Blue King Brown

Infobox musical artist
Name = Blue King Brown


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Background = group_or_band
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Origin = Flagicon|AUS Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genre = Roots
Years_active = 2004–present
Label = Roots Level Records
MGM Distribution
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URL = [http://www.bluekingbrown.com Official website]
Current_members = Natalie Pa'apa'a
Carlo Santone
Salvador Persico
Sam Cope
Peter Wilkins
Ngaiire
Haley Cramer
Jess Harlen
Past_members =

Blue King Brown are an active Melbourne-based, Australian blues/roots band. The have released a self-titled EP (2005) and a full length album "Stand Up" (2006).

Biography

Early Days

The two founding and songwriting members of the band, Carlo Santone and Natalie Pa’apa’a commenced playing and song writing on guitar, jamming with residents and itinerants alike in their original base of Byron Bay. They originally performed as a percussion duo and also with "Skin", which became the beginnings of Blue King Brown.

This beats driven collaboration formed many connections within the strong Australian roots scene and were invited to sit in as percussionists with The John Butler Trio at many of their shows, along with countless other guest performances with a number of local and international touring artists over the years.

After moving to Melbourne in 2004 to concentrate on the new collective of Blue King Brown, they recruited a hip, city tinged band and discovered Salvador Persico, now the bands percussionist, whose Latin flavors were the perfect addition to the Blue King Brown sound. Sam Cope is the bands keyboardist and Peter Wilkins is on the drum kit. Recent backing vocalists added to the crew, Hailey Cramer, Ngaiire and Jess Harlen.

elf-titled EP & "Stand-Up"

Success came quickly for the newly formed Blue King Brown, their debut single, "Water", released on their debut self-titled EP, was quickly added to high rotation on Triple J. As well as earning them an APRA Songwriters Award for 2005 and an AIR Chart award in 2006 [ [http://www.air.org.au/index.php?cID=2104&siblingID=&webpage=air_charts&apply=&menuID=509&menubox= AIR Chart Award winners] ] ] .

Blue King Brown's debut, independently released LP, "Stand-Up", (October 2006), sees the band simultaneously becoming more rhythmically and melodically complex. It reconfigures the template Blue King Brown has created in recordings and in numerous sweaty live performances, creating a studio document of many layers and textures, providing great representation of their current sound and future direction. The album was nominated for 2kk006's J Award [ [http://www.triplej.net.au/jaward/stand_up.htm Triple J Award Nomination] ] and their song "Come And Check Your Head" was #100 on the Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2006 [ [http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/ Triple J Hottest 100 list] ] , as voted by the listening public.

“We’ve always been into the 70’s big band thing,” Carlo says. “We’re inspired by people like Femi Kuti and Santana—known for having sizeable bands who aren’t afraid to jam it out and improvise live. We’re always trying to create as big a sound as possible out of our crew. We’re used to doing that, Natalie and I were street performers for many years, working as a percussion duo, so we learnt the art of making something big out of two people. In the recording process we can approach it differently. We got a lot of guests in on the record to really fill it out and expand on the band. Who knows, one day we’ll probably have a much bigger band.”

Still evident are the band’s grassroots politics. Placing their messages front-and-centre seems to have only won them more fans, the band sees no reason to hold back. The band is ethically engaged in every aspect of their art: from their independent releases through to recycled CD packaging and support of number of human rights organisations

Touring

This grassroots (or Roots Level, as their label name has it) approach is also part of their touring ethos. They travel to as many places as they can, breaking new ground with each tour. The band has toured up and down the east coast consistently as both a headline act and in support slots. Blue King Brown have performed at The Falls, East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival, Womadelaide, Woodford Folk Festival, The Great Escape, The Dreaming Festival, the Meredith Music Festival, the Festival of the Sun and Southbound to name a few. Early 2006 also saw them invited to play festivals in Japan and Fiji. They have also participated at the Australian leg of the Live Earth concert in Sydney, performing at the start of the event.

In their short time on the touring circuit, Blue King Brown have established themselves on the Australian indie scene and have amassed a solid national following, as well as sparking international interest, having toured in support of John Butler Trio, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Damian “Jr Gong” Marley, The Cat Empire and Cody Chestnutt.

Members

* Natalie Pa'apa'a - vocals/guitar/percussion
* Carlo Santone - bass
* Salvador Persico - percussion
* Sam Cope - keyboards
* Peter Wilkins - drums
* Ngaiire Joseph - vocals
* Linden Pomare - vocals
* Hailey Cramer - vocals
* Jess Harlen - vocals

Discography

Albums/EPs

*"Blue King Brown" (EP) Roots Level Records (12 September 2005)
*"Stand Up" (Album) Roots Level Records (14 October 2006)

ingles

* "Water"
* "Come Check Your Head (download single) Roots Level Records
* "Stand Up" Roots Level Records (3 March 2007)

References

External links

* [http://www.bluekingbrown.com Official Homepage]
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* [http://www.amo.org.au/artist.asp?id=4361 Blue King Brown] at Australian Music Online
* [http://www.thisisrealmusic.com/worldmusic/bkb.htm T.I.R.M. World Watch - Blue King Brown]