fletcher Henderson, Hoagy Carmichael, Jerome Kern, Fats Waller, Django et Stephan, Geoff Muldaur, Amos Garrett, The Ruttles, The Cheap Suit Serenaders,......AND ALWAYS J.S.Bach, Rameau, Leopold Weiss, Handel, Respighi, Hildegarde of Bingen and lots of others Also artist/cartoonists William Heath Robinson, Mervyn Peake, Arthur Rackham and Rudolph Bresdin. I'm sure I'm forgetting some....thank God for the editing function
Sounds LikeAll of that put in a blender on high and then strained through coarse cheesecloth.
Record LabelBig Owl Music
Type of LabelIndie


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   About Al Ward
Al did his first gig in 1970 and hasn't stopped since then. He plays various acoustic guitars, mandolin, baritone ukelele, banjo, harmonica and mouth tromnet. On some occasions he whistles and yodels, but is sensitive to the needs of others in that regard. First recording from his own stash in 1975, he has had releases on vinyl, cassette and CD. A soloist, band member, session player and sideman, he has seen it from all sides. He writes in many styles and relaxes by drawing cartoons, as you do. Over the years he has played with a who's who of acoustic musicians including Bert Jansch, Tommy Emmanuel, Tom Paxton, Jesse Winchester, Molly O'Brien and Nina Gerber, Rambling Jack Elliott, Dave Swarbrick, Tiny Tim and Ralph McTell. He's played supports for acts as diverse as Leo Kottke and Happy Traum to Ike and Tina Turner and Ry Cooder. Al and his sidekick Dan Johnson came dangerously close to being popular in the late seventies and had to break up. Al then joined a jug and swing band called the Hokum-On-Somble, which also became very popular and had to break up. Since then he has had a fine time with The Other Brothers, Duck Soup and his very close relative Nick Gritti. He moved to the Upper Blue Mountains in 1989 and has been a fixture there ever since, raising three children with his wife Julia, recording a couple of solo CDs and teaching guitar from his home studio. In 1995 Al and Bob Charter started an acoustic music festival in Katoomba which is now in its 14th year. It has become a world class annual event and artists queue up to play because of the quality of programming and production.
www.bmff.org.au
myspace.com/bluemtnsmusicfestival

   Al Ward's Friend Space (Randomized)
Al Ward has 83 friends.
 Luisa Amaro 


 Kavisha Mazzella 


 Claire 


 Iver Olav Erstad 


 Eleanor McEvoy 


 Tippy Canoe 


 The Black House 


 Dave 





Al Ward's Friends Comments
Displaying 22 of 22 comments  ( View All | Add Comment )
David Hylton





Jun 23 2009 6:30 AM

How are you Mr Ward?

DH

Photobucket
Claire





Jun 23 2009 5:31 AM

Lovely photos Daddy!
dj hollerbusch





Mar 23 2009 11:57 AM

Merci beaucoup!!!
Stephen Gerard Hiscox





Mar 16 2009 8:34 PM

Hi Al,
I have a vivid memory (I was an impressionable youth at the time..) of you and Dan Johnson singing Tupelo Honey on a late-night ABC music show (the name of which escapes me...) - I think you helped awaken my love of the mandolin. (And I still have a copy of Aweigh With Words among my mountains of vinyl...) Nice to meet you here, and to see that you're still making music!
All the best from Vienna,
Stephen

Claire





Feb 4 2009 7:39 AM

Louise Evans





Dec 9 2008 10:31 PM

see the folk festival i'm starting next year...
www. kohukohufolkfestival. co. nz

come and do a guest spot with dad!
Claire





Nov 6 2008 4:58 AM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Stevie Coyle





Nov 2 2008 5:09 PM

Claire





Oct 8 2008 10:19 PM

So i didn't do anything but it all appears to be fixed!

xx
Claire





Sep 18 2008 5:52 AM

only my daily list of tasks (which i never get to the end of).
Nikki





Sep 11 2008 6:04 AM

Hey Dad!
Hollie Smith is playing tomorrow (from 8.30pm) at the Clarendon - check her out here: http://www. myspace. com/holliesmithmusic
Hope Julie/Genevieve can make it - tickets are on the way to your place. Call me if you don't receive them and I'll make sure the names are on the door.
Nikki
FROST





Aug 28 2008 1:20 PM

sounds good.
Louise Evans





Aug 16 2008 12:57 PM

well, it's all a bit hasty really. we just weighed up our favourite bit of frozen bovine ammo (Bertha) and assumed she was the same kilos as Daddles. Gave her a bit of a flying lesson. We crushed a small town in Tassie with ole Berths,(holy cow!) so at least we know he can hop the ditch, though we will aim for Katoomba this time.
And no elastic I'm afraid. We got mum to chew up a few sinews and braid em together. Cause we're a feral organic lot....
As for the date? I'll ask the planets when they have a moment.
Louise Evans





Aug 16 2008 12:32 PM

you DO know that Pa-Pa, the great paternal one, is flying your way soon? We're using the biggest trebuchet we can find.
Claire





Aug 14 2008 5:36 AM

It's my theme song for when I'm feeling motivated -
David Hylton





Aug 14 2008 5:12 AM

I think your chronoscoping fabulator is spinning porkies!! I just checked with Meadows jnr and it's been moved to the 21st (a Sunday) so all can relax and enjoy.

Ahhh, Dr Who.... what a legend. I was very disturbed recently to discover Tom Bakers curly hair was actually a wig the whole time. It was like when I found out the Easter Bunny doesn't exist. Disturbing.

DH
Garth Ploog





Aug 14 2008 2:37 AM

Hey Al, Great to have you as part of my friends network. I'm enjoying your music. Best wishes with everything.
G-:)
Blue Mountains Blues





Aug 12 2008 5:27 AM

Hi Al,

Thanks for you add request. I'm enjoying listening to your music. And that page background is VERY different for a music page! :-)

Cheers,
Ron
David Hylton





Aug 12 2008 3:28 AM

About time Mr Ward!!!

Good to hear from you.

I played one of your songs at a gig the other night, "Cradle to the Grave". It was ace! Gets them every time. If I actually got paid I could have given you royalties...heh heh.

Are you coming to Al Meadows party in Balmain next month (Sunday 21st?)? Charlies organizing it. It'd be excellent to see you there.

Stay in touch.

DH

ps...what's a chromatic scale?
Adam Wilkinson





Aug 12 2008 3:23 AM

Thanks for the add Uncle Owl!
Nice songs, I especially like 'Give Me Swing'.

Good luck with the technology

Adam
Louise Evans





Aug 11 2008 9:46 PM

hang on,
did you know that you know what my dad looks like?
Claire





Aug 10 2008 11:35 PM

Thanks for being my friend Al Ward. Did you know you look just like my dad?.....hang on....
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