About Suzannah's debut album A Few More Days...
On A FEW MORE DAYS, hear the intriguing new voice of SUZANNAH ESPIE, a voice that is at once as smooth as a Southern Belle's taunt and as strong as a front bar fist.
Some may have heard of Suzannah Esppie as one of the three-part harmonisers from country-rock outfit GIT. The Gitgals recorded several successful albums earlier in the naughties, including the centrepiece FLOWERS, amd a collaboration with US guitar legend Bill Kirchen on SATELLITE. GIT were festival favourites in Australia and toured several times in the US where, for one South-by-Southwest in particular, the band was the toast of Texas.
Now, SUZANNAH ESPIE has emerged as an astounding singer and songwriter in her own right. Her performances are mesmerising: you are lulled by a softness in her voice and then punched in the nose with its sassy strentgh. And the songs themselves are also strong. Suzannah has credits on the sountrack to the film LOOK BOTH WAYS and the TV show LAST MAN STANDING. Alongside her band THE LAST WORD, Suzannah's songs have acquired both the grittiness of the inner-city and the openness of country Australia.
"On a Few More Days (her) voice is a real surprise. (She sounds) like a white soul singer." Inpress Magazine
"Suzannah's songs are the standouts. Just check out "I Don't Know if You're the One" - a stunning piece of work" - Jeff Jenkins, Triple R
"It's not easy to deliver such traditional, cry-into-your-beer type stuff with enough personality to prevent it from sounding stale and awkward. Thanks to Espie's golden tonsils, A Few More Days pulls it off, gracefully bridging the span between a rural Tennessee beer barn and a Melbourne pub." Rhythms Magazine
"Suzannah Espie has proved beyond a doubt at ther album launch...that she's got one hell of a voice and she's not afraid to use it. Ranging from gentle ballads to flat-out soul belters that blew the lid off the joint. Suzannah and her band, the awesomely talented, tight and just right Last Word turned on one of the gigs of the year!" Cheap Thrills Magazine
"The live takes errupting with vitality, Espie's voice swings between commanding and tender as she stamps her identity on a selection of covers and originals" Inpress Magazine
Mixmasters Records & House Concerts Australia present
the "Bless This House" tour
featuring The Yearlings
and Suzannah Espie with Ian Collard
Two couples, four musicians, the strumming of acoustic guitars, gentle harmonica and voices joined in sweet harmony. The "Bless This House" tour, featuring The Yearlings and Suzannah Espie with Ian Collard, cherishes the warmth and intimacy of homegrown music.
The two duos hit the road (with Suzannah and Ian's baby in tow) for a two-month national tour of house concerts and performances in intimate, "listening" spaces in Feb/Mar 2007. Far from the smoke-filled air of rock'n'roll pubs, these cosy environments are perfect for the rootsy, acoustic, harmony-laden music which all four musicians hold dear.
Creating their own national touring circuit, and finding people from their dedicated fan bases who are willing to open their homes for house concerts, is part of the do-it-yourself indie ethos with which both couples have blazed their own career paths as successful, independent working musicians.
When Suzannah Espie met Ian Collard, they each had their own musical careers -- Suzannah with much-loved all-girl trio Git, and Ian with the ARIA-winning Collard Greens and Gravy.
"Now that we're a family," Suzannah explained, "being a duo means we can stay together when we're touring."
On the "Bless This House" tour, Ian accompanie Suzannah's solo material together with a few of his songs and some traditional blues and folk tunes.
The Yearlings were born in the basement of Robyn Chalklen and Chris Parkinson's Adelaide home. "We spent lots of time down there, just playing guitar and getting to know each other," said Chris. "When we decided to go out there and play gigs, it was so easy, just the two of us."
"There's something about a duo," adds Robyn. "It's simplified, but intensified, and audiences really connect with that simplicity and intensity."
The relaxed and up-close vibes of house concerts offer a special experience for both audience and performer. The concept of house concerts originated in the US and is now thriving in backyards and loungerooms around Australia. For independent musicians like The Yearlings, Suzannah Espie and Ian Collard, the booming house concert circuit is a blessing.
"So many musicians struggle to find somewhere to play," Ian remarked. "You have to make your own career these days, and find your own way to bring your music to the people who want to hear it."
We'r planning to do it all again cause it was just too much fun, so...
Music fans who are interested in hosting a house concert can find more information at www.houseconcertsaustralia.com.If you want to come along to a house concert, please send me a message and I'll provide you with details! or email me,
[email protected]xo Suzannah
The Yearlings:
www.theyearlings.net
www.myspace.com/theyearlings
Suzannah Espie:
www.suzannahespie.com
www.myspace.com/suzannahespieandthelastword
Ian Collard:
www.collardgreensandgravy.com
www.myspace.com/collardgreensandgravy
