LANU

Lanu (pronounced ‘Lar-Noo’) was producer Lance Ferguson’s nickname as a kid growing up in New Zealand, it is also the Tongan word for ‘colour’. Lanu comes from a line of music makers that started with his Hawaiian-guitarist grandfather Bill Wolfgramm who recorded New Zealand’s first ever LP record back in 1956. Now based in Melbourne, Lanu got his start working as in-demand session guitarist in the city’s Jazz/Soul and Funk scene. He has played guitar with artists including; Joe Bataan, Alice Russell, Mark de Clive-Lowe, The Quantic Soul Orchestra, Bembe Segue, Doug Parkinson, Renee Geyer and Los Cabrones. Keeping with the family tradition, Lanu’s first foray into production was producing Australia’s very first Deep Funk 45 with his band The Bamboos in 2001.Lanu’s subsequent productions have been released on labels including Tru Thoughts(UK), Ubiquity (USA), Kaydee(USA), Freestyle (UK), Soul Source (Japan), Equatorial, Local People, Bamboo Shack and Jazzhead (AUS). These releases have received chartlistings and radio play from key tastemakers including; Gilles Peterson (‘Worldwide’ BBC Radio 1), Patrick Forge, Jazzanova, Afronaught, Straight No Chaser Magazine, Quantic, Nicola Conte, Nik Weston, Rainer Truby, Ennio Styles, Keb Darge, Simon Harrison, John Kong, Paul Murphy and Snowboy.Lanu is a co-founder of Melbournes Local People and Equatorial labels, whose releases have put Melbourne on the map for purveyors of quality, soulful club music.Lanu is the bandleader of Australia’s premier Deep funk outfit The Bamboos, whose releases on Tru Thoughts, Ubiquity, Kay-Dee and Bamboo Shack Records have garnered unanimous praise from funk DJs and beat-heads alike.Lanus DJ sets and live shows have been heard around the globe at destinations including London (The Jazz Cafe), Brighton (The Brighton Jazz Rooms), Barcelona, Scotland, Tokyo, Belgium, Ireland, Hong Kong, Shanghai and throughout Australia & New Zealand.Lanu has performed alongside international artists such as Jazzanova, Moloko, Masters At Work, Derrick Carter, Matthew Herbert, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Bembe Segue, Guru, Alice Russell, Quantic, Snowboy, Keb Darge, Chris Lum, and Dynamo Productions.