Jazz and Blues Band:

ELECTRIC HARP?

Ian has been mastering the blues harp for almost forty years. His search for those early master sounds has led to a collection of crystal microphones and his famous "one watt" Harmony valve amplifier that his old mate Craig Claxton from Guitar Brothers found him in L.A. His big stage rig is a reworked snakeskin Soldano - thanks Craig!!!

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Ian "Half Watt" Wilks

Ian's passion for performance is evident, powerful vocals, haunting harmonica and steady old time tenor banjo. He has been associated with the Queensland Blues community since the late seventies playing in many diverse lineups that covered early acoustic jazz and blues through to hard edged electric blues.

The Summerland Band has enabled Ian to have all his music styles wrapped into one outfit - steady country folk from early last century through to the magic that was the sixties and seventies when the American masters were finally recognised in Europe and Australia.

The realisation of the cross over from American blues to the jazz and popular music genres bought a whole new light to the music that we have all grown up to love.

Ian's passion is performing the greats with a style that is definitely his own. It must be added that he is also an Albert King advocate, a fact that he shares equally with all the other members of Summerland. His influences include The Walters', Howlin' Wolf and Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa.

Ian Wilks on stage at the Sunshine Coast Blues Festival 2007