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Tony Cox

South African Acoustic Guitarist - Tony Cox

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Born in Zimbabwe and now residing in Johannesburg South Africa, multiple award-winning acoustic guitarist Tony Cox has become a veritable icon of the instrument in his own country. And now the guitarist seems to be working his particular six-string magic further a-field. As of late, he has undertaken regular forays into Europe and Canada and has seen a loyal fan-base begin to develop in the UK, Germany and Canada.When he was just nine years old Tony Cox began, incredibly, learning and playing the Hawaiian guitar in what was then Rhodesia. This was brought about by one Archie Pereira arriving from Lisbon and for reasons unknown decided to settle in the backwater of Kwe-Kwe, a town 20 miles away from Cox’s mining-town birthplace, Redcliff.In his teens and after Archie disappeared back to Lisbon, Cox changed to a conventional guitar style and later studied the classical guitar for an intensive 2-year period. In 1969 the family left Rhodesia to settle in Cape Town South Africa and it is here the young guitarist really started to absorb and assimilate the multi-textured rhythms and facets of the rich, indigenous music of his upbringing and surroundings.He began to compose his own music early and immediately charged it with the African imagery that is very much a part of this unique guitar player’s world perspective. Using all the finger-style techniques he had absorbed over the years from such greats as Leo Kottke and Bert Jansch, Cox honed and developed a style all his own. With the rigorous precision of classical technique Cox’s music tumbles out at you, hitting your tapping feet with its solid groove and taking your heart and mind on harmonic journeys they have not been ...Tony Cox on-stage is as warm and engaging with his audience as he is off-stage. Telling stories and anecdotes, he draws a person in and you find yourself listening really closely to a tune you may never have heard before and then being punched in the solar-plexus at the power and delivery of that tune.Besides being a powerful solo performer Cox has collaborated and recorded with many other musicians to produce two award-winning albums and a string of nominations. ‘China’ (SA slang for friend) is just such an album. He recorded it in 2002 featuring many of the cream of SA musicians and is a great example of Cox’s ability to work beyond the confines of solo guitar playing. The album won the ‘best instrumental’ category at the 2003 SAMA awards.In late September 2007 Cox will be performing at the ‘Open Strings International Guitar Festival’ in Osnabrueck, Germany and will do a small tour directly before and after the fest. November will see this African guitarist in Canada where he is booked to perform a 23-theatre tour of that country.WHAT THEY SAY OVERSEAS'There have been many excellent performances in the Evergreen Theatre this last year but this concert by Tony Cox must surely be one of the highlights' Steve Kennard, Evergreen Theatre, Margaretsville, Nova Scotia, Canada - Nov 2007'Lewes Guitar Festival has been delighted to invite guitar maestro Tony Cox to perform twice at our festival over the last few years - he's simply an entrancing performer who has that special knack of engaging all his audience while at the same time delivering a highly skilled and entertaining show. Highly recommended...' Laurence Hill, Festival Director, Lewes, UK - 2006 ‘On behalf of the Cornwall Folk Festival organizing committee I would like say a big thank you for contributing towards the success of our festival with your excellent performances. Your guitar playing is unique and was the hit of the festival’ Alan Collins, Festival Committee, Cornwall, UK - 2006WHAT THEY SAY AT HOME‘Tony conjured up varying moods and layers of emotion and swept the audience along from American Blue Grass to the camp grounds of Shongweni, to the turbulence of life on Zimbabwe’s farms’ The Highway Mail – 2007‘Put a party together and go have your mind blown to bits (and reconstructed) by a musician who is well on his way to becoming a living legend’ Daily News – 2007‘Tony Cox is something of a phenomenon in the world of guitar music’ The Mercury - 2006‘Be prepared to be wooed by Tony Cox’s musicianship and blown away by the sheer mastery of his playing’ Durban D’arts - 2005VIDEOSBush Telegraph - Tony Cox in concert at the Leipzig Library Hall, Germany - Oct 2007You Asked For It - Tony headlining the Splashy Fen Festival in the Drakensberg mountains KZN 2007Tony at the Lewes International Guitar FestivalMuizenberg (The Purple and Soda)

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Member Since: 2/7/2007
Band Website: tonycox.co.za
Band Members:ALBUMSIn-To-Nation 1991Cool Friction 1996 BUYLooking for Zim 1998 BUYAquarian Quartet 2000 BUYMatabele Ants - 2001 (SAMA award-winner - 'Best Instrumental') BUYAbout Time 2002 BUYThe World In A Guitar 2002 BUYChina 2003 (SAMA award-winner - 'Best Instrumental') BUYThe Very Best of Tony Cox 2004 BUYCD/DVD Tony Cox Live at the Grahamstown Festival of the Arts 2005 BUYBLUE ANTHEM featuring Benguela, (2008 SAMA award-winner - 'Best Instrumental') BUY
Resize Images Online AUDIENT 2008 (The very latest live album! Only available at shows)
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Influences: Archie Pereira, Reuben (our Major Domo), Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Bert Jansch, Egberto Gismonti, Sakile, Hugh Masakela, Keith Jarrett, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Leo Kottke, Jannie Hofmeyr, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Doc Watson, Bob Dylan, Ali Farka Toure, Sipho Mchunu, Wood, Water, Birdsong, Deserts, Trees, Wide Open Spaces, Apartheid, Cruelty, Passion, Injustice, Kindness, Compassion, Love

Sounds Like: a runaway train; a nest of ants; a dirty city; the Karoo at dusk; a Zulu impi; children; a street carnival; a long, hot, slow day; a psychotic sewing machine and a packet of slap (pr: slup) chips with lots of vinegar and salt...
Record Label: Instinct Africaine
Type of Label: Indie