"Emotionally direct... an intelligent and enticing melange of many
old styles"
Graham Reid, Elsewhere
"Inventive arrangments of old folk songs... Evocative, fresh, and a bit theatrical"
Nick Bollinger - The Sampler, National Radio
"A small yet intricate offering from some very talented folk musicians"
NZ Musician magazine
Oh, what a queer sensation...
Oh, what a queer sensation is Forbidden Joe's debut EP, and is available through Ode Records, so pop into your local record store and order a copy.
It's also available online at . Alternatively, you can get a copy from our concerts, or e-mail us to get one posted to you: [email protected]
Quirky, imaginative and mysterious, the sound of Forbidden Joe will draw you into their unusual world of folk.
Their inventive approach to traditional music, along with their fine musicianship and unique instrumentation (of concertina, cello, trombone and banjo) delivers an unforgettable show of songs and tunes.
New and old material spiced with a colourful range of influences, from jazz to Celtic, European, roots and soul, makes an evening with Forbidden Joe the ultimate musical menagerie.
About the Band
In the eighteen months that they have been together, Forbidden Joe (aka: Frances Dickinson, Emily Giles and Alex Borwick) have created a storm on the NZ alt-folk scene. By bringing together their diverse musical backgrounds and influences of jazz, soul, celtic and folk, and their unique instrumentation of Concertina, Banjo, Cello and Trombone, this eclectic line up of musicians has created an unprecedented contemporary folk sound which is attracting rave reviews from around the country.
Lead vocalist Frances brings to the band her European roots and strong influences of British and Irish folk culture. A prominent face on the NZ folk scene, and celebrated songwriter, Frances was presented with the Frank Winter Memorial Award in 2007 for Most Promising Young Folk Artist. Frances has garnered acclaim for her sultry, expressive and soulful vocal style in Forbidden Joe, alongside her master concertina playing.
Having performed and recorded with many iconic musicians, Emily brings to Forbidden Joe her experimental approach to cello, uniting the beautiful with funky, driving and creative sounds that defy the cello’s classical roots. She is currently a member of Newgrass band ReIntarNayshun, and alt-progressive rock band Mothra and continues to bring her experience working within projects as diverse as spoken word, country, jazz and film scores to the line up.
Renowned for his multi-instrumentalist abilities, Alex is a skilled jazz trombonist, Irish tenor banjo player, percussionist, vocalist and more. With extensive performance experience with top jazz musicians such as the Roger Fox Big Band, and folk bands such as Grada, Alex is in hot demand for guest appearances around New Zealand. His banjo style fuses jazz, rock, swing, pop and reggae sounds that have rejuvenated the role of banjo in folk music and adds the driving force to the band.
Forbidden Joe have moved with impressive speed through their first year together on the NZ music scene, headlining at major music and arts festivals around the country. After independently releasing their EP Oh, What a Queer Sensation to much acclaim in late 2008, the trio took their quirky show of contemporary folk to venues around the country on a three week national tour. They have received acclaim, in response to their EP and live shows, from reviewers ranging from National Radio to NZ Musician magazine, including national radio play and media interviews.
With the support of Creative New Zealand and their distribution company Ode Records, Forbidden Joe will be releasing their full length album in early 2010, after which Australian and European dates will follow.
Check out Graham Reid's review of Oh, what a queer sensation HERE
Myspace Layouts at Pimp-My-Profile.com / Flower Pattern