Aaron West & the Custodians | Musician/band
Aaron West & the Custodians
Reviews
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25.01.2022 Flashback #5: For my money, Little Richard was the king of rock 'n' roll. We're going back to a Custodians gig in 2016 with Jo Doyle, Dean Gray, Melanie Viethee...r, Shannon Marshall, Matty C, Joseph Roberts, Jeff Reid, Greg Lyon, Wil Sargisson, John Whyte and Terepai Richmond. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal.
23.01.2022 Flashback #4: We're going back to 2016, to the days of the Custodians. We were fortunate to have Scott Hills & Terepai Richmond do the vast majority of gigs on ...drums - but we were also lucky to have some cool drummers like Paul Hudson, James Sandon, David Sanders & Joseph Marchisella in the drum chair at various times. This clip features Uncle Terepai. Greg Lyon, John Whyte, Wil Sargisson, Shannon Marshall, Joseph Roberts, Jeff Reid, Matty C, Melanie Vietheer, Jo Doyle, & Dean Gray were all on this gig, as well. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal. Tristan & Cheryl; Tiaki Mana gets a shoutout early in the video.
23.01.2022 Justin Stephenson singing 'Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing' - a track from Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key Of Life album. This is a tune that never ...gets covered. It has lyrics in three different languages; Zulu, Spanish and English. This is from the second Stevie Jam in Brisbane with Walker Russ, Jo Doyle, Thomas Stowers, Melanie Vietheer, James Feagai, Nathaniel Andrew, James Sandon and I. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood and Mark Smith.
21.01.2022 Flashback #6: Still one of my favourite singers after all these years of working together. I'm not sure what year this was. It was at a fundraiser for Jude Hanl...on. The line-up appears to be: Kevin Keepa out front The late David Ades on sax Max Stowers on bass It might be John Whyte miming on keys Juan Muzzio on congas Saia Hanlon on drums Me on gat
20.01.2022 I only recently found out that Albert King tuned down to C# with some funky, unique tuning. I always assumed that he could bend the shit out of the strings beca...use he was such a huge guy. Plus, playing upside down might help. Here's an old Albert King track from the blues gig we did at BJC with Kirk Lorange, Chris Stevenson, John Whyte, Chris Pearson & James Sandon. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood, Mark Smith, Jim Kelly & Jules Kelly.
20.01.2022 If you hate guitars then you'll really want to avoid this gig: September 18th at Brisbane Jazz Club; we'll be playing a bunch of old blues tunes. Guitars - Chri...s Stevenson, Kirk Lorange, Louie Shelton, Matt Smith & I. Keys - John Whyte Bass - Chris Pearson Drums & Stuff - James Sandon Due to Covid laws there is limited tickets available.
18.01.2022 Share it all around, folks. A little taste of the upcoming live blues album, which will be up on Spotify, iTunes etc. in 2 weeks. Covering an old Freddie King t...une with Kirk Lorange, Chris Stevenson, John Whyte, Chris Pearson and James Sandon. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood, Mark Smith, Jim Kelly and Jules Kelly.
17.01.2022 An old Robert Johnson tune. We're doing it all again next month at Brisbane Jazz Club. The band will be bigger, the audience will be smaller. I don't want to gi...ve too many details away because I'm not sure if tickets are available yet. This footage is from the gig we did in January. Kirk Lorange & Chris Stevenson on their guitars. Chris Pearson, James Sandon & John Whyte were at the bar. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood & Mark Smith.
17.01.2022 It should be up on iTunes, Spotify etc. in about a week, or so. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Adrienne Morgan, Jim Kelly & Jules Kelly.
15.01.2022 I'm thinking I might put up some dodgy old footage from gigs throughout the years in the coming weeks/months. In the meantime, here's a clip from the 2nd Stevie... Jam in Brisbane; Stevie Wonder's 'For Once In My Life'. Don't ask me why Melanie Vietheer sings the low part and Walker Russ takes the high part - anything can happen on these jam gigs. Justin Stephenson, Jo Doyle, Thomas Stowers, James Feagai, Nathaniel Andrew and James Sandon were also on the gig. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood and Mark Smith.
14.01.2022 Kirk Lorange in action. We'll be doing it all again with more guitars on September 18th at Brisbane Jazz Club. This footage is from the first blues gig with Kir...k, Chris Stevenson, John Whyte, Chris Pearson, James Sandon & I. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood & Mark Smith.
