Peter Hunt (vocals, trumpet, acoustic guitar), Lachlan Mitchell (electric guitar), Andrew Stephens (acoustic guitar), Darcy McNaulty (saxophone), Tom Hinchcliffe (bass) and Dominique Hede (drums)
Influences
Miles Davis, Bob Marley, The Wailers, The Roots, Fat Freddies Drop, Max Romeo, Charles Mingus, Mad Lib, Ruby Blue, Marcello Milani, Ravi Shankar, Afro Dizzi Act, The Necks, Bill Laswell, The Cruel Sea, Hugh Maskela, Fela Kuti, Stevie Wonder, Katchafire, John Coltrane, Tinawuran, Ernest Ranglin, Herbie Hancock, The Meters,
Kooii rises from Brisbane and shines a vibe of the city and it’s surrounds. Its music strikes a chord with young and old. Songwriter, singer and trumpet player, Peter Hunt, provides the seeds of most of the groups songs. He is joined by Dom Hede (drums), Tom Hinchliffe (bass), Lachlan Mitchell (guitar), Drew Stephens (guitar) and Darcy McNulty (sax). Together they create the groups’ distinctive flow and sound that reflects the members’ love for reggae, jazz, african and folk music.
Their album ‘Beads on a String’ released in 2005 inspires much interest and respect for the music from general listeners and reviewers in Australia and overseas. Produced by engineer Paul Bromley (current bass player of the Beautiful Girls) and Peter, it is, for many who've heard it, a much-loved collection of songs. There is a timeless quality about the music. Tracks from the album have received airplay in the US, Brazil, UK, Canada, France and community stations across Australia. The album made the top 20 and scored rotation on more than a dozen college stations in the US. They have appeared at festivals across Australia including The Woodford Folk Festival, The Kuranda Reggae Festival, Reggaetown ,Valley Fiesta and the band have toured up and down the East Coast alongside Blue King Brown and more. They were included as part of a compilation for the March 07 edition of the Rolling Stone magazine, featuring prominent Australian artists who have been a part of the John Butler Seed program.
It began some 7 years ago as a duo with the intention to sing simple songs and harmonise. The music still manifests this but reaches further into levels created by the mix of musos now in the group.
Evident in the group’s creating is it’s members familiarity with each other’s playing. This understanding has developed over many years of playing together in this and other groups. Some other bands that kooii shares its members and influences with are Ruby Blue (at www.myspace.com/rubybluesound), Kafka (www.myspace.com/kafkafunk), Kingfisha (www.myspace.com/kingfishamusic) and Mr Laneous and the Family Yah (www.myspace.com/lachlaneous).
Kooii are planning to finish recording their second album in 2009.
Greetings And Gratitude, Respect Raspect I Give Thanks For Reaching Out, Making The Connection And The Friendship !!!!!!! Please Stay Close At JOHNNYALLEN.COM Blessed Love
Brisbane outfit Toy Balloon will release their debut album Toy Division on
November 8 through Lofly Records, and to celebrate will perform an east coast
launch tour throughout November.
Formed in 2007, Toy Balloon was
originally a fledgling two-piece made up by Nimai Etheridge’s uniquely melodic
wall-of-sound guitar and Greg Cooper’s beautiful sequenced electronic
compositions. The band have since matured into a four piece featuring Chloe
Cooper (Mr Maps) on key boards and Ben Green on drums.
The album was
recorded and mixed at the Lofly Hangar in Brisbane, a DIY performance space that
Toy Balloon has been an integral part of creating. Fostering emerging artists
and left-of-centre music, the Hangar acts as a performance space, recording
studio, and meeting place; and has resulted in a record with a rich, layered
sound reminiscent of New Order, Mogwai, Boards of Canada, and LCD
Soundsystem.
Catch Toy Balloon launch Toy Division at a venue near you
this Oct/ November.
TOY BALLOON TOUR DATES:
Brisbane- Thursday 29
October- The Zoo, Fortitude Valley w/ Moon Jog, Tin Can Radio and Doom
Doom.
Sydney- Wednesday 4 November- ‘Upstarts’ at Spectrum, Darlinghurst
w/ Convaire and Black Bear Brown Bear
Sydney- Thursday 5 November- Oxford
Arts Factory, Darlinghurst w/ World Champion and others
Melbourne-
Saturday 7 November- Pony, Melbourne w/ Love Connection and
Aoi
Melbourne- Sunday 8 November- El Joyero, Melbourne
Toy
Division is released November 6 on Lofly Records, with distribution through MGM.
The Lowdown are set to bring the house down at The Joynt once again Friday September 4. This a free entry event and judging from the last couple of shows TLD have done there you best arrive early and in the mood to groove. Music will kick off at 9 with Nicole Mcintyre doing a mellow set of acoustic tunes to ease you into the night. The Lowdown will take the stage around 10 and will be playing an extended set encompassing some new material, freestyles and improvised jams.
Don't miss this as it will be a night to bne remembered.
This is a bound to be a great show.
Come show your support. This may be one of our last Brisbane shows
for a while as we are about to start recording our first full length
album.
Yay! My long lost Kooii brothers coming to play and dance in the hills..... love you guys and miss you mucho..... Will try to get back from Mackay to dance with you in Maleny x
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