Kiwi music spectacular on East FM, Saturday from noon...

Phil from Farm Cove

Kiwi Americana-country music star Jackie Bristow, East Auckland singer-songwriter Sarah Van Zyl, and Taranaki’s blues-roots champions The Mons Whaler, feature on tomorrow’s She’ll Be Right on Saturdays Show with PJ Taylor, midday to 4pm (NZ time, March 16) on East FM.

We’ll also spin the new track by Matt Hay, Promised Land, as he sets to launch his new album, Dog and Pony Show, on April 5. And with Greg Johnson and his band of legends playing a sold-out Uxbridge Theatre in Howick this Sunday, St Patrick’s Day evening, we have to play music by our maestro songwriter.

We’re talking live with Jackie Bristow at 12.30pm, catching up with what she’s been doing this past year – collaborations with Boz Scaggs, Barry Saunders, and Mark Punch to name a few – in the lead-up to her concert with Mark at Village Music in Mt Eden on Saturday, March 23, and we’ll play her new single with Barry, Good Miles to Go, and tracks off her brilliant 2022 album, Outsider.

www.eventfinda.co.nz...

East Aucklander Sarah Van Zyl is a talented singer-songwriter and guitarist, often seen playing at Howick Village Market and public events. She’s visiting with us live in the studio from 1.30pm.
She’s released two EPs of original songs, Ripples (in 2019) and Vacant Stations (2021), the latter in collaboration with guitarist James Howe. In 2023, she put out a solo single, Penguins Crossing (Oamaru).

We’ll also be talking with Hemi Coates, of The Mons Whaler, at 2.30pm, and playing the band’s superb new debut album Hold My Gun, in entirety. We featured The Mons Whaler on She’ll Be Right last year on release of their first EP, Won’t Let You Go.

Blackout Music says of Hold My Gun: ‘Featuring the album focus track Linger On, a swinging, sultry blues-rock number, and previous singles Blood, a spellbinding tune imbued with a deeply-felt, haunting melancholia; Online, an easy, melodious track underpinned by a gentle South Pacific vibe; and Won’t Let You Go, an enchanting fusion of swampy fuzz tones, and rock-blues, Hold My Gun marks the first of many exciting collaborative projects by these remarkably talented musical souls.’

Jackie Bristow’s website, jackiebristow.com reads: ‘The lure of the road has always been a defining motivation. She took her first musical steps in Gore, in the South Island of New Zealand, honed her craft in the pubs and clubs of Sydney, Australia, and found her voice in the United States, where she has continued to enhance her reputation as a soulful, seductive independent recording artist and dynamic live performer.
‘Like Joni Mitchell, Shawn Colvin and Bonnie Raitt, Jackie has created a body of work that will endure, finely shaded songs that are at once personal and universal, recording with her long-time musical partner, Australian-born guitarist and producer Mark Punch.
‘American Songwriter has hailed Jackie as ‘crafting some of the most beautiful, compelling Americana today’.’

Sarah Van Zyl plays all across Auckland specialising in covers of retro hits. She also performs regularly at retirement villages, and spent two years running a weekly singing group for Dementia NZ, where people with dementia come together to experience the joy of music and singing.
Born in South Africa, moving to Auckland as a teenager, she’s a Howick local who went to Macleans College, and completed her Bachelor of Music in Composition at the University of Auckland. sarahvzmusic.com...

Blackout Music says The Mons Whaler “are an innately chilled outfit whose spine-tingling fusion of coolly controlled alt-blues-rock, is now starting to turn heads and generate a serious buzz nationwide, both in live circles and across the music industry.
“Showcasing their innovative blend of retro-soul, swamp blues, alt-country rock-grooves, The Mons Whaler’s sound encapsulates a nonchalant cool with its atmospheric tones, effortless fluid flow, and ethereal style.

“Reflective singer-songwriter Hemi Coates (Ngati Awa, Ngati Hine), couples impeccable guitar playing with his warm velvet-rich vocals and gifted storytelling. A tight elemental rhythm section drives each song as the intuitive pairing of drummer Andre ‘Waka’ Peri (Ngati Maru), and bassist Phil Hoskin (Taranaki Tuturu), share their secret language to lock in the groove and complement every beat and note.
“The inspired addition of Courtnay Low on keys and lead guitar, deepens the roots-blues feel with her innate instinct for the perfect piano line or synth soundscape, and everyone contributes to the soul-infused vibe with their celestial harmonies and additional instrumentation.”

Hold My Gun was produced and mixed by Sam Johnson at Rhythm Ace Studio in Oakura, Taranaki. Recorded in only six days, with another five to mix and master, the whole album was live tracked from start to finish, coming together naturally and quickly.

East FM is East Auckland’s fair-dinkum community-powered public service radio station, on 88.1FM and 107.1FM on local frequencies, nationally and globally at www.eastfm.nz... and on app iHeart Radio.

She’ll Be Right - it’s all about the vibe; it’s all about the groove. Providing a platform for NZ music and performing artists to exhibit their talents. Ka pai. – PJ