11.01.2022 Chris Stevenson singing 'Bad Is Bad'. James Sandon tearin' it up on saxophone. We all use our voices every day to communicate, and for some of us, to pay the bi...lls. I, like so many, take my voice for granted - I turn up to the gig, the voice works, I get paid, I go home. About 5 years ago I heard through the grapevine that one of my favourite Australian singers, Chris Stevenson, had nodules and could no longer sing. It turned out to be worse than nodules - he had worn the tissue off of his vocal folds and it doesn’t grow back. For those that didn’t get a chance to hear Chris sing back in the day, he had a voice like a V8 engine; serious power, seemingly unlimited range, thick tone, and possibly the best vocal phrasing in the country. It’s been a hard road for him over the last few years re-learning how to sing from scratch. Having to work twice as hard for half the sound. There’s probably multiple morals to this story - all I know is it was so good to hear him singing again. There has been a spate of singers around town having issues with their voices over the last few years, and Chris was kind enough to mention that any singers that want to ask him any questions can hit him up. This track is an outtake from the blues gig we did at Brisbane Jazz Club with Chris, James, Kirk Lorange, John Whyte, Chris Pearson and I. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood, Mark Smith, Jim Kelly & Jules Kelly. Share it around, folks.
10.01.2022 I think the new live blues album will be out tomorrow on Spotify, iTunes etc. I could be wrong... Here's an old tune by Mississippi John Hurt. Kirk Lorange play...s a tasty little solo, along with John Whyte, Chris Stevenson, Chris Pearson and James Sandon. Excuse my abysmal fingerpicking. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood, Mark Smith, Jim Kelly and Jules Kelly.
10.01.2022 Yet another Stevie Wonder tune that hardly ever gets played. This is Justin Stephenson singing 'Send One Your Love' at the second Stevie Jam in Brisbane, along ...with Walker Russ, Jo Doyle, Thomas Stowers, Melanie Vietheer, James Feagai, Nathaniel Andrew, James Sandon and I. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood & Mark Smith.
09.01.2022 The new live blues album will be up on Spotify, iTunes etc. on April 11th. With: Chris Stevenson - Vocals/Guitar Kirk Lorange - Vocals/Guitar ... John Whyte - Piano/Organ Chris Pearson - Bass James Sandon - Drums Me Oh, and DrBob Bass is sitting in on one track. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood, Mark Smith, Jim Kelly, Jules Kelly & Geoff Norris.
04.01.2022 An old Custodians gig with Greg Lyon, Wil Sargisson, John Whyte, Terepai Richmond, Shannon Marshall, Jeff Reid, Joseph Roberts, Matty C, Dean Gray, Melanie Viet...heer & Jo Doyle. There may well be a long distance Custodians reunion on the cards this year. A recording project that involves sending files back and forward has been discussed, and so far Greg Lyon, Wil Sargisson, Scott Hills, Dean Gray, Melanie Vietheer & James Sandon are all onboard. I've tried calling John Whyte's home phone, but he won't answer my calls. Perhaps a few other ex-Custodians might jump on the project, too.
02.01.2022 A classic old blues track. I doubt the Elmore James version of 'It Hurts Me Too' will ever be equalled. A clip from the Blues Night gig in Brisbane with Chris S...tevenson, Kirk Lorange, John Whyte, Chris Pearson, James Sandon & I. A big thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood, Mark Smith, Jim Kelly & Jules Kelly.
01.01.2022 James Sandon on saxophone. I'm not even going to mention him being a year older tomorrow because I'm too nice a person to shame people on the internet. An outta...ke from the Blues Night we did at BJC at the start of the year with Chris Stevenson, Kirk Lorange, John Whyte, Chris Pearson and I. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood, Mark Smith, Jim Kelly & Jules Kelly.
01.01.2022 We're very lucky to have Kirk Lorange living in our part of the world. I've tried, and failed, at nailing the elusive Ry Cooder, Lowell George slide sound - it'...s really not easy. Kirk is one of the few people on the planet I've heard that can effortlessly conjure up the slide guitar sound and feel that you hear on so many classic albums. Here he is singing and playing an old Allen Toussaint tune at the blues night gig at BJC with Chris Stevenson, John Whyte, Chris Pearson, James Sandon and I. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood, Mark Smith, Jim Kelly & Jules Kelly.
01.01.2022 An old Robert Johnson tune. Once again, the Elmore James version of this track is untouchable. Another clip from the blues gig we did at BJC with Kirk Lorange, Chris Stevenson, John Whyte, Chris Pearson & James Sandon. Thanks to Michelle Gonsal, Mal Wood & Mark Smith.
