All I want for Christmas
Jess Chambers
with special guest Samuel F. Scott
Following her sold-out show in September Jess Chambers returns to Wellington’s San Francisco Bathhouse on
December 13th to celebrate the festive season with an evening of her enchanting music starting at 8pm.
Featuring special guest Samuel Flynn Scott Phoenix Foundation front-man as the opening act, Jess' band is a collective of stellar musicians including members of the Woolshed Sessions, Phoenix Foundation and Fly My Pretties.
With some cabaret style seating and an early summer evening start, this promises to be a merry little night of music.
San Francisco Bathhouse, Sunday 13th Dec
Doors 7.30pm, gig starts at 8pm
Tickets $20.00 - pre-sales from Iticketexpress
"They have captured this place (Golden Bay), holding it spinning in their senses and allowing it to burst forth as music."
The Nelson Mail
"...from the awesome guitar riffs to the instantly catchy lyrics this haunting and melodic album gets better every time I listen to it." CHB Mail
"Song highlights include ...the heartfelt voice of Age Pryor (Waterfalls) and the sensationally sexy, yet fragile tones of miss Jess Chambers (On Stringing me along).
A fantastic little album that should really lift your spring/summer to new levels of happiness."
Texture
"Gently melodic songs full of hooks and swathed in rich, warm harmonies."
the Listener
Winner of the ‘APRA Best NZ Country Song of 2009’
at the recent Golden Guitar Awards in Gore
Finalist for the APRA ‘Silver Scroll Award’ 2009
“I'm not aiming for perfection, I'm trying to capture the
essence of a feeling…I write music intuitively,
almost unconsciously, it's a weird and wonderful thing." Jess Chambers on the mystery of music, Exposure Magazine
Love Jess Chambers
Born to an American mother and Kiwi father, Jess Chambers spent equal time growing up in sunny California and the
chilly South Island of New Zealand before settling in Wellington. In the close-knit and vibrant environment of
New Zealand’s creative Capital, the singer/songwriter seamlessly bonded with like- minded musicians and established
herself as a solo and collaborative artist.
As a solo artist, Jess Chambers shines lyrically with her heartfelt compositions and exceptional vocal talent. She’s
performed nationwide as well as opening shows for international names such as The Fleetfoxes (Seattle), K.T. Tunstall
(UK), Sarah Harmer (Can) and hometown favourite Bic Runga (NZ).
In July 2008 the release of her debut solo album 'Jess Chambers and the Firefly Orchestra' garnered her critical
acclaim throughout NZ. Working with producer and guitar virtuoso Justin ‘Firefly’ Clarke the 'Orchestra' was brought together featuring more of Wellington’s finest musicians including,
Samuel Flynn Scott (Phoenix Foundation), Rio Hunuki Hemopo (Fat Freddy’s Drop, Trinity Roots), Tessa
Rain (Fly My Pretties) and Andy Hummel (Rosy Tin Teacaddy).
In the vein of Gillian Welch and Joni Mitchell, the album and live show shimmer with melody and lyrical honesty, the
layers of strings and lush guitars delicately counter-balanced by Taonga Puoro (traditional Maori flute) played by Al
Fraser.
The sense of community is palpable, especially on Jess Chambers’ captivating composition 'Island', a finalist for the
2009 APRA ‘Silver Scroll Award’. The song ends with an all ages sing-along combining the sweet sound of seven year
old Grace Ewens the lilting vibrato of Tessa Rain and the deep bass tones of Rio Hemopo.
'Jess and the Firefly Orchestra' made their presence felt at WOMAD 2008, their two live shows receiving standing
ovations. In the same year her song ‘Island’ was chosen by the Green Party as the soundtrack behind
their election campaign. Although not overtly political in her song writing, Jess has an acute awareness of our
responsibility to the earth and our need to protect and respect our environment.
The roster of other musicians and bands Jess Chambers works with include Rhian Sheehan, Module, and The
Upbeats, and her voice can be heard on remixes by electronica artists Minuit, Antix and Swedish trancers The Phony
Orphants.
Her latest collaboration is with ‘The Woolshed Sessions’, a band that grew from a jam in a former shearing shed in
Takaka Valley and featuring some of New Zealand’s most respected independent musicians: Age Pryor, Andy
Hummel, Justin Firefly Clarke, Peter Hill, Lee Prebble, Brett Skinner and Al Fraser.
Their low-fi recordings captured the ambient resonance of the space the music was created and recorded in – a
converted woolshed with bare timber floors, lined with plywood and clad in corrugated iron. Celebrating original New
Zealand songwriting, the limited edition album and live shows have also been critically acclaimed, with Jess Chambers playing an integral part in
the bands success, bringing to the project her most up-lifting, almost pop flavoured songs to date, of which ‘Stringing Me
Along’ won the APRA ‘Best NZ Country Song of 2009’
at the recent Golden Guitar Awards in Gore.
The Woolshed
Sessions was also nominated for ‘Best Roots Album 2009’ in the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.
Reviews of the 'Jess Chambers and the Firefly Orchestra'
Album
"Sweet soothing music from a rising local talent…The Wellington singer
and songwriter set out to make an album of comforting music and spent
five years searching for the right sound to accompany her delicate-yet-
dynamic voice, a voice that soars lightly to hit the impossibly high notes of
Reaching for the Moon and just as easily swoops down to the sultry, lower
register of Soldiers." Rating * * * * New Zealand Herald
"This album is one precious taonga" Groove Guide
"A splendidly lyrical and haunting piece of work...there's no denying it's
brilliant” Salient Magazine
“Jess had the opportunity to perform two shows at WOMAD 2008 with a
full nine-piece band. Delivering two stunning shows, Jess and band
received standing ovations from the audience. A response that alludes
towards a very very bright future for this infectiously
irrepressible young singer.” New Zealand Musician Magazine- June 2008
Thanking you so much for sharing your absolutely beautiful, soulful and precious voice! Angelic :) Happy touring of the beautiful South. Blessings* Aroha* Appreciation *
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Hi sexy. From The Smiles